Who installs lighting control systems in Westlake and West Lake Hills?
Smarter Homes engineers, installs and programs Lutron lighting control systems in Westlake and West Lake Hills from our showroom at 5524 Bee Caves Rd, Unit J8, where we have worked since 2006. Professionally designed lighting control is one of the most transformative upgrades available to homeowners in this area, replacing cluttered wall switches with elegant keypads and replacing guesswork with precision scenes - one touch for dinner, one for movie night, one to secure the house and leave. Smart home automated lighting control also contributes to a safe environment by linking with the security system to turn all lights on if uninvited activity is detected.
Since 2006 our team has installed lighting automation in West Lake Hills homes, custom builds in Bee Cave and established residences in Rollingwood, and we understand how architectural lighting, landscape lighting, and pool lighting need to work together as a unified system. Panelized systems are planned before drywall, so the best time to start is during design or early framing.
For Lutron product detail, see whole-home lighting control on Austin Lutron, our Lutron-focused site, including HomeWorks QSX, RA3 and Ketra.
See lighting control, keypads and motorized shades working together in our West Lake Hills showroom at 5524 Bee Caves Rd. A visit is the fastest way to compare keypad styles and dimming quality in person. Book a showroom visit.
A short overview of how Smarter Homes plans lighting control with the rest of the home. Schedule an Appointment to talk through your plans.
Want a number before you call? Build Your Budget with our budget tool, which uses the same HTA ranges shown below.
Our partners
What can automated lighting do in each room?
Each room gets behavior that fits how it is used: kitchens brighten for cooking and dim for dinner, closets and pantries light on entry and turn off when empty, bedrooms get a soft night path, and landscape lights follow sunset. Every room joins whole-home scenes such as Away and Goodnight from one keypad.
What is Lutron RadioRA 3?
Lutron RadioRA 3 is Lutron’s wireless whole-home lighting control system. Dimmers, keypads and shades talk over Lutron’s Clear Connect radio, so most homes need no new wiring, which makes it a strong fit for existing homes and remodels. It runs scenes, schedules and the Lutron app.
The Smarter Homes Approach
What do the partner lighting design packages include?
Lighting design comes from our partner lighting designer, who works with you remotely, or from your own lighting designer or architect. The packages below are delivered by our design partner and booked through Smarter Homes; Smarter Homes then engineers, installs and programs the lighting control system.
Practical Room-by-Room Strategy
Planning focused on how a home will actually live, feel, and function, rather than just filling a ceiling with fixtures.
Deployment Readiness
Documentation designed for real-world applications by builders, electricians, and interior designers.
Core Focus Areas
Expertise in layered lighting, optics, beam spreads, artwork illumination, and seamless Lutron control integration.
Panelized Load Control & Engraving Planning
$0.30 per sq. ft.
A technical package separate from lighting design, required for projects utilizing centralized Lutron HomeWorks systems.
System Organization
Includes panelized load schedules, room-based load organization, keypad location planning, and backroom equipment elevations.
Intuitive Control
Provides a preliminary engraving schedule and scene naming logic to ensure the system is user-friendly for homeowners.
Partner Lighting Design Packages
Core Lighting Strategy
$0.35
sq/ft
The essential starting point for smaller remodels, offering room-by-room review, basic layered recommendations, and general fixture placement logic.
Layered Lighting Design Strategy
$0.55
sq/ft
The recommended package for most luxury projects, featuring detailed architectural placement, task lighting strategy, and practical optics review with beam spread recommendations.
Integrated Luxury Lighting & Control Strategy
$0.85
sq/ft
The most complete strategy for estate-level homes, including advanced optical strategy, laser measurement verification, scene intent recommendations, and custom-built linear lighting plans.
| Package | Placement Logic | Web Review Meetings | Revision Rounds | On-site Laser Verification | Custom Linear/Linear Strategy | Scene Intent Logic |
| Core Lighting Strategy | Basic | 1 | 1 | No | No | No |
| Layered Lighting Design Strategy | Detailed | 2 | 2 | Included | No | No |
| Integrated Luxury Lighting & Control Strategy | Advanced | 3 | 3 | Advanced | Included | Included |
What does partner lighting design cost?
Lighting design packages come from our design partners and are booked through Smarter Homes. Each package and its price is listed on our partner lighting design page. Smarter Homes then engineers, installs and programs the Lutron control system from that design. The two field services below are provided by Smarter Homes.
Site Verification Visit
$950
On-site review of rough-in conditions, cabinet lighting opportunities, and field coordination.
Advanced Engraving & Scene Development
$750 minimum
Detailed development of homeowner-facing control language and room behavior for complex systems.
Not Included
Packages do not include CAD drafting, photometrics, heat maps, realistic renderings, or stamped engineering plans.
What is Lutron HomeWorks QSX?
HomeWorks QSX is Lutron’s top-tier whole-home system. Dimming moves into wall-mounted panels, each room gets one clean keypad, and the same system runs Lutron shades. Ketra, Rania, Palladiom and Alisse run only on HomeWorks, so it is the choice for estates and new builds where lighting is designed before framing.
