In 40 seconds
Automating a UK home usually costs anywhere from around £1,500 for a basic setup to £20,000+ for a fully integrated system, with a typical mid-range whole-home install often landing around £5,000–£15,000 depending on how many rooms and functions you cover. Professional fitting commonly adds roughly £200–£500 per room. The biggest single area is usually smart lighting, which runs about £3,000–£10,500 for a whole house. You can start small and DIY with off-the-shelf bulbs, plugs and a smart speaker, but anything that adds new circuits or alters the consumer unit is notifiable under Part P of the Building Regulations and needs a qualified (registered) electrician. The honest answer is always a range, because it depends on your property size, the system you choose, and how much is wired in versus wireless.
Most smart home guidance is published by companies selling the kit, so the numbers tend to be optimistic and the wiring rules glossed over. The pages below give honest cost ranges, compare the systems fairly, explain when a Part P electrician is required, and weigh whether it pays off — before you take a single quote.