Smart home advice from people who build homes.

Our story

Why we started SmartHouzz

SmartHouzz was started by a South Florida luxury home builder who has spent years walking homeowners through lighting control, motorized shades, whole-home audio, security and networking on real projects.

The same questions came up on every job: Which of this is actually worth it? What can I do myself? Who should install the rest, and what will it cost? Most of the answers online came from manufacturers trying to sell something, or from reviewers who had never seen a system installed in a finished home.

SmartHouzz is our answer to those questions, for every homeowner and not just our clients. We explain the technology in plain English, recommend the gear we would put in our own homes, and connect you with qualified local pros when a project calls for one.

How we choose

How we pick what we recommend

• Real-world experience. We favor gear we have seen hold up in finished homes, not just on a test bench.
• Works together. We look for Matter, Thread and other open standards so your devices keep working with each other.
• Reliability over gimmicks. A light switch should just work, every time.
• Value. We will tell you when the budget option is good enough, and when it is worth spending more.

SmartHouzz earns commissions from some product links and referral fees from some professionals. That never decides what we recommend. Read our Affiliate Disclosure for the details.