Providing Market Intelligence for 40 Years

In The News

Smart Home DIY: Nearly a Third of Homeowners Report Turning to Pros after First Attempts

According to Parks Associates research, 29% of consumers ultimately turn to professionals for help, even if they initially attempt self-installation.

Despite DIY smart home products often being seen as cutting into both the labor and product revenues of integrators, the pipeline from DIYer to prospective integration client seems to be widening if recent research from Parks Associates is anything to go by. Turns out, even if clients are starting out in DIY, a lot of them still wind up seeking a professional integrator at the end of the day to get their smart home systems in working order.

Parks Associates’ ongoing quarterly survey of 8,000 U.S. internet households reveals a clear trend: professional installation is not just surviving in a DIY age—it’s thriving.

According to the research, 44% of smart home device owners have used a professional for at least one installation.

Parks’ research reinforces this with hard numbers: 29% of consumers ultimately turn to professionals, even if they first try to go it alone.

Parks notes that many of these devices go uninstalled without professional support, leading to missed efficiency gains and underwhelming ROI for both providers and consumers.

According to Elizabeth Parks, President and CMO of Parks Associates:

“Consumers are looking for more than just devices. They want connected solutions that are easy to implement and fit into their lifestyle. Professional integrators are uniquely positioned to deliver this value by making smart home and advanced home systems work together and offering ongoing service and support.”

One of the most striking findings from Parks Associates’ data is the satisfaction gap between pro and DIY installations. For example:
•    Smart cameras installed professionally earn a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 49, compared to 41 for self-installed units.
•    NPS scores consistently skew higher across other categories as well when pro install is involved.

While younger consumers (ages 18–24) are typically seen as tech-savvy, Parks Associates’ data shows that 42% of this demographic struggles with physical installation, compared to just 19% of the general population.

This suggests that the next generation of homeowners and renters may be far more open to “do-it-with-me” models that offer guided setup or hybrid support services.

Parks also flags a less visible, but critical issue: product returns driven by installation failures.

From the article, "Smart Home DIY: Nearly a Third of Homeowners Report Turning to Pros after First Attempts" by Nick Boever

Previously In The News

AI PCs’ Unmet Promise Dragging Down Adoption

Meanwhile, the road ahead for AI PCs may still be rocky. “With ongoing component shortages expected to drive up the cost of PCs throughout 2026, I don’t see demand for AI PCs improving,” said Kristen...

Samsung Bespoke Fridge is a Pricey Way to Use Gemini AI for Food Tips

“A ‘smart’ fridge often carries a premium price tag, requires regular software updates, and may raise privacy concerns if it tracks your groceries or eating habits,” researcher Dogan Gursoy told the W...

Samsung Tizen tops smart TV OS usage in US, Parks Associates finds

Samsung’s Tizen is the most used smart TV operating system in the US, with 34% of smart TV owners saying it is the platform they use most often, according to new research from Parks Associates. Unv...

The Smart Money: 5 CES Smart Home Takeaways

The 20th annual CONNECTIONS Summit at CES, hosted by Parks Associates, featured panel discussions that examined the most impactful dynamics shaping the connected home, including AI advancements, the s...

Phone:
972-490-1113
Mailing Address:
2301 West Plano Parkway, Suite 210, Plano, TX 75075
Expertise
Smart Home: Management and Safety Consumer Electronics Connected Health and Wellness Connectivity and Mobility Small-to-medium Business (SMB) MDU
Services
Research Memberships Visibility Memberships Streaming Video Tracker Smart Home and Security Tracker Broadband Market Tracker Channel Analytics
Events
CONNECTIONS™ CONNECTIONS™ Summit/CES Smart Energy Summit Connected Health Summit Future Of Video Smart Spaces
Resources
Press Releases Analyst Blog Parks in the News
About Us
Overview Team Contact Us
Store
View Your Cart

Follow:

© 2023-2026 Parks Associates. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy

Design & Developed By Agency Partner Interactive