14 AI Upgrades That Future-Proof Your Home and Boost Its Value
Written by
Daria Uhlig
Edited by
Angela Corry
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America is in the midst of a “remodeling boom,” according to a recent report from Redfin. Experts predict that many of the remodeling jobs will integrate artificial intelligence and other smart technology to improve comfort and convenience and add value to the homes.
As a separate study from Redfin and Thumbtack, published on the Thumbtack blog, noted, homeowners expect these tech upgrades to increase their homes’ values by 15% in the next 10 years.
Thumbtack’s new Home of the Future report, based on a survey of 1,000 homeowners and over 500 home services professionals, found that younger homeowners are especially enthusiastic about home technology. But demand for projects that “future-proof” your home is high among homeowners of all ages.
The following 14 projects have the potential to future-proof your home and add to its value, no matter what your budget. GOBankingRates collected the price estimates from HomeGuide, Angi, HomeAdvisor and Amazon.com.
Smart Home on a Budget: Install a Hub
A modest budget can outfit your home with a smart hub you can build on as time and money permit. Popular hubs such as Google Nest and Amazon Echo consist of smart speakers, some with video, that can control your devices, filter out unnecessary alerts and interact with you in many different ways.
Keep in mind that the hub-based systems operate on WiFi, so you might need a mesh network to ensure a strong signal throughout your home. Here are 11 smart/AI upgrades for homes equipped with hubs, plus the cost of the hub and mesh system.
- Speaker-based hub: $30 to $300
- Whole-house mesh system: $100 to $1,200
- Thermostat: $50 to $500
- Security camera: $35 to $350
- Video doorbell: $50 to $350
- Door lock: $100 to $400
- Light switch: $10 to $75
- Outlet for smart devices: $10 to $50
- Smoke/carbon monoxide detector: $40 to $150
- Appliances: $50 to $3,000
- Water/leak sensor kit: $10 to $100
- Garage door opener: $30 to $300
- Window blind: $100 to $750 each
Integrated Smart and AI Upgrades
If you need higher-end smart and AI technology, you can integrate it into your home’s existing systems or replace those systems entirely. The four upgrades that follow require significant investment but could offer good value for the right home.
Security and Home Monitoring System
All-inclusive home security and monitoring systems include the devices, installation an monitoring. HomeGuide estimates that systems like those offered by ADT, Vivint and SimpliSafe cost anywhere from a few hundred to nearly $2,500 dollars initially, plus up to about $50 per month for monitoring. System components often use AI to differentiate between real threats and false alarms, per CNET.
- Smoke/carbon monoxide detectors
- Break-in detector
- Water/leak monitor
- Thermostat
- Video doorbell
- Security camera
HVAC Zoning With Smart Climate Control
Upgrading your current heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system to a zoned system where you can control each room’s temperature individually, with smart thermostats, increases energy efficiency and can extend the life of your HVAC system. Angi estimates the total at $1,500 to $8,500.
Replace WiFi With Ethernet
WiFi connects most smart home equipment, but the more devices you have, the less efficient it becomes. Adding ethernet, which Angi estimates might run $400 to $3,500, depending on the number of rooms and the complexity of the job, lets you connect the devices directly to the internet.
Some installations require electrical upgrades.
Electrical System Upgrade
Constellation Energy Resources recommends hard-wiring smoke alarms, thermostats, outlets, doorbells and light switches. You’ll also need to hardwire your HVAC system if you want to control the power it receives and not just the smart thermostat connected to it.
The cost of electrical upgrades varies significantly. Whereas an electrical panel upgrade might cost anywhere from under $1,000 to over $2,000, replacing knob and tube writing can run as high as $35,000, on average, according to HomeGuide.
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