TL;DR: Real luxury home automation starts around $25,000–$50,000 for a focused entry installation (one platform, one or two zones, lighting and basic AV). A typical whole-home system in a 5,000–8,000 sq ft luxury build runs $75,000–$200,000. Full integrations with Lutron HomeWorks, Ketra lighting, multi-zone audio/video, dedicated theaters, and deep custom programming run $250,000–$1,000,000+. The number depends on home size, brand selection, and programming depth. not on the platform alone.
The Range Is Wide for a Reason
A $10,000 kit-of-parts from a big-box retailer and a $1,000,000 custom Crestron installation are both called “home automation.” They are not the same product category. At the consumer end, you are buying devices. smart switches, a hub, an app. At the luxury end, you are buying a designed system: commercial-grade processors, in-wall infrastructure, custom-programmed control logic, and a long-term service relationship. The cost gap reflects a real difference in what is being delivered.
This post covers the luxury tier. If you are planning a serious new build or major renovation, here is what the number actually means and where it comes from.
<.-- BEGIN newsletter inline block (proxy v2) --> <.-- END newsletter inline block (proxy v2) -->The Five Variables That Drive Cost
The number is not arbitrary. Five variables determine where a project lands within any tier.
1. Square footage and zone count. Every independently controlled area. a lighting scene, an audio zone, a shade group. is a zone. More zones means more hardware, more wiring, more programming. A 4,000 sq ft home might have 12 zones; a 15,000 sq ft estate might have 60.
2. Platform selection. Crestron is the most expensive and most programmable. Control4 is more accessible at the lower luxury tier. Savant sits between them on both axes.
3. Lighting design depth. Lutron RadioRA 3 on a modest spec costs very differently from a full Lutron HomeWorks QS installation with Ketra or Colorbeam tunable white fixtures. Lighting frequently becomes the single largest line item in a full luxury budget.
4. AV scope. Distributed video, a dedicated theater, and multi-zone audio each add meaningful hardware and labor costs. A dedicated theater room alone can be a six-figure line item.
5. Programming complexity. Templated programming costs far less than custom-coded logic. For a Crestron estate with 40 zones, integrated Lutron, and a pool house on the network, programming labor is a significant fraction of the total project budget.
The Four Realistic Budget Tiers
These are industry-typical ranges. What you actually spend within a tier depends on the five variables above. Treat these as a calibration tool, not a quote.
Tier 1: $25,000–$50,000. Focused Entry
One or two rooms. Basic lighting control and audio. One platform. typically Control4 or Crestron Home OS. Templated programming. Well-suited for condos and second homes. You get a real, professionally installed system; you do not get whole-home coverage or deep integration.
Tier 2: $75,000–$200,000. Whole-Home Standard
The typical range for a 5,000–8,000 sq ft luxury build. Full lighting control, distributed audio and video, network infrastructure, and a basic theater or media room. Crestron Home OS or Control4. Lutron RadioRA 3 or a lite-spec HomeWorks installation. This is where most serious luxury homes land when scope is thoughtful but not maximized.
Tier 3: $250,000–$500,000. Full Luxury Integration
Homes of 8,000–15,000 sq ft where technology is a fully designed layer of the house. Lutron HomeWorks QS throughout, Ketra or Colorbeam tunable white and color fixtures, dedicated theater, motorized shading, climate and security integrated, custom Crestron programming, multi-zone audio and video everywhere. Programming labor is a significant fraction of the budget at this tier.
Tier 4: $500,000–$1,000,000+. Estate-Scale
15,000+ sq ft, often multiple structures. Commercial-grade network infrastructure. Redundant systems and failover logic. Deep custom programming for property-wide scene management. A 10+ year service relationship built into the project from day one. At this level the technology team functions as a specialty contractor on the build.
What Is Not Included in These Numbers
The tiers above cover the control system, in-wall infrastructure, lighting control hardware, audio/video distribution equipment, and programming labor. Several cost categories sit outside them:
- Display devices. Televisions, projectors, and screens are separate. A 4K laser projector with a motorized screen for a dedicated theater can add $30,000–$80,000 before anything else in that room. For a full price-band breakdown of dedicated theater builds across NJ, NY, and CT, see our home theater cost guide for 2026.
