Service area
Private AI Home Assistant Installation in Sydney
Kotoh Home designs and commissions private AI home assistants for Estate projects in Sydney, specified to Australian standards. You text the house, and it handles the rest.
For Estate projects in Sydney
We offer Sydney installs as Estate projects: larger homes, households with staff, or families with houses in more than one country who want one assistant that understands all of them. We don't have a Sydney office. We start with a video walk-through, design the system with you, and travel for commissioning. Pricing is in U.S. dollars, with travel included in the quote.
Specified for Australia, not adapted from the US
An Australian home is a different technical environment from an American one. The supply is 230/400 volts at 50 Hz, and outlets follow the Type I standard, AS/NZS 3112. Z-Wave devices sold for Australia use a different radio band (around 921 MHz) from US models, so a US sensor won't talk to an Australian hub. We specify hubs, sensors, lighting control and thermostats sold for the Australian market from the start. Where local rules require it, a locally licensed electrician does the physical work to our specification. We design, configure and commission the system, and confirm work-visa and permit requirements before we quote.
Storms the city remembers
Sydney's weather can turn violent quickly. On 14 April 1999, a hailstorm struck the eastern suburbs and the central business district, dropping an estimated 500,000 tonnes of hail. Insured damage exceeded A$1.7 billion, and it is recorded as the costliest natural disaster in Australian insurance history. Some of the damage came from rain getting in through roofs the hail had already broken.
That last detail is where a monitored house helps. Water sensors in the ceiling space and under fixtures can tell you within minutes when water is getting in, rather than when someone next walks into the room. If the house is empty, the assistant texts you and whoever you've named, with the location, so a roofer or caretaker can get there early.
Bushfire smoke days
In December 2019, during the 2019–20 bushfire season, smoke blanketed Sydney, including George Street and the harbour around the Opera House. On days like that, people want the house sealed and the air clean without running around closing things.
With an indoor air-quality sensor and compatible ventilation, the assistant can run a smoke routine you've agreed on in advance: close motorised windows and vents you've chosen, switch air handling to recirculate where your system supports it, and tell you what it did and what the indoor readings are. We design the routine around your actual equipment rather than promising a feature your house can't support.
What we set up
- A private assistant you text from iMessage or WhatsApp, connected to your calendars, email and the house.
- Water, power and security alerts for leaks, outages, open doors and unexpected arrivals, with automatic water shutoff where a valve is installed.
- Staff and guest access limited to what each person needs, with a log of who did what.
- A hardened network with smart devices kept separate from your computers. See network and security.
Where your data lives
Every install puts a smart-home hub in the house, running your devices and routines locally. For Sydney clients we generally recommend Private Home: the AI runs on a dedicated computer in your home, and nothing goes to a cloud AI service. Private Cloud runs on a private server in a U.S. data center. If your data needs to stay in Australia, choose Private Home. Our guide to local vs cloud AI assistants explains the difference. We aren't lawyers and don't advise on data rules.
Pricing and next steps
Sydney projects are Estate projects, quoted individually in U.S. dollars after the walk-through, with travel included. For reference, Private Home starts at $24,995 for a single home, with care at $399 a month. See estates and house managers for what an Estate project covers.
To begin, request a video walk-through on our contact form or email hello@kotohhome.com. We reply within one business day.
Common questions
Do you work in Sydney?
Yes, for Estate projects. We do a video walk-through first, design the system, then travel for commissioning. Travel is included in the quote, and pricing is in U.S. dollars.
Can you use American smart devices in Australia?
No. Australia runs on 230-volt, 50 Hz power with Type I plugs, and Z-Wave devices there use a different radio band from the US. We specify devices made for the Australian market.
Who does the electrical work?
Where local rules require it, a locally licensed electrician does the physical work to our specification. We design, configure and commission the system. Work-visa and permit rules are confirmed before we quote.
What can the house do on a bushfire smoke day?
With an air-quality sensor and compatible ventilation, it can close what you've chosen to close, switch air handling to recirculate where your system supports it, and text you what it did. We design the routine around your actual equipment.
Can my data stay in Australia?
With Private Home, the AI runs on a computer in your house, so your household's requests are processed there. Private Cloud uses a server in a U.S. data center. If keeping data in the country matters to you, choose Private Home. We don't give legal advice on data rules.