RadioRA 3 or HomeWorks QSX: which Lutron system fits your home?
Choose RadioRA 3 for reliable wireless lighting and shade control in an existing home, a remodel or a few main areas. Choose HomeWorks QSX when the plan calls for Ketra, Rania, Palladiom or Alisse, panelized wired loads, or a large estate. Ketra, Rania, Palladiom and Alisse run on HomeWorks QSX only.
| Lutron RadioRA 3 | Lutron HomeWorks QSX | |
|---|---|---|
| How devices connect | Wireless, on Lutron Clear Connect (Type A and Type X) | Clear Connect wireless plus wired QS links |
| Panelized wired loads | No; dimming happens in each wall dimmer | Yes; lighting circuits home-run to central dimming panels |
| Ketra and Rania fixtures | Not supported | Supported (HomeWorks QSX only) |
| Palladiom and Alisse keypads | Not available | Available (HomeWorks QSX only) |
| Sunnata keypads and Lumaris | Yes | Yes |
| Cycle Dim on keypads | No | Yes |
| Shades | Wireless Lutron shades | Wireless shades plus wired Sivoia QS shades |
| Construction | Little or no new wiring; strong for retrofits | Panelized loads are planned before drywall |
| Best fit | Existing homes, remodels and main-floor projects | New construction, large estates and designs that name Ketra, Rania, Palladiom or Alisse |
If your lighting plan already names Ketra, Rania, Palladiom or Alisse, start on HomeWorks QSX so the processor does not have to be replaced later. Keypad finishes, button feel and Ketra light are easiest to judge in person at our West Lake Hills showroom, where Ketra lighting is on display. More detail: Lutron RadioRA 3 and Lutron HomeWorks QSX.
What lighting scenes do Austin homeowners use most?
Here are some of our client’s favorite lighting scenes and functions:
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Outdoor landscape lighting that is programmed to automatically go on one hour before sunset and automatically go off one hour after sunrise ensuring the outside of your home is always lit for aesthetics and safety
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Lights that go on in the kitchen and hallways every morning at 7 AM, just before the kids come down for breakfast
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Automation lighting vacation scenes that mimic your daily activity to create the appearance that someone is home, even when you’re not
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Turning the pool light off at 1 am during the summer months, so you never lie in bed trying to remember if you turned it off
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A pre-programmed 90s Dance Party every Friday night from 7pm-9pm complete with color-changing LEDs? We can do that too.
Lighting scenes are just one of the exciting features available with Smart Home Lighting. Aside from preprogrammed scenes, keypad locations can be placed in strategic areas of your home that permit one-touch access to the lights inside your home. Popular configurations include “all-on” and “all-off” which turn all the lights in your home on and off together. One of the most convenient features of an automated lighting is the integration to the rest of your home automation system. Simply tap the “away” button on the keypad by the garage and front door and all the lights go off, aside from some entryway lighting, if you choose. Additionally, this button may also turn off all of the TVs and the speakers by the pool, it may also turn on the alarm and set the thermostat to 74°F- and yes, the garage door openers for a quick exit and automatically closes after you drive away.
How are keypads placed and labeled?
We place keypads where hands naturally go: entries, the garage door, the bedside and the top of each stair. Every button is engraved in plain words, such as Dinner, Pool or Goodnight, and you review the names and room behavior with us before engraving, so family, guests and house staff can use the system from day one.
What is a lighting control system?
A lighting control system replaces rows of switches with a few keypads that set whole scenes, such as Dinner, Movie or Goodnight. Lights also follow schedules and sunset, and you can run them from your phone. In Austin luxury homes the usual platforms are Lutron RadioRA 3 and Lutron HomeWorks QSX, tied into Lutron shades and, when the client wants voice and touchscreen control, Josh.ai.
Three ways lighting control works in an Austin home
The right system depends on how many rooms you want controlled, whether the walls are open, and which fixtures you plan to use.
1. A few rooms
Smart dimmers and keypads go in the kitchen, the living areas and the primary suite, and the rest of the house keeps standard switches. Lutron RadioRA 3 does this wirelessly, without opening walls; Lutron Caséta is the do-it-yourself version. Trade-off: rooms left out cannot join scenes later unless their switches are replaced.
2. Whole home, wireless
RadioRA 3 covers every room wirelessly, so the walls stay closed. We use it mainly for retrofits, and for designs that should run on as few processors as possible. The RadioRA 3 processor talks to two kinds of Lutron wireless devices: Clear Connect Type A (Maestro dimmers, Pico remotes, Triathlon and Sivoia QS Wireless shades) and Clear Connect Type X (Sunnata keypads and Lumaris). If a home already has Type A devices and no intelligent lighting is planned, we keep the design on Type A. Type X devices form their own mesh: each one must be within 75 ft of a processor, and Type A repeaters do not extend Type X (Lutron RadioRA 3 system overview). In a larger home, adding Type X can mean more processors and more cost. Other trade-offs: RadioRA 3 keypads use stacked set points instead of press-and-hold Cycle Dim, and Ketra and Rania fixtures require HomeWorks.
