Journal
How Much Does Home Automation Cost in Australia?
Honest 2026 price ranges for Melbourne homes, from a single room to a fully integrated new build, and what really drives the number.
In Australia, professionally designed home automation typically costs $2,000 to $8,000 for a single room or a starter system, $15,000 to $40,000 for a whole home retrofit, and $40,000 to $100,000 or more for a fully integrated new build. The spread is wide because the right system depends on your home and your priorities, not a package off a shelf.
These are general market ranges for professionally installed projects in 2026, not CleverMate prices. Every home is designed and quoted individually, so treat them as honest orientation rather than a quote. Here is the same picture at a glance, then what actually moves the number.
Project type | Typical range | What it usually covers |
|---|---|---|
Starter: one room or one problem | $2,000 to $8,000 | Lighting or climate automation in key rooms, a video intercom and smart lock, or a media room control upgrade |
Whole home retrofit | $15,000 to $40,000 | Lighting, climate, security and audio across the house, working as one system, without opening walls |
New build integration | $40,000 to $100,000+ | Full wiring during construction, integrated lighting, climate, security, blinds and multi room AV, invisible when done |
Large or premium homes | $100,000+ | Extensive AV, cinema rooms, architectural lighting and grounds, designed alongside architect and builder |
What actually drives the cost?
Scope. The number of rooms and functions matters more than any single product. Four automated functions in every room costs more than ten functions in one.
Wired versus wireless. Wireless keeps retrofit costs down. Wiring during a build costs little per point while the walls are open and buys decades of reliability.
Platform choice. Traditional wired systems such as Control4, Crestron and KNX carry a high hardware and licensing cost. An open system built on Home Assistant delivers the same functionality using modern wireless technology, which is where much of the saving comes from.
Your home itself. Size, construction and age all shape the design. Double brick, long distances and older switchboards each add their own considerations.
Finish level. Engraved keypads, flush wall panels and architectural fittings sit at a different price point to app control alone.
Design and programming. The invisible line item, and the one that decides whether the system feels effortless in five years. Good design time is what separates a system from a bag of parts.
Why traditional systems cost so much more
A real example: a Williamstown home was quoted roughly $200,000 for a traditional wired system. The same home was delivered for roughly $50,000 using modern technology such as AirPlay 2 and Chromecast, which removes the need for expensive proprietary on-wall screens for TV and music. Nothing was left out. The system was right sized to the budget while delivering the same functionality and value.
That is the difference an open platform makes. Traditional systems are proven and stable, and they have been around a long time, but you pay for proprietary hardware and you need a certified dealer for every change. Zigbee and Thread are now global smart home standards backed by the major technology companies, and Zigbee has been commercially available for two decades, so the wireless foundation is well established.
Cost by project type
Starting small
A single room or single problem project is the sensible way in for many households. Automating the lighting and climate in the main living areas, or fitting a video intercom with a smart lock, lands in the low thousands and delivers something you feel every day. Done properly, it is also a foundation: the system you start with should be one the rest of the house can join later, which is a design decision worth making on day one.
The whole home retrofit
Most of our work in established Melbourne homes sits here. Modern wireless equipment means a house built in 1935 or 1995 can run lighting scenes, zoned climate, integrated security and multi room audio without a renovation. Where a cable genuinely earns its place, it can usually be run discreetly. The result costs a fraction of what the same capability cost a decade ago.
New builds
Building is the cheapest moment per point you will ever get, because the walls are open. Wiring for automation during construction typically adds a low single digit percentage to the build cost and removes the compromises retrofits sometimes carry. The mistake we see is leaving it until fit off, when the cheap window has closed.
Is home automation worth it?
Worth it is a design question more than a budget question. A system built around real daily friction, the too hot upstairs, the is the garage shut, the fifteen switches to leave the house, pays you back every single day and generally lasts a decade or more. Gadgets bought one sale at a time tend to end up in a drawer. If the system is designed around your household, the honest answer is yes; the running costs are modest and the daily return is constant.
Does a smart home add value to your property?
It can support value and saleability, particularly in the premium market, where buyer expectations around integrated technology keep rising. A documented, professionally installed system reads as an asset in a way a collection of gadgets does not, the same way ducted heating reads differently to a plug in heater. It is also flexible: because the system is built on open standards, it can work for any new owner rather than locking them into a platform they did not choose. No one can promise a specific dollar uplift, and we will not pretend otherwise. What we can show is what these systems look like finished, on our projects page.
What a good quote should include
Because quotes in this category vary so much, it is worth knowing what a thorough one looks like. Before comparing totals, check that each quote spells out:
An itemised scope, room by room and function by function, so you can see exactly what is and is not included.
The platform, named, and a plain language reason it suits your home rather than the installer's habits.
The wiring plan, including what is wireless, what is cabled and why.
Design and programming time as a visible line, not buried, because it is the part that determines how the system feels to live with.
Documentation and handover, so the system can be serviced by anyone competent in future, not only its installer.
Ongoing support, stated plainly: what is covered and how you get help when you need it.
A quote missing several of these is not necessarily cheaper. It is usually just quieter about what has been left out.
How to budget without guesswork
Two habits keep budgets honest. First, design before buying anything: a plan for the whole home, even if you build it in stages, prevents the expensive rework of systems that cannot grow. Second, stage the spend around what matters most to your household, and let the rest follow when it suits. A short conversation about your home is the fastest way to turn these ranges into a real number, and it costs nothing; book a free consultation when you are ready.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest way to start with home automation?
Automate one high traffic function properly, usually lighting or climate in the main living areas, on a platform the rest of the house can join later. That typically starts around $2,000 to $4,000 installed and avoids the false economy of disposable gadgets.
Are there ongoing costs?
Modest ones. Some platforms and camera services carry small subscriptions, and like any system in your home it benefits from occasional maintenance and updates. There is no large mandatory annual fee for a well chosen system.
Why do quotes for the same house vary so much?
Usually because they describe different things: different platforms, different amounts of wiring, different finish levels and very different design and programming time. Compare what each system will actually do and how it will be supported, not just the total.
Does home automation increase home value?
It can improve saleability and support value in the premium market, especially when the system is integrated and documented. Treat any promised dollar figure with suspicion; treat it instead as a liveability investment that buyers increasingly expect.
