People ask for “a smart home quote” as if that is one product.
It is not. It is a geyser timer, or it is a Green and twenty devices, or it is a Control4-shaped fantasy that does not belong on this site.
Here are the bands we actually sell into. Prices are hardware, September 2026, from the shop. Labour in Gauteng is extra and quoted after photos. Shipping is national.
Band 1 — Fix one job: R180 to R1 000
This is where most houses should start.
| Job | Typical hardware | Ballpark |
|---|---|---|
| Geyser timer | POW Elite 20A | R399 |
| Gate / garage relay | Sonoff gate/garage relay | R179 |
| One problem light circuit | Basic / Mini class relay | ± R180 – R250 |
| Two sensors | Door + motion | ± R400 – R500 |
If the geyser was on all day, Band 1 often pays for itself before the next municipal bill argument. Details: best Sonoff for a geyser.
Labour: a competent electrician for the isolator tails or the gate motor housing. Not a six-week project.
Band 2 — Small house that behaves: R6 000 to R15 000 hardware
This is the first setup that feels like a system.
- Home Assistant Green ± R4 499
- Small UPS for router + Green: R800 – R2 000
- Geyser + gate + a few lights
- Two to four sensors
- Maybe one wall tablet you already own
You leave Band 2 with one app, local control, and a house someone else in the family can live with. That is the point of Home Assistant in South Africa.
Gauteng install for this band is usually “a visit plus config,” not a week in the ceiling.
Band 3 — Whole home, still affordable: R15 000 to R40 000 hardware
Now you are covering most lights, more sensors, better Wi‑Fi, maybe a panel, maybe bringing an inverter onto the dashboard.
This is where money leaks if you let the list get cute:
- Colour bulbs in rooms nobody sits in
- Motorised curtains on the first invoice
- A camera plan that needed a mini PC you did not budget
- Replacing working wall switches because a video said so
Wi‑Fi that cannot reach the gate is not a Sonoff problem. Budget a mesh or a cable before you budget more relays.
What labour costs, said like adults
We do not publish a fake call-out number that ignores the suburb and the DB.
Expect to pay for:
- Time in the board or the geyser cupboard (electrician)
- Config and handover (us, Gauteng)
- A second visit if the Wi‑Fi was lying on day one
Outside Gauteng: hardware ships. Your electrician does the line-side work to a spec we can send. There is no hidden national install team on this page.
What people overspend on
- Starter kits with four apps and no plan — see how to start
- A Pi that “saves” R2 000 and dies — see Green vs Pi
- Smart plugs on circuits that should have been a 20 A relay
- Buying every room at once instead of the rooms that waste power
What “cheap” still has to include
- An isolator on the geyser
- A UPS or essential plug for the hub
- Signal to the gate box
- Names on devices a human can read
Skip those and the cheap system becomes the expensive one.
A sane way to budget
- Pick the job that costs you money or hassle. Price Band 1.
- If that worked, price the Green and the UPS. That is Band 2.
- Only then walk the house room by room.
You do not have to be a millionaire. You do have to stop buying scenes.
FAQ
How much is a smart home in South Africa? A real first job is hundreds of Rand. A joined-up small house is usually R6 000 – R15 000 in hardware plus Gauteng labour. Luxury whole-home systems are a different industry.
Is Home Assistant expensive? The software is free. The Green is about R4 499. The cost is devices plus a clean install.
Can I stay in Band 1 forever? Yes. A geyser timer with no hub is still a win.
Do you discount bundles? Watch the shop and the dealer programme. This article is the honest range, not a coupon.
Will this raise the value of the house? It might help a sale if it is tidy and documented. Buy it to cut the bill and the hassle. Anything else is a bonus.
