Welcome! If you’re reading this, chances are you’re about to become a proud owner of a brand-new DR Horton home, or perhaps you’re deep into the research phase. One of the major selling points of these homes is the integrated technology package, often marketed under the banner “Home is Connected.” It’s exciting, futuristic, and incredibly convenient. But this convenience naturally leads to one crucial question: What is the actual DR Horton smart home monthly cost?
It’s a question that deserves a clear, detailed answer, because while the equipment itself is typically included in the purchase price of the house, the recurring services required to make that equipment truly smart are not.
As someone who has spent significant time analyzing the operational costs of new construction smart homes, I want to share my insights with you. We’re going to break down the costs into manageable tiers, explore the technology behind the system, and even dive into real-world dr horton smart home reviews to give you a complete picture of what your future budget will look like. Trust me, understanding these services upfront is key to avoiding sticker shock later on.
Contents
- 1 Understanding the “Home is Connected” Ecosystem
- 2 Breaking Down the DR Horton Smart Home Monthly Cost
- 3 Beyond Security: Analyzing Customization and Upgrades
- 4 What DR Horton Smart Home Reviews Tell Us About Value
- 5 Budgeting and Making the Smart Home Investment Work for You
- 6 Final Verdict on the DR Horton Smart Home Monthly Cost
Understanding the “Home is Connected” Ecosystem
Before we can talk about dollars and cents, we need a fundamental understanding of what the “Home is Connected” system is and what it isn’t. DR Horton, like many national builders, has partnered with technology providers to standardize smart features across their developments. This uniformity is a major benefit—it means the system is robust and supported—but it also dictates your service options.
When you walk into your new home, you aren’t just getting random smart gadgets; you’re getting a dedicated infrastructure designed to manage security, climate, and connectivity.
The Core Components Included at Closing
One of the great features of buying new from DR Horton is that the foundational equipment for your smart home is already installed and, crucially, its cost is rolled into the overall purchase price of the house. You don’t have a separate large installation bill for the initial hardware.
Typically, this foundational package includes:
- The Smart Hub/Panel: This is the central command center, usually a wall-mounted touchscreen (often branded by Alarm.com or a compatible partner).
- Smart Door Lock: Keyless entry capability for the front door.
- Smart Thermostat: Allowing remote or scheduled control of your HVAC system.
- Video Doorbell: Essential for security and package monitoring.
- Pre-wired Access Points: Structured wiring for enhanced internet connectivity, crucial for supporting all these devices.
- Basic Security Sensors: Usually one or two door/window sensors and a motion detector.
This equipment forms the baseline. However, without a subscription, these devices often operate only on a local level—meaning you can use the thermostat physically, but you can’t control the door lock while you’re away at work. To unlock the full potential of remote access, alerts, and professional monitoring, a recurring monthly fee is necessary.
The Technology Backbone: DHI and Alarm.com
When discussing the dr horton smart home monthly cost, the name you need to remember is Alarm.com. While DR Horton provides the house and the installation (often through DHI, their in-house technology division), the intelligence and the cloud service that powers the system are provided by Alarm.com.
Alarm.com is not a monitoring company itself; it’s a technology platform that allows third-party monitoring companies (called Authorized Dealers) to offer services. This means your contract will usually be with a local or national security vendor authorized to use the Alarm.com platform.
This distinction is important because the service provider you choose will ultimately set your monthly price. Your initial orientation or closing process often involves an introduction to DR Horton’s preferred provider, which may offer promotional rates for the first year.
Breaking Down the DR Horton Smart Home Monthly Cost
The complexity of determining the precise dr horton smart home monthly cost stems from the tiered service structure. There isn’t one single price; there are usually three main tiers of service you can opt into, plus the option to run the system without professional help.
Let’s dissect these tiers so you can accurately budget for your new home.
Cost Tier 1: The Essential (Zero) Cost
This is the most crucial piece of information for budget-conscious buyers: You do not have to pay a monthly fee.
If you choose not to subscribe to any professional monitoring or remote services, your system operates in a “local” mode.
- What You Get: The physical equipment (locks, thermostat, doorbell) functions locally. Your smart hub acts like a traditional alarm panel. If a sensor trips, the siren will sound in the house, but no one will be notified remotely (neither you nor the police/fire department).
- Cost: $0 per month.
- Caveat: You lose all remote access (using the app to check the doorbell or lock the door), cloud storage for video footage, and professional emergency response. For many homeowners, this defeats the purpose of having a smart home.
Cost Tier 2: Basic Professional Monitoring (The Standard Fee)
This tier represents the most common subscription choice and is often what is pitched to you during the closing process. This is the minimum required to unlock the core functionality of the Alarm.com platform.
