Smart Home Technology continues to grow in new construction, existing homes

Engineer Mark Honeywell developed the first programmable thermostat in 1906. That invention is widely considered the first aspect in “Smart Home Technology.”

Things have certainly changed in the last 118 years. Home Automation, often referred to as Smart Home Technology is the use of technology to automate a home. It allows homeowners to control almost every aspect of the home through the Internet.

The website, Techjury, is a leader in tech trends in North America. They’ve kept an eye on Smart Home Technology, and the numbers are staggering. Techjury said that by 2023, the smart home industry automation in United States homes will be 53.9 percent. Smart Speakers will be in 31 percent of U.S. homes, and 118 million people in the U.S. will engage in some form of voice search activity at least monthly.

And it’s not just new home construction that’s seeing the boom. Techjury said that households in the U.S. will spend $19.4 billion to acquire smart security systems in existing homes.

Jason Seykora, owner of Sioux Falls-based Seykora Remodeling, isn’t in the business of new construction. His focus is all on residential remodeling, and he said many residents in the area have been updating their homes to smart home technology.

“Obviously with technology changing over the years, it’s become a more prominent thing,” Seykora said. “It can be as easy as video doorbells, or nest thermostats, or screens on an indoor porch, or garage doors that are operable, all by your phone.”

Having the ability to operate devices on a home from a cell phone is a game-changer, Seykora said. It’s efficient, and also gives a piece of mind.

“If you take off and leave something open, you’re able to connect back to it and get it shut to make sure everything is closed up while you’re gone,” he said. “Technology has taken a turn in our industry.”

There’s obviously a cost to smart home technology. Depending on what homeowners decide to add, the cost can fluctuate. Having the technology installed in new construction is also obviously easier, but Seykora said there’s always a way, even in older homes.

“A remodel, sometimes it might not be as easy as new construction, but it’s still doable,” he said. “There may be some drywall to patch, or some painting along the way. Anything is possible, it’s just a matter of how much you’re willing to spend to get whatever tech it is that you want.”

When it comes to new construction, Techjury said that 81 percent of consumers say they are more likely to purchase a home that has smart technology installed.

Tony Dupont of Sioux Falls-based Dupont Pro also does existing home remodels with smart technology. But unlike Seykora, Dupont is also in the new home construction market, and he said the technology is often requested in new homes. 

“It’s definitely a lot easier to do it on new home construction, just to get the wires in place while they’re building the house,” he said. “A lot of times on existing homes, we’re fishing wires and just making it work.”

Dupont said the biggest trend right now that he’s been installing is network-to-audio. Homeowners are able to play music, or listen to sporting events, throughout the house while entertaining. The sound is able to play in the garage, bathroom, deck, patio, kitchen or bedrooms, all on the same channel.

Lighting control has also been popular, Dupont said. 

“People can create themes so they’re not walking through their house flipping switches all over the place,” he said. “It can all be automated.”

Dupont agreed that smart home technology has taken off in recent years. He credits clients having bought something like a smart light bulb from a big box store that ignited the uptick.

“That kind of tweaked their interest, and now they’re calling us to add onto that,” he said. “It’s definitely gotten a lot more popular just because getting started is so much less now.”

Seykora said the biggest uptick he’s seen in recent years is video doorbells. According to Telecompetitor, a national leader in telecom and broadband, more than 20 million homes in the U.S. have the technology.

“When I was kid, there were very few security systems, or cameras, on homes,” Seykora said. “Now, it seems like you can’t go to a front door that doesn’t have a video camera. You never realized how many people come to your door while you’re at work.”