Home Automation Statistics

[cmcjo]

Hello all,

Wanted to see if anyone knows of where I can find some statistics in home automation, Audio/Video , lighting & security systems installations in the residential market.

I noticed in the May CEPro magazine, there are some average installation statistics, but these numbers dont look too good since the average installations have dropped over the last 5 years and that does not seem right.

Thanks.

[IVB]

Well, 50% of the adults in my household feel that the installer has gone vastly over time and over budget. Fortunately benefits have also vastly exceeded initial projections, so the ROI is still positive.

When further polled, those adults further felt that there was a zero % chance in investing in automated lighting solutions, but there's a 40% chance that decision can be overturned.

[cmcjo]

My guess is that the 50% you are talking about is your wife?

I have 100% of my houshold members totally digusted with my installer as well.
Even I am disgusted with him and I am the installer.

To break it down even further:
100% of the time my wife will complain and ask when will she have TV
of which 20% of the time she will be really angry and 20% it will lead to an argument.
My 5 year old is better though. 50% of the time he will ask me to turn on his TV and he really doesnt complain much. My cat sleeps 95% of the time so I have no issues there.

They dont understand that we are running our TV's on temporary connections while my programming is completed.

Anyway,
I was really looking for some statistics for a residential builder friend who is planning on including some automation, security, lighting & A/V in the homes.

FOr his brochures he wanted to have some statistics that will show the increase in automated homes over the last 5 years... Percentage of households that plan to install or already have security..lighting..automation..etc..

Thanks

[jkv]

[QUOTE=IVB]Well, 50% of the adults in my household feel that the installer has gone vastly over time and over budget. Fortunately benefits have also vastly exceeded initial projections, so the ROI is still positive.

When further polled, those adults further felt that there was a zero % chance in investing in automated lighting solutions, but there's a 40% chance that decision can be overturned.[/QUOTE]

my ex-wife used to complain ALL of the time about my home integration; another good reason why she is my ex-wife :p .

my new wife of 2 1/2 years loves the stuff...I guess it is a love/hate relationship with this stuff :) .

I did read an article a few years back that stated that many women do not like automated lighting (lights going on/off by themselves) since it makes them feel like they are being stalked. Not sure how valid that really is and I don't recall where I saw the article.

[Dean Roddey]

I think that if you look at any automation company's revenues over the last few years, they would reflect a downward trend because of the popping of the bubble in 2001/2002, and then a movement back upwards, so no recent stats would be free of that anomoly. And of course any stats from 1996 to 2002 would be unusually good because of that same bubble.

Crestron is a privately held company so it's hard to get numbers on them, but AMX is publically held and they have to file their numbers. From an analyst company. It shows sales and net income.


2005 $114 $16
2004 $86 $6
2003 $83 $3
2002 $88 -$5
2001 $94 -$8


And here are sales numbers for 1996 to 1999, which just leaves one year gap above, which looks to be the peak of the bubble (and must have been a big jump from $67M in 1999, which then fell back to $94M after the bubble and then down again and again, though I guess they must have reduced costs for 2003 since they made a profit despite hitting the low point. But it picked back up again and looks to have made a big jump in 2005.


$30,274 $38,302 $56,291 $67,517


You can definitely see the bubble burst and then start ramping back up. But overall their revenues have grown enormously even with the bubble popping.

Here's an interesting quote from a 2003 quarterly report of theirs that indicates the kinds of margins that the automation world has:


Gross margins of 53.6% for the quarter ended June 30, 2003 were up from margins
of 50.6% for the year ago quarter. Efficiencies gained from the Company's
outsourcing strategy and higher margins on new products have had a positive
impact on our operating margins over the last year. Because of adverse market
conditions, the Company still anticipates some pricing pressures throughout the
remainder of the fiscal year, which could result in some margin deterioration.


A quote from one of AMX's company reports:


According to Parks Associates, a market research firm, there are
approximately 40,000 new homes constructed in the United States each year having
a value greater than one million dollars. Of these homes, Parks Associates
estimates that approximately 80% are installing some form of intelligent
electronic control system.



An interesting comment from 1997


As of March 31, 1999, the Company employed approximately 400 people,
including 140 in manufacturing, 140 in selling and marketing activities, 70 in
engineering and programming, and 50 in management, administration and finance.
None of the Company's employees is represented by a labor union or is subject to
a collective bargaining agreement. The Company believes that its relations with
its employees are good.


Out of 400 employees only 70 are actually creating product.

[bigpapa]

Other stats to correlate;

There about 8.2 million people with a net worth of $1M or more in the world.

From the same source, I think there was like 20K billionaires.

The most exciting thing though, is the ability to provide HA to people who don't fit into the above two segments. That's where the most growth is.

So Dean, when will you be a millionaire?

[Dean Roddey]

I'm already a millionaire. I've just not cashed the check yet.

[itssimple]

Home automation companies are on the rise. Smart home is hugely successful as an online seller and every house i've been in lately seems to have some kind of automation, whether it's dimmers or full on security systems.