- What You Get:
- 24/7 Professional Monitoring: If an alarm is triggered, a central station is notified and attempts to contact you before dispatching emergency services.
- Remote App Control: Full access to lock/unlock doors, arm/disarm the system, and adjust the thermostat from your smartphone (essential for a true smart home experience).
- Basic Cloud Services: Real-time alerts and notifications regarding system status.
- Typical Price Range: $35 to $55 per month.
- Factors Affecting Price: The specific monitoring company (dealer) and whether the service relies solely on cellular communication (required for reliable security) or includes Wi-Fi backup.
If your primary goal is security and basic remote management, this is likely the recurring fee you will face. This tier forms the bedrock of the dr horton smart home monthly cost calculation for most owners.
Cost Tier 3: Premium Monitoring and Customization
This is where the costs begin to climb, driven by adding video surveillance and advanced automation rules. If you want to leverage all the possibilities suggested in dr horton smart home reviews, you’ll likely end up here.
- What You Get (in addition to Tier 2):
- Advanced Video Services: This includes the ability to record, store, and access footage from your video doorbell and any additional security cameras you install (e.g., driveway or backyard cameras).
- Higher Storage Capacity: Instead of 7 days of clips, you might get 30 or 60 days, and higher limits on the number of cameras supported.
- Advanced Automation: Geofencing, custom scenes (e.g., “Goodnight” scene locks doors, turns down the thermostat, and turns off lights), and integration with external devices like garage door openers.
- Energy Management Tools: Detailed reporting and optimization suggestions for your smart thermostat usage.
- Typical Price Range: $55 to $80+ per month.
- Factors Affecting Price: The number of cameras you want to store footage for (video service is often the biggest driver of cost) and the specific add-ons related to lighting or water leak detection.
Hidden Costs and Unexpected Fees
When calculating the dr horton smart home monthly cost, homeowners often overlook initial activation fees and contract requirements.
- Activation/Setup Fees: While the hardware is installed, the monitoring company often charges a one-time activation fee to set up your account, connect to the monitoring station, and configure the Alarm.com platform. This can range from $50 to $150. Sometimes this fee is waived if you sign a longer contract.
- Contract Length: Be very mindful of the term of your agreement. Many dealers require a 36-month (3-year) contract, especially if they offer the first few months free or waive the activation fee. Canceling early can result in hefty termination penalties.
- Equipment Expansion Costs: If you want to add more sensors, glass break detectors, or interior cameras, you must purchase compatible equipment. While the initial setup is included, expanding the system is on you. If you buy proprietary equipment from the dealer, it will be more expensive than general consumer smart devices.
Beyond Security: Analyzing Customization and Upgrades
One of the great things about the “Home is Connected” system is its flexibility, but expanding beyond the basic security package inevitably adds to your total expenditure, even if it doesn’t always increase the core dr horton smart home monthly cost.
Expanding Your Security Footprint (Sensors and Cameras)
Many homeowners realize quickly that the two or three included sensors aren’t enough to secure all entry points. When you add devices, you have two primary cost considerations: the hardware cost and the potential monthly service tier upgrade.
- Hardware Costs: Alarm.com compatible sensors (door/window, motion, glass break) typically run $40 to $70 each. If you buy them directly from the monitoring dealer, they might be even higher.
- Monthly Service Impact: If you add multiple cameras, you must upgrade to a video service tier (Tier 3) to enable cloud storage and remote viewing. A basic video package might support four cameras, but if you install six, you might need an even more expensive customized video tier. This is a common point of confusion in dr horton smart home reviews—people often install cameras only to realize they didn’t budget for the necessary cloud storage fee.
Integrating Smart Lighting and Climate Control
The included smart thermostat is powerful, but true home automation involves lights, blinds, and even water valves.
The good news is that the Alarm.com platform is highly compatible with Z-Wave and Wi-Fi devices. You can integrate many third-party smart switches and plugs without necessarily increasing your core monitoring fee, provided the devices themselves are supported by Alarm.com.
However, if you want your monitoring company to manage and troubleshoot these complex integrations, some providers may charge a small premium for advanced automation support, perhaps an additional $5 to $10 per month. For most people, this is optional, and the integration is handled by the homeowner via the app.
The Role of Wi-Fi Infrastructure (Mesh Networks)
While not a direct part of the security subscription, adequate Wi-Fi is essential for the system’s performance. DR Horton pre-wires for connectivity, but the actual router and mesh system are often left to the homeowner.
