House Mapping Cost
How much does house projection mapping cost in total?
I’ll talk in USD$ because at the moment most people are doing this in US. These are rough estimates – if you’re good at sniffing out great second hand deals then your investment might be much less.
Projector
The cost depends on whether you go new or used and whether you need to buy a replacement bulb or not, but I’m going to say $400 – $1,500 dollars for a projector.
Software
You can do it all with free software, making the minimum spend $0.
If you want to speed up the process of making a mapping guide and create bespoke creatives facades for your home you could invest in LumaMap for $60.
If you get a year’s subscription to Adobe After Effects for designing your show that’s around $240 – although if you or a family member has access to a student or school-issued email address you can get some hefty educational discounts.
If you decide you want to use professional projection mapping software like MadMapper you can buy a perpetual license for the equivalent of around $520 or you can rent it for the equivalent of around 50$/month.
So I’m going to say a maximum spend of $760 on software.
Video Content
Like with software, you can source everything free online so you can make a show with $0.
However, if you go for a subscription to something like Envato Elements that’s the equivalent of around $17 per month – again you can apply for a student discount.
If you buy content from somewhere like AtmosFX or my website you might spend $50.
Or of course you might swing for an entirely pre-made show and they tend to cost $99-$200 – so I’m going to max the video content budget at $200.
Computer
I’m going to put a minimum of $0 because a lot of people will already have a computer they could put to work on a projection mapping project, even if it’s not the most high-spec machine in the world it will probably do the job.
However, if you wanted to get a new machine that meets the minimum recommended specs for After Effects, for example, you would be looking to part with at least $1,500.
Enclosure
For your enclosure, if you buy one pre-made that might cost you $500.
If you build one yourself, the cost of materials could be as low as $100.
Media Player
For a media player – $40 for something cheap, $120 for something better.
Other Materials
Other materials – for example to cover your windows: $10 for some shower curtains from the dollar store all the way to $150 for perforated vinyl.
Cables
$60 for a 80′ extension lead and an HDMI cable. Add $30 for some extra safety accessories.
Audio
$30 for just a speaker, add an FM transmitter in the mix for $80 to max at $110.
Total
So based on those rough estimates, I think you can do house projection mapping for as little as $640.
However, if you choose the most expensive option at every stage you could spend just under $5,000.
TIP
Use the shortcut Command + F1 twice and it will extend your display.
Kit List
See a list of suggested house projection mapping kit including projector, media player, computer, audio, cables, window covering & enclosure materials.
Related Guides
Projectors for house Mapping
Which projector should you choose for house projection mapping? Learn about lenses, brightness, resolution and lamp vs laser light sources.
House Mapping Video Content
Where can you find video content for your projection mapping show? There are many free resources out there and also some high quality paid content.
Will My House Work?
Is your house suitable for holiday mapping? Learn about some of the biggest considerations like house size, yard length and ambient light.
