Smart home remodels, security and entertainment devices lead the way
As the report details, 25 % of those adding these items are installing safety-oriented devices like alarms, detectors, and cameras. The following most in-demand categories are entertainment products like smart TVs and speakers (18%), and heating and cooling (14 %.) The single most favored feature is the thermostat, installed by 12% of all the surveyed homeowners making high-tech upgrades
Now, for the still majority of homeowners who opted out from smart upgrades, the top reason was “just not interested”-we’ve certainly heard from skeptic Curbed readers before. The second biggest reason? “Too expensive/pricey.” Fair enough.
Based on the survey, not only do the folks getting smart security upgrades outspend those getting non-smart options (for example, 35 % of the “smart” group spent under-$501, compared to 51% of the “non-smart” group), additionally they have a tendency to exceed their budgets for upgrades under $1,500, which is the expense range for almost three-fourths of the respondents.
For smart entertainment upgrades, the expenses show greater variability, with 62% spending in the $501-2,500 range, 14 % in the under-$500 range, along with a whole 21% ponying up $5,001 or even more (even though only 5 percent of folks initially budgeted so!) Smart heating and cooling costs are also more distributed, and somewhat evenly among the cost ranges of under-$500, $501-1,500, $2,500-5,000, and $5,001 or higher.
The downside of such cost variability is navigating the marketplace and picking the most suitable option for your home in the first place. In fact, the top two challenges for homeowners adding smart features are “educating self about options” and “finding the proper products/technology.”