If your Wi-Fi is weak or unreliable, your video doorbell will lag, your locks will be slow to respond, and your system may even disconnect from the monitoring center. Investing in a high-quality Wi-Fi mesh network (like Eero or Google Nest Wi-Fi) is an unavoidable expense for a true smart home experience, costing anywhere from $200 to $600 initially. This is an indirect, but necessary, component of maintaining low operational costs (i.e., fewer service calls).
What DR Horton Smart Home Reviews Tell Us About Value
When potential buyers ask about the dr horton smart home monthly cost, they are really asking: “Is this system worth the recurring fee?” Examining dr horton smart home reviews provides crucial context regarding the actual value proposition.
Overall, the reviews tend to be positive regarding the convenience but mixed regarding the vendor lock-in.
Pros: Convenience and Integration
The strongest positive feedback centers on the seamless experience of moving in and having a functional smart home from day one.
- Ease of Use: Homeowners love the unified control panel. Instead of juggling five different apps for the thermostat, lights, and security, everything is managed through the Alarm.com app.
- Built-in Reliability: Because the system is professionally installed and hardwired, it tends to be far more reliable than DIY systems, which often rely purely on Wi-Fi signals.
- Insurance Discounts: Many insurers offer a discount (typically 5% to 15%) on homeowner’s insurance for having a professionally monitored security system. This discount can partially offset the dr horton smart home monthly cost.
Cons: Proprietary Systems and Vendor Lock-in Concerns
The most common complaints revolve around flexibility and cost escalation.
- Dealer Dependency: Since the Alarm.com platform requires an Authorized Dealer, homeowners often feel locked into the pricing structure of their chosen provider. Unlike consumer products (like Ring or Wyze), you can’t simply switch the monitoring service off and use the cloud storage for cheap. You are paying for the service that makes the Alarm.com panel function.
- High Equipment Cost: As mentioned, expanding the system requires compatible hardware, which is often more expensive than generic smart devices found at a big-box store.
- Mandatory Cellular Backup: While essential for security, the requirement for dedicated cellular communication for the hub contributes significantly to the recurring monthly fee, as the monitoring company pays for that cellular service.
Budgeting and Making the Smart Home Investment Work for You
So, how do you manage the dr horton smart home monthly cost without breaking the bank? It comes down to making conscious decisions about monitoring and negotiation.
Self-Monitoring vs. Professional Service: Calculating Savings
If the monthly fee of $40–$60 seems too high, you need to weigh the risks of self-monitoring versus professional monitoring.
| Feature | Professional Monitoring (Tier 2/3) | Self-Monitoring (Tier 1) |
| Monthly Cost | $35 – $80+ | $0 |
| Emergency Response | Immediate dispatch by monitoring center | Relies on homeowner calling 911 |
| Remote Access (App) | Yes, full functionality | No, local control only |
| Video Storage | Cloud storage included (Tier 3) | Local storage only (if device supports it) |
| Insurance Discount | Yes | No |
If security is paramount, professional monitoring is non-negotiable. However, if you are mainly interested in remote control and climate management, you might choose to self-monitor the built-in system and invest in a separate, cheaper, third-party video solution (like a Ring camera subscription at $10/month) to supplement your security needs, potentially saving $25–$40 per month on the core security system.
Negotiating Services and Bundling Options
Remember that the Alarm.com service is sold by independent dealers. This gives you room to negotiate.
- Shop Around: You are not obligated to use the preferred dealer introduced by DR Horton. Get quotes from 2-3 different Alarm.com authorized dealers in your area. Prices for identical service packages can vary by $5 to $15 per month.
- Ask for Promotions: New homeowners are valuable customers. Ask about waived activation fees, discounted introductory rates (e.g., 6 months at half price), or free equipment upgrades (e.g., adding an extra camera).
- Bundle Services: Some monitoring companies also offer internet or cable services. If you can bundle your security monitoring with your home internet, you might achieve significant savings on the total monthly utility bill.
Final Verdict on the DR Horton Smart Home Monthly Cost
The “Home is Connected” system is a phenomenal foundation for a smart lifestyle. It gives you standardized, reliable, and integrated technology that would cost thousands more if installed post-construction.
However, the question of the dr horton smart home monthly cost is a matter of choice:
- Baseline Budget (Security Focus): Expect to pay $40 to $55 per month. This provides 24/7 professional monitoring and full remote control of your locks, thermostat, and basic security sensors.
- Premium Budget (Video & Automation Focus): Budget for $60 to $80+ per month. This includes video cloud storage for multiple cameras and advanced automation features.
My final piece of advice? Don’t view this as a necessary evil. View it as an investment in convenience, energy efficiency, and, most importantly, peace of mind. By researching the dealer options and choosing the service tier that truly fits your lifestyle, you can ensure that your monthly fee delivers maximum value. Welcome home!
