How Much Does It Cost to Install a Smart Thermostat?

Estimating Smart Thermostat Installation Costs

Beyond the smart thermostat unit, there’s often a need to install a C-wire on thermostats so they work correctly. There’s also a wide range of professionals who can tackle this job for you, ranging from electricians to handypeople.

Material Prices

The smart thermostat unit will cost anywhere from $70 to $800, depending on the features you’re looking for and the brand you purchase. If your current thermostat isn’t a smart one, it may not have a C-wire, otherwise known as a common wire, and will typically need one to properly wire a smart thermostat. The cost of installing a C-wire will add $50 to $100 per hour extra to the total installation costs.

Labor Costs

You have several professionals you can contact to complete this electrical job, but there’s one stipulation. Local municipalities almost always require a licensed electrician to complete a thermostat installation, so ensure you’re hiring a licensed electrician near you, regardless of whom you decide to hire.

• Licensed electrician cost: $50 to $125 per hour

• HVAC technician cost: $50 to $150 per hour

• Handyperson cost: $60 to $125 per hour

How Much Does It Cost to Install a Smart Thermostat Yourself?

Because you’re likely going to need a C-wire installed for a smart thermostat, it’s best to leave this job to a licensed thermostat installation company near you. Improperly wiring a smart thermostat could cause your HVAC to respond incorrectly or even refuse to work. If you are licensed to work on electrical equipment or have been an electrical DIYer most of your life, you could skip the labor costs and only worry about purchasing the smart unit itself.

By installing a smart thermostat yourself, you’d likely save around $100 in labor costs. Tools you’d likely need for this task include:

• Wire cutters: $10 to $20

• Electrically insulated gloves: $10 to $35

• Phillips screwdrivers: $1 to $10

• Pliers: $10 to $25

Cost of Installing a Smart Thermostat Yourself vs. Hiring a Contractor

If you decide to tackle this project yourself, you should expect to pay anywhere from $70 to $800 for the smart thermostat unit itself. If you absolutely needed to buy every tool, you’re roughly looking at $60 on top of the unit.

Having a professional electrician near you install the smart thermostat would cost roughly $350 compared to DIYing the installation at around $250. Save yourself the headache and the possible voided warranty and have a contractor hook up your smart thermostat instead.

How Much Does It Cost to Install a Smart Thermostat by Brand?

There are a wide variety of popular brands and types of smart thermostats, each providing a wide range of models to choose from. These brands may be sold at a large electronics or hardware store, or they may only be available through security systems or straight to contractors.

“You can also check with your utility company to obtain a smart thermostat. They may offer rebates and incentives for an even lower price compared to purchasing directly from a store,” says Salvatore Cutrona, owner of Cutrona Electric, LLC, in Sherman, CT.

What Factors Influence the Price of Smart Thermostat Installation?

Smart thermostat features vary greatly. Ranging from simply having the option for smartphone control to as sophisticated as learning your temperature control routines and working with voice assistants.

Advanced features even allow thermostats to monitor the weather and adjust automatically, maintaining your home's comfort and saving you more money and energy with no extra effort.

Voice Assistant

While any thermostat that connects to Wi-Fi or a cellular network for remote activation falls under the category of smart, there’s a way to boost their “IQ” and have fancier features. One of these features is to work with a voice assistant such as Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant.

Rather than needing to pull out your phone, if you have a smart home hub or assistant in the room you’re in, you have the option to speak to the assistant and it will control the smart thermostat for you. Commands you can give to the assistant include setting the heat to turn on at a certain temperature or turning off the A/C fan momentarily because it’s a little too chilly.

Some smart thermostats also double as the voice-assistant device, allowing you to control other smart devices directly from the smart thermostat. Opting for a smart thermostat with a voice assistant will raise the price anywhere from $50 to $100.

Activity Sensors

Certain smart thermostat units come with a smart sensor for you to install on doors, windows, or in rooms. These sensors will detect if a door or window is open or if there’s any motion activity in the room. If it detects something open or someone’s not there, the sensor will send a command to turn off the HVAC in this room to save on energy.

Smart thermostat packages with smart sensors increase the price by around $40 to $100 for each sensor.

Speakers

Smart thermostats may also come with the niche but luxury feature of doubling as a speaker. This may allow you to stream music or the audio from a video to the device for you to listen in on. So if you need tunes in the library or a great way to set the mood for a romantic dinner, keep the speaker hidden by opting for this feature on a smart thermostat. Expect to pay anywhere from $35 to $75 extra for this feature, though.

FAQs About Smart Thermostats

Are smart thermostats worth it?

Beyond the ability of smartphones and voice control, smart thermostats come with a wide variety of features that make them appealing to a majority of homeowners. This includes options such as:

• Vacation mode: It lowers energy usage while you’re out enjoying a vacation for an extended period.

• Alert warnings: Any major spikes or drops in temperature will send an alert to your phone.

• Geofencing: It detects when you’re leaving the area and when you’re returning, as a way to adjust the temperature before you get home.

• Energy usage: It tracks energy usage over time and directs you on ways to become more energy efficient.

• Routine learning: It learns how you like your temperature and adjusts over time to maximize energy usage while still keeping you comfortable.

Do you need more than one smart thermostat?

While it’s common to see multiple mechanical thermostats throughout a large home, multiple smart thermostats may try to override each other, leading to problems with the HVAC system. Ensure the smart thermostats you buy have the option for dual- or multi-zoned systems to avoid compatibility issues.

Do you save money with smart thermostats?

Installing a programmable or smart thermostat may save you upwards of $180 per year. This is in part to a smart thermostat to learn routines and have the option to control it when you’re not home.