Reviewed by the HomeSmartSetup team · Last reviewed June 2026. This is our room-by-room map of what’s actually worth automating — with links to the deeper guide for each space. HomeSmartSetup may earn a commission from links on this page — it never changes what we recommend.
You don’t automate a house all at once — you do it one room at a time, starting with the spaces where smart devices solve a real daily annoyance. This is the whole-home overview: the single best device for each room, what it costs, and where to go deeper. Build it in this order and every step pays off before you spend on the next.
Entryway: a video doorbell and a smart lock
Start at the front door. A Ring or Nest Doorbell (~$100–$180) shows who’s there; a Yale or August smart lock (~$150–$230) ends key fumbling and lets in guests with a code. This is the highest-impact room for most people.
Living room: voice control and lighting scenes
An Echo Dot ($50) plus smart bulbs (WiZ ~$13, Hue ~$50) gives you “movie night” and “good night” scenes and voice control of everything. A Govee light strip (~$20) behind the TV adds ambience.
Kitchen: a smart display and leak sensors
An Echo Show 8 ($139.99) for hands-free recipes and a Govee leak sensor 3-pack (~$40) under the sink. (Full guide: smart kitchen devices.)
Bathroom: leak detection and a humidity fan
A leak sensor behind the toilet and a humidity-sensing exhaust fan prevent the two costly bathroom failures. (Full guide: connected bathroom.)
Bedroom & nursery: smart bulbs and (if needed) a monitor
Smart bulbs running a wind-down/wake routine, and for families a baby monitor (Eufy SpaceView ~$160, no fee). (Full guide: families with young kids.)
Whole house: thermostat, hub, and security
A smart thermostat (Ecobee ~$249, Amazon Smart Thermostat ~$80) for the energy savings, and a hub if you add Zigbee/Z-Wave sensors. (Guides: energy-efficient living, choosing a hub.)
Room-by-room priority and cost
| Room | Start with | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Entryway | Video doorbell + smart lock | ~$250–$410 |
| Living room | Echo Dot + bulbs | ~$90 |
| Kitchen | Echo Show + leak sensors | ~$180 |
| Bathroom | Leak sensor + humidity fan | ~$120 |
| Whole house | Smart thermostat | ~$80–$249 |
A real build order
Month one: the entryway (doorbell + lock, ~$300) — the biggest daily win. Month two: the living room (~$90) for voice and scenes. Then kitchen, bathroom, and a thermostat as budget allows. Spreading it across a few months means each room proves its worth before you spend on the next, and you never drop $1,000 on gear you don’t end up using.
Frequently asked questions
Which room should I automate first?
The entryway — a video doorbell and smart lock deliver the most-used, highest-impact convenience and security. Then the living room for voice and lighting.
How much to make a whole house smart?
A solid whole-home setup runs roughly $700–$1,200 spread across rooms. Building one room at a time keeps it affordable and lets each step prove itself.
Do I need a hub for all this?
Not if devices are Wi-Fi or Matter-over-Thread — an Echo or Nest Hub covers it. Add a dedicated hub only when you bring in Zigbee/Z-Wave sensors.
More: start with our devices under $50 or the renter-friendly setup.
