KB Home to Offer Google Assistant-Based Smart Home Control in Southern California

KB Home is offering Google Assistant smart home control as a standard feature in two Orange County, California, communities, joining homes in Denver, Jacksonville and Las Vegas, it said Friday. Orange County homes in Highmark at Ironridge, Lake Forest, and Prado, Cadence Park, will come with a curated selection of voice- and smartphone-controlled features that will also be offered as an option for the builder’s other communities in Orange and San Diego counties. The base package includes a Google Wi-Fi mesh network, a Google Home and a Home mini smart speaker, a Nest Hello video doorbell and installation and integration. Buyers can add more smart home products -- from $200 to $1,000 -- including cameras, smoke and carbon dioxide alarms, lighting controls, window shades, appliances and door locks, a spokesperson emailed us. Dish Smart Home Services is installing and integrating the devices after move-in, and will integrate the smart home products with the homeowners' existing internet service, he said. KB Home will provide 60 days of technical support post-installation via phone or live chat through a mobile device app for all devices installed and any other smart home devices customers purchase on their own, he said.