- Premium speaker brands. Steinway Lyngdorf, Bowers & Wilkins architectural, and similar furniture-grade acoustic brands are priced separately from standard in-ceiling speakers.
- Fiber to outbuildings. Connecting a guest house or pool house over fiber is a separate infrastructure cost dependent on distance and site conditions.
- Ongoing service plans. See the section below.
Where People Get the Number Wrong
Three mistakes come up repeatedly in early budget conversations.
Assuming the app equals the system. The touchscreen or phone app is the visible surface. The cost is in everything behind it: processors, wiring, amplifiers, programming hours. Judging cost by the interface is like judging a house by the front door.
Trusting an estimate without a site visit. A firm number given before anyone walks the property will not survive the actual scope conversation. The only honest pre-visit answer is a budget range.
Pricing the platform without pricing the programming. A Crestron processor is a known hardware cost. Writing the programming for your specific home. scenes, triggers, conditional logic, commissioning. is frequently the largest single labor line item in a serious project. Hardware-only quotes are materials lists, not project costs.
The Service Plan Question
A luxury automation system requires ongoing care to stay at the level you paid for. Firmware updates, driver updates, network changes, and device evolution all need proactive management.
Industry-typical annual service plans run $3,000–$15,000 per year. roughly 3–5% of system cost annually. That covers proactive monitoring, firmware management, priority response, and scheduled system reviews. Ask any integrator how they handle ongoing support before you sign. An hourly rate and a callback queue is a different commitment than a proactive care plan, and the difference becomes clear the first time something stops working before a dinner party. See our care plans page for how we structure ongoing support.
How We Quote at Restrepo Innovations
No hard numbers before we walk the property. At the site visit we review the floor plan, confirm the scope of work, and ask the questions that reveal whether your stated intent matches what the home actually requires. After the visit, we produce a fixed-fee design proposal: a written scope of work with hardware and labor separated and a recommended service plan. There are no surprises at install because the scope is defined before we touch a tool.
We serve luxury residences across New Jersey (Bergen, Essex, Morris, Passaic, and Hudson counties. Alpine, Saddle River, Franklin Lakes, Short Hills, Tenafly, Wyckoff, Ridgewood, Mendham, Chatham, and Millburn), Connecticut (Fairfield and Litchfield counties. Greenwich, Darien, New Canaan, Westport, Stamford, and Ridgefield), and New York (Westchester. Bronxville, Scarsdale, Rye, Larchmont, Bedford, Chappaqua, and Pound Ridge. Manhattan, and the Hamptons).
Call us at 201.405.2022 or schedule a consultation. We will give you an honest range based on your stated scope and tell you if the project is not a fit for what we do.
<.-- FAQ SECTION -->Frequently Asked Questions
Why is luxury home automation so much more expensive than DIY smart home?
Two reasons: commercial-grade products (Crestron processors, Lutron HomeWorks dimmers, Ketra fixtures) cost 5–10x consumer alternatives because they are built to run reliably for 15 years. And the labor is craft labor. design, custom programming, in-wall installation, commissioning. which is the majority of any luxury automation budget.
Can I get a real quote without a site visit?
No. A hard number given before anyone walks the property is a guess. Honest integrators give a budget range based on home size and stated scope, then propose a fixed-fee design phase to produce the real number.
What is the smallest budget that gets a real luxury automation experience?
Around $50,000–$75,000: one platform (Control4 or Crestron Home OS), high-quality lighting control (Lutron RadioRA 3 or HomeWorks lite spec), distributed audio in 3–4 zones, basic video in main living areas. Below that you are buying products, not a system.
How much does Crestron specifically cost vs Control4?
At the rack level, Crestron runs 30–50% more than Control4. Total installed cost narrows to 15–20% because labor and AV gear dominate both budgets. See our full Crestron vs. Control4 comparison for details.
Does Restrepo Innovations publish prices on the website?
No. Every project is custom-scoped because every luxury home has different square footage, lighting depth, AV requirements, and programming complexity. We publish budget tiers (above) so you can self-select before scheduling a consultation. Once we walk the property, we produce a transparent fixed-fee design proposal.
“The number scales with intent. Tell us what you want the home to do, and we will tell you what it costs to do it well.” __EMDASH_PROTECT_0__