Owners Smarten Up Their Homes in Remodels | Realtor Magazine
Renovating home owners are reaching for more “smart” home technology, according to the 2016 Houzz Smart Home Trends Survey, conducted with CEDIA, of nearly 1,000 home owners planning or in the midst of a home renovation project.
Read more: The Safety Benefit of Smart Homes
Nearly half of renovating home owners say they’re incorporating smart home technology, such as systems or devices that can be monitored or controlled via a smartphone, tablet or computer. Renovated homes are more than twice as likely to include a smart system or device than prior to renovation, the study finds.
Nearly a third of upgraded smart home systems or devices can be controlled via a central hub, and a quarter included voice-controlled features, the survey finds.
The main motivations for outfitting homes with smarter home tech is for security/safety (25%); entertainment (18%); greater climate control (14%); and lighting (12%), survey respondents reported.
The top smart home security and safety devices being installed include fire and gas alarms, cameras, motion/glass breakage and door sensors; door locks; and video doorbells. About 12 percent of renovated homes include a smart thermostat and 11 percent have smart indoor lighting.
“Our data sheds light on how renovating home owners are embracing smart technology,” says Nino Sitchinava, principal economist at Houzz. “These home owners aim to improve the comfort, convenience, safety, and energy usage of their home during their renovations, and smart technology appears to address many of their needs. While many home owners report difficulty learning about and finding the right smart products to fit their needs, high levels of adoption and satisfaction among renovators are sound predictors of a wider reliance on these technologies among the general public in the near future.”