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What is the most important smart home provision to install during the build?

The most important provision is a neutral wire at all light switch positions. Most smart light switches require a neutral wire, which standard switches often don't have. Adding neutral wires during the build costs $10–$30 per switch; retrofitting them requires an electrician to rewire each switch at $100–$200+ per switch. Ask your builder to include neutral wires at all switch locations.

Do I need Cat6 data cabling for a smart home?

Cat6 data cabling is strongly recommended for a smart home. It provides reliable, high-speed wired internet to key rooms (living, study, media room) and supports smart home devices that benefit from a wired connection. Wireless is adequate for many devices, but wired connections are more reliable and reduce Wi-Fi congestion. Cabling during the build is efficient; cabling through finished walls is expensive.

Can I add smart home wiring after handover?

Some smart home wiring can be added after handover (wireless devices, smart speakers), but the underlying provisions (neutral wires, Cat6 cabling, camera conduit, speaker wiring) are much cheaper to install during the build. Once walls are closed and ceilings are plastered, running new cables requires cutting into walls, chasing through plaster and patching — expensive and disruptive. Plan provisions during the build; add devices over time.

What's the difference between this guide and the Home Automation Basics guide?

This guide focuses on the electrical appointment perspective — what to ask your builder's electrician to install during construction. The Home Automation Basics guide (in the Energy & Smart Home hub) covers the broader topic of smart home platforms, wired vs wireless systems and device choices. Together, they provide a complete picture of smart home planning for a new build.

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Lighting, Electrical & Power

Smart Home Wiring Guide: What to Pre-Wire During Your Build

What to ask your electrician to install during the build for future smart home features — neutral wires, Cat6 cabling, camera conduit and more.

7 min read·Compare My Build — Independent Resource· Updated July 2026

Cost estimates only: Any building or upgrade figures in this guide are indicative, not fixed prices or quotes. Costs and inclusions vary by project, supplier, location and time. Confirm current written prices and specifications directly with your builder, suppliers and relevant trades.

Key Takeaways

Pre-wiring for smart home features during the build is much cheaper than retrofitting later
The most critical provision is a neutral wire at all light switch positions — ask for it specifically
Cat6 data cabling to key rooms provides reliable wired internet for smart home devices
A central hub location (NBN, router, switch) is essential for a tidy smart home setup
Provisions (wiring, conduit) are cheap during the build; devices can be added wirelessly later

Why Pre-Wiring Matters

Smart home technology — automated lighting, security, climate, entertainment — is increasingly popular. While many smart devices are wireless and can be added after handover, the underlying wiring (neutral wires, data cabling, conduit, speaker wires) is much cheaper to install during construction. Once walls are closed and ceilings plastered, running new cables means cutting into walls, chasing through plaster and patching — expensive and disruptive.

Tip

The golden rule: install the invisible provisions (wiring, conduit, junction boxes) during the build, and add the visible devices (smart speakers, cameras, switches) later. Provisions are cheap during the build and very expensive to retrofit. Devices can be purchased over time, upgraded as technology improves, and installed without construction work.

What to Pre-Wire

Smart Home Pre-Wiring Checklist — Cost & Why It Matters

Item	Cost (during build)	Why It Matters
Neutral wire at all switch positions	$10–$30 per switch	Required for most smart light switches; retrofitting is $100–$200+ per switch
Cat6 data cabling to living, study, media room	$80–$200 per point	Enables wired internet, smart home connectivity; can't be easily added later through finished walls
Central hub location (NBN, router, switch, controller)	Standard (just need the space)	A designated cupboard or shelf for all smart home equipment
Ceiling fan wiring provisions	$100–$300 per fan	Smart fans need a ceiling junction box; adding after handover is expensive
Security camera conduit to eaves/entry points	$100–$250 per camera	Cheaper than running cables through finished walls and eaves later
Video doorbell power supply	$100–$200	Video doorbells need a transformer; retrofitting requires accessing the doorbell circuit
EV charger conduit and circuit	$200–$600	Running a 32A circuit after handover requires surface conduit or wall chasing
Speaker wiring (in-ceiling or in-wall)	$100–$300 per room	Speaker cables through finished walls/ceilings are expensive to retrofit

Neutral Wires: The #1 Smart Home Provision

Standard light switches in Australian homes often don't include a neutral wire at the switch position. Most smart light switches (which enable app and voice control of your lights) require a neutral wire to power the switch's internal electronics. Without a neutral wire, you can't install a smart switch without an electrician rewiring the switch — at $100–$200+ per switch.

Adding a neutral wire during the build costs $10–$30 per switch. For a home with 30 switches, that's $300–$900 — a small cost that enables smart lighting throughout the home. This is the single most cost-effective smart home provision you can make.

Watch Out

Don't assume your builder includes neutral wires. Standard Australian switch wiring often doesn't include a neutral. Ask your builder specifically: "Can you include a neutral wire at all light switch positions?" If they say it's not standard, ask for it as a line-item upgrade. The cost is small; the benefit is enormous if you ever want smart lighting.

Cat6 Data Cabling

Cat6 data cabling provides wired Ethernet to key rooms — living areas, study, media room, master bedroom. While Wi-Fi is adequate for many devices, wired connections are more reliable, have lower latency and reduce Wi-Fi congestion. For a smart home, Cat6 cabling supports smart TVs, streaming devices, gaming consoles, smart home controllers and any device that benefits from a stable connection.

Plan Cat6 points in: the living room (for TV and streaming), the study (for work), the media room (for streaming and gaming), and the master bedroom (for TV). Also plan a Cat6 run to the location of your NBN connection and to a central hub location where your router and network switch will live.

Central Hub Location

A central hub location — a designated cupboard, shelf or enclosure — houses your NBN box, router, network switch and smart home controller. Plan this during the build so all cabling (Cat6, NBN, power) terminates in one place. A central hub keeps equipment tidy, accessible and ventilated. Common locations: a laundry cupboard, a garage enclosure, or a dedicated communications cupboard.

What Can Be Added Wirelessly Later

Many smart home devices are wireless and can be added after handover without any pre-wiring:

Smart speakers (Google Nest, Amazon Echo) — wireless, plug into a power point
Smart bulbs (Philips Hue, LIFX) — wireless, screw into existing light fittings
Smart plugs — wireless, plug into existing power points
Smart door locks — wireless, battery-powered, retrofit to existing doors
Wireless security cameras — wireless, battery or solar-powered
Smart thermostat / climate controller — wireless, can be retrofitted

Home Automation Basics

Learn about smart home platforms, wired vs wireless and device choices.

Read the Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

All costs are real-world examples only. Actual costs vary by builder, electrician, region and specification. Always confirm smart home provisions and pricing at your electrical appointment.