Overall, the pricing structure for additional smart-home technology in the model home I looked at seemed reasonable and was consistent with the company’s à la carte–style pricing.
Pulte: Pulte’s base smart-home package includes CAT6 wiring in the family room and wireless access points connected to a central location for setting up a home network. The equipment, including the actual router and access points, is not included, and additional CAT6 wiring is charged per room. The upgrade package includes voice control, a wireless access point from Ubiquiti, Nest thermostat, Liftmaster garage door, and a Schlage front door lock. À la carte options include smart switches from Leviton, speakers from Sonos, and other various AV solutions. My only concern here is that if buyers were to add a lot of switches, they’d be better off with an option that is compatible with either Z-Wave or Zigbee or that uses a proprietary communication such as Lutron’s Caseta. This would avoid overloading the Wi-Fi network with too many devices. Overall, the pricing structure for additional smart-home technology in the model home I looked at seemed reasonable and was consistent with the company’s à la carte–style pricing.