Service area
Private AI Home Assistant Setup in Philadelphia
Kotoh Home sets up private AI home assistants in Philadelphia remotely. In the city that brought the row house to America, we plan around old walls, stacked floors and basements.
The row house city
For much of Philadelphia's history, the typical home has been the row house. The style came to the United States through Philadelphia in the early 19th century; for a time, row houses built elsewhere were called "Philadelphia rows," and the first in the country, Carstairs Row, went up between about 1799 and 1820. Today you'll find everything from Federal-style blocks in Old City and Society Hill to the long brick rows of the neighborhoods.
Those houses are beautiful and solid, and their age and brick are exactly why a smart home has to be planned rather than bought off the shelf. Wi-Fi struggles through masonry and up three floors. Many homes are a century old or more, so we check what the electrical and network setup can support before recommending anything.
Water from below
Basements are where Philadelphia homes take on water. In September 2021, the remnants of Hurricane Ida flooded portions of the city along the Schuylkill River, partly covering the Vine Street Expressway, and residents of Manayunk were rescued from apartments along Main Street. A big storm isn't the only risk: a failed sump pump or a corroded water heater in an older basement can do real damage over a weekend away.
What we set up for Philadelphia homes
- Whole-house network that reaches every floor, with smart devices separated from your computers and phones.
- Basement water sensors by the drain, sump, water heater and washer, with an automatic shutoff valve if you add one.
- Freeze alerts in winter for rooms on exterior walls and exposed pipes.
- Outage alerts with an optional cellular backup.
- Family routines by text, from the morning schedule to "lock up at 11 if I forget."
Remote setup in Philadelphia
We start with a video walk-through, then ship a configured hub and any network equipment we've specified. You plug them in, and we connect your devices, calendars, email and family texting on a call. Valves, new switches and anything wired are done by your plumber or electrician to our spec, or as a quoted travel install.
If the house is empty for a while
Away mode holds a safe temperature, keeps the lights on a believable schedule, and sends you a daily check-in from the basement up, so a slow leak or a failed furnace shows up the same day instead of when you get home.
Prices
Private Cloud starts at $4,995, with a $199-a-month care plan that includes your private AI server. That is the tier we set up remotely. Private Home, with a dedicated AI computer in your house that works fully offline, starts at $24,995 with care at $399 a month; in Philadelphia it is a travel install, and travel is quoted with the project at cost. Estate projects are quoted individually. Smart devices are extra. The full breakdown is in our cost guide.
Privacy
The hub runs in your house and keeps working without the internet. With Private Cloud, the assistant uses an open-source model on a private server we run for you in a U.S. data center, with no conversation logs kept. Private Home keeps everything inside the house.
Book a free video walk-through on our contact form, or email hello@kotohhome.com.
Common questions
Will it work in an older row home?
Yes. We check what your network and wiring can support during the video walk-through. Most of the system is wireless, and we specify a network that reaches every floor through brick walls. Anything that touches the wiring is for a licensed electrician.
Can it warn me about basement flooding?
Yes. Water sensors by the floor drain, sump, water heater and washer text you as soon as they detect water. Paired with an automatic shutoff valve, a burst pipe can close on its own.
Do you install in person in Philadelphia?
Private Cloud is set up remotely over video. Private Home and Estate projects are travel installs, quoted with the project.
What does it cost?
Private Cloud starts at $4,995 plus a $199-a-month care plan that includes your private AI server. Private Home starts at $24,995 with care at $399 a month, plus travel. Estate is quoted individually.