3. Whole home, panelized
Lutron HomeWorks QSX moves dimming into wall-mounted panels in a closet or equipment room. Each room gets one clean keypad, often Palladiom or Alisse, instead of a bank of switches. HomeWorks is the system for Ketra and Rania fixtures, wired Sivoia QS shades and Cycle Dim. We also use a lot of Lumaris on HomeWorks, in new builds and retrofits alike: it is not Ketra, but its light quality is excellent for the cost. Trade-off: every lighting circuit is home-run to the panel, so it is planned before drywall.
| Setup | Lutron system | On the wall | Fixtures it supports | Construction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. A few rooms | RadioRA 3 (Caséta for DIY) | Smart dimmers and keypads | Standard dimmable LED, Lumaris | None; replaces switches |
| 2. Whole home, wireless | RadioRA 3 | Maestro or Sunnata dimmers and keypads, Pico remotes | Standard dimmable LED, Lumaris | Little or none; best for retrofits |
| 3. Whole home, panelized | HomeWorks QSX | One keypad per room (Palladiom, Alisse, Sunnata) | All of the above, plus Ketra and Rania | Home runs to panels before drywall |
For a deeper comparison, see Lutron lighting control at Austin Lutron and the HomeWorks QSX guide.
How much does lighting control cost in Austin?
For a 6,000 sq ft Austin-area home, the Home Technology Association budgets $15,528 to $26,483 for lighting control in a couple of rooms, $20,705 to $35,310 for the main areas, and $34,162 to $71,503 for the whole house and exterior. These figures use the HTA's "Expensive" cost-of-living setting.
| Home size | A couple of rooms | Main areas and exterior | Whole house and exterior |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4,000 sq ft | $10,352 – $17,655 | $13,803 – $23,540 | $22,775 – $47,669 |
| 6,000 sq ft | $15,528 – $26,483 | $20,705 – $35,310 | $34,162 – $71,503 |
| 10,000 sq ft | $25,881 – $44,138 | $34,508 – $58,850 | $56,937 – $119,172 |
Setup 1 lines up with the first column, setup 2 with the middle or upper columns, and setup 3, a panelized HomeWorks system, usually lands in the whole-house column.
Source: Home Technology Association budget calculator, US, "Expensive" cost of living (the setting for Westlake, West Lake Hills and central Austin), run November 2026. Tax not included. Light fixtures are a separate HTA line, shown below.
How much do light fixtures cost?
The HTA sorts fixtures into four quality tiers and budgets them by the share of the home at each tier. For a 6,000 sq ft home lit entirely at one tier, fixtures run from $12,000 to $36,000 for contractor grade, up to $90,000 to $150,000 for top-tier tunable and color fixtures. Fixture budgets are the same at every cost-of-living setting.
| HTA tier | What it means (HTA) | Lutron lines that fit | Per sq ft | 6,000 sq ft home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Digitally controlled tunable white or full color, premium finishes, small apertures | Ketra, Rania D2 | $15 – $25 | $90,000 – $150,000 |
| Tier 2 | Warm dim and flangeless fixtures for the cleanest look | Lumaris (tunable white and warm dim, with larger apertures and fewer trims than Tier 1), other warm-dim fixtures | $12 – $19 | $72,000 – $114,000 |
| Tier 3 | Truer color, even fixture-to-fixture light, smoother dimming, upgraded trims | High-quality fixed-white LED | $7 – $15 | $42,000 – $90,000 |
| Tier 4 | Contractor-grade fixtures from home stores and distributors | Usually supplied by the electrician | $2 – $6 | $12,000 – $36,000 |
Most homes mix tiers: for example, Ketra in the gallery and living areas, Lumaris tape in coves, and Tier 3 fixtures in closets and utility rooms. The "Lutron lines that fit" column is our match to the HTA definitions, not an HTA label. See Ketra, Rania and Lumaris at Austin Lutron for detail.
Source: Home Technology Association budget calculator fixture tiers and tier definitions, US, run November 2026; per-square-foot figures are the HTA ranges divided by home size. HTA notes Tier 4 is typically sold by the electrician, not the integrator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is smart lighting control, and how is it different from smart light bulbs?
Smart lighting control manages the actual lighting loads in your home (recessed lights, chandeliers, sconces, landscape, and cove lighting) as one coordinated system. Smart bulbs are controlled one at a time and lose connection if someone flips the wall switch. A professional lighting control system avoids that, matching the right dimming method to each fixture and replacing banks of switches with clean, labeled keypads.
What are lighting scenes, and why would I want them?
Can my lighting system work automatically without me having to control it?
Does smart lighting actually save energy in a luxury home?
Can smart lighting be integrated with my security, shades, and thermostat?
Who installs smart lighting control systems in Westlake, Barton Creek, Bee Cave, and Austin?
Create Your Smart Home Budget Today
Use our interactive budget tool to build a budget unique to your home and lifestyle. When you're done, review your results, then schedule and appointment with us when you're ready.
Already have an older system? Read about upgrading Lutron HomeWorks in Westlake.