It’s understandable that you’d want to know whether or not automating your house is really worth it before making the leap.
Can home automation be justified?
Yes, home automation is a worthwhile investment. Daily tasks are simplified and made more pleasurable as a result. Even in the long term, it may save you a substantial amount of money. That being said, getting started may be pricey and requires a lot of experimenting.
In addition, a lot depends on your objectives and what you want to accomplish. It’s all up to you and your financial situation. It’s a function of where you are in life right now, as well as who you are as a person. Which of the following is true of you: You’re an enthusiast of cutting-edge technology or you’re a purist?
The best place to begin is with the response to the final question: Are you a luddite?
No, I’m not a neophyte.
A home automation system may not be for you if you don’t enjoy technology and the time it takes to get new technologies up and operating (properly).
As someone who’s done it, I can tell you that home automation takes time.
In order to get the most out of your automations, you need to know what products you need, how to set them all up, and how you can get them to work with other products.
And so on.
Many organizations specialize in setting up and implementing smart homes on your behalf, but they all come at a price.
If money isn’t an issue, this may be a viable solution.
Just keep in mind that if and when anything does go wrong, you’ll have to pay more.
For the most part, you won’t be able to change things yourself since you were not the one who set them up in the first place.
It’s ideal for those of us who are budget-conscious yet nonetheless thrilled about home automation to undertake the installation ourselves.
Okay, we’ve crossed the first bridge. We’ve established that you’re enthusiastic about new technology and prepared to put in the effort to get familiar with its workings.
What do you want to achieve?
When it comes to home automation, the next step is to figure out what you want to achieve.
If you’re cynical about smart homes and expect to never have to do anything with them after installing them, you’re going to be very disappointed.
Automating daily tasks and making them more fun is what home automation is all about, in my view.
For example, my wife and I were always apprehensive about returning home to a door that had been left unlocked.
If you’ve ever felt this way, I’m sure you have at least a few times in your life:
With your hands full of goods and the door shut behind you, you’re unable to get in.
It’s frustrating to attempt to pull the keys out of your jeans, but you can’t seem to get them out of there.
In order to open this door, you’ll need to place down all 50 of these shopping bags on the front steps, and your biceps are beginning to ache from the exertion.
That occurred to us a few times before we planned to do something about it.
As a result of our August Smartlock Pro, we no longer have this issue. For the first time, our front door automatically opens for us when we approach within a particular distance of our house.
August smartlocks use your current bolt lock and key slot, so you’ll never be locked out again. As a result, you’ll be able to save your old keys as a backup.
With the ability to open and lock our door while we’re gone, we can also grant our family members access through their phones.
After about 10 minutes of setup, it was ready for use.
That’s exactly the kind of problem that home automation can help with.
If it seems like something you’d be interested in, then home automation may be worth the investment for you.
But how much will it cost?
Are you presently in a financial situation that requires a loan?
Personal finance is something I’d probably be blogging about if I weren’t writing about smart home technology.
My advise is to quit immediately if you have a mountain of credit card debt, school loans, auto payments, or any other kind of financial obligation.
Pay off your debt with the money you were going to spend on smart home devices.
In the end, home automation and smart home technology are nothing more than a pastime. Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of legitimate and practical uses for this technology.. Let’s be honest, it’s not a must!
In order to get out of debt, At the very least, this should be the case.
You may not have any debt, but you still want to enjoy your new home/apartment/condominium even if you do.
Setting a price range
The next stage is to figure out how much money you have to work with.
Do not worry if you do not have a lot of money – you can get started for only $20. From there, you may gradually build up your smart house.
My piece on 5 Cheap Home Automation options is a good place to start.
Regardless of how you want to build your smart home, you need establish a budget for yourself.
My initial foray into home automation was so overwhelming that I ended up purchasing something new every other day.
One thing led to another, and by the end of week one, I had already spent $500 on my smart home project.
When I was just getting started, I had smart locks (150), smart plugs (40), an Echo Show (150), and five smart switches (160).
Set a budget and stick to it in the start.
If you don’t, things might spiral out of control quicker than you (or your partner) are used to.
Stop and take a deep breath after you’ve over your spending limit. Spend the holidays or other occasions like your birthday collecting items for your house.
That’s just my opinion, so go ahead and do whatever you want.
As of right now, where are you now living?
Consider your existing living circumstances as the last factor.
It’s time to answer the question, “Are you a homeowner?” How long are you planning to stay if you rent?
My recommendation is to wait until you get your hands on the property.
As a tenant, you have a limited number of devices and home automations to choose from.
Having your own business gives you the freedom to do anything you want.
If you want to install a new window, you’ll need to cut a hole in the wall. It’s time to take a risk. If you’ve got a spare kitchen closet, you may want to consider installing pantry storage there. Go ahead and try your hand at it.
For your home automation initiatives, the same holds true.
Even though some smart house devices are less difficult than others, most will need some modification of existing buildings and fixtures.
For the most part, you’ll want to leave the setup in place rather than pack it up and go on with your life.
That doesn’t mean you can’t do this if you’re renting. It’s a little more difficult.
Conclusion
Therefore, is home automation worth the investment? Well…
- It is essential that you have a strong interest in technology and a desire to experiment with it in order to succeed in this field.
- It is important to realize that smart home technology isn’t going to fix all of your problems and is best used to automate parts of your daily tasks.
- Pay off your debts first if you have any! You should then create a budget and stick to it.
- There are no rules when it comes to your house, so go wild! If you’re renting, think about what you’re trying to achieve and whether or not it’s worth the time and money you’re putting into it.
Are you satisfied with the results of your home automation? I’d love to hear from you in the comments!