Lutron HomeWorks for larger estates
by TechSavvyHomeowner• 8 replies• 12626 views
We're in the process of building a 15,000 sq ft home on about 5 acres, and our architect has recommended Lutron HomeWorks QS for the lighting and shade control throughout the property. The main house will have approximately 280 lighting zones and around 45 motorized shades. We'll also have a pool house, a detached 4-car garage with guest quarters above it, and landscape lighting throughout the grounds.
I've been doing research and I understand HomeWorks is considered the gold standard for high-end residential, but I'm trying to understand what makes it worth the significant premium over something like RadioRA 3 or even Caseta for a DIY approach. Our integrator quoted us around $185,000 for the complete HomeWorks system including programming, and that seems like a lot even for a house this size.
Specific questions I have:
1. How does HomeWorks handle multiple buildings on a property? Do we need separate processors for each structure?
2. Is the reliability really that much better than the prosumer options?
3. What kind of ongoing maintenance or programming updates should we budget for?
4. For those who have lived with HomeWorks for several years, any regrets or things you wish you'd done differently?
We want to do this right since we plan to be in this home for 20+ years, but I also don't want to overspend if there's a more sensible approach.
Replies
HighEndIntegrator21745 hours ago
At your scale, HomeWorks QS is absolutely the right choice - RadioRA 3 tops out at 100 devices which you'd blow past immediately. For multiple structures, you'll typically run fiber between buildings back to your main processor location. The QS system uses a dedicated wired backbone (QS Link) which is why reliability is exceptional - you're not dependent on WiFi or even your home network for basic operation. That $185k quote actually sounds reasonable for your scope; I'd expect $600-800 per zone fully installed and programmed for a project of this complexity. Budget about $2,500-5,000 annually for programming tweaks and updates as you live in the space.
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LutronFanatic21601 hours ago
I have HomeWorks in my 8,500 sq ft home with about 120 zones and it's been flawless for 7 years now. The keypads are gorgeous and the dimming quality is noticeably better than anything else I've experienced. Zero regrets.
Control4Enthusiast21121 hours ago
Have you considered a hybrid approach? Control4 for the automation brain with Lutron for the actual lighting control? You get the bulletproof Lutron dimming but more flexibility on the automation side. Just a thought - HomeWorks is great but the ecosystem can feel a bit closed.
PalladiomOwner21121 hours ago
We went with HomeWorks QSX (the newer version) for our 12,000 sq ft property last year. One thing I wish we'd done differently - spend more time during the programming phase really thinking through scenes and schedules. We've already had our integrator back three times for adjustments. The good news is the system handles changes gracefully. Also, spring for the Palladiom keypads if budget allows - the aesthetics are on another level compared to the standard seeTouch.
DIYSmartHome20809 hours ago
Not to be that guy, but $185k is a LOT of money. Have you looked at what you could do with Home Assistant and Lutron Caseta switches? You could probably cover the whole property for under $30k.
HighEndIntegrator20713 hours ago
DIYSmartHome, Caseta is limited to 75 devices per bridge and the dimming curve isn't comparable to HomeWorks. For a 20+ year home at this price point, the OP would be doing themselves a disservice going prosumer. Different tools for different jobs.
ShadeControlExpert19969 hours ago
For 45 shades, make sure you're specifying the right Sivoia QS motors for each application. We see a lot of projects where the integrator specs the same motor for everything when really you need different solutions for large window walls versus standard windows. Also discuss shade pocket depths early with your architect - nothing worse than finding out your pockets are too shallow during installation. On a property this size, I'd also recommend dedicated shade scenes that work with astronomical time clock - the HomeWorks processor handles this natively and it's one of those quality-of-life features you'll appreciate daily.
TechSavvyHomeowner19873 hours ago
Thank you all for the insights. This confirms we should stick with HomeWorks. I'll definitely ask about QSX versus QS and look into the Palladiom keypads for the main living areas. The shade pocket comment is really helpful too - I'll bring that up with our architect this week.
