A method for guiding installation of smart-home devices may include capturing, by a camera of a mobile computing device, a view of an installation location for a smart-home device; rendering, by the mobile computing device, a view of a virtual object that represents a real-world obstruction that will interfere with the operation or installation of the smart-home device; and displaying, by the mobile computing device, the view of a virtual object that represents real-world obstruction with the view of the installation location on the display of the mobile computing device.