Notaa is launching this week in Australia and marketing itself as the first HomeKit installer in the country, specializing in installation and set up of products that use Apple’s Siri and iPhone-controlled home automation platform.
We’ve seen a few homebuilders offering HomeKit products preinstalled or through upgrade packages, but this is the first company we’ve seen specifically specializing in HomeKit installations.
The company has selected a number of HomeKit accessories that it will sell on its online store in addition to booking installation appointments. The products include the Friday Lock, lighting from Philips and Nanoleaf, the D-Link Omna camera, and switches and sensors from Elgato’s Eve line. Notaa will work with contractors to install thermostats, light switches and any other accessories that might require assistance of an electrician or other trade.
To start Notaa is offering installations in the Sutherland Shire and Sydney Metro areas, but it plans to expand into New Zealand by the end of the year. It also has a model home set up in Sydney where people can experience the products first hand. I imagine we’ll see more and more HomeKit speciality companies popping up as an increasing number of people look to retrofit their homes with smart accessories.
The company isn’t adverting pricing but notes that on top of the cost of the products, installations will include a Call out fee (depending on where you are in Sydney) and an hourly rate depending on the work that needs to be done.
To kick off the launch, the company is offering discounts on bulk bundles of lights including buy 5 bulbs get them 10% off or 10 bulbs 15% off, same goes with D-Link Omna buy 3 get 7% off and Nanoleaf 3 get 10% off and 6 get 15% off.
With the cost of installing HomeKit lighting, switches, and other accessories still being a premium over traditional counterparts, new builds versus retrofits have naturally become a popular place for homeowners to invest in the ecosystem. For that reason, several homebuilders have also started offering the full service HomeKit treatment. Most recently, we took a tour of Brookfield Residential’s new HomeKit communities being built in California with accessories preinstalled in homes:
Other builders like German-based WeberHaus and California-based KB Home are offering smart home upgrade packages that let buyers optionally upgrade some products to HomeKit compatible versions.
