IDK. I have several friends who don’t know a thing about IT that use HA at their house to integrate some basic stuff (garage door opener, doorbell, thermostat, shades, exterior lighting), and it works fine.
An IT background isn’t exactly useful anyway. What you really need is a development background.
I have not been here long, but my HA has been running for about 2 months now. I learn more and more every day. Its been so very reliable at a level of I would guess 99%.
As for needing to be super tech savy, so far, I have managed to do all I could want it to do. But I am building everything out at this point. I had a long history with Indigo Domo and loved it. But I let it lapse years ago. I considered home kit, but early on it wasn’t my thing. I like many have a multitude of systems. I am finally able to make things that never talked to each other work. Just simple stuff even like saying if I turn the lights on from a switch, then stop the motion sensor until I turn them off (until I get some presence sensors).
I am by no means a pro. I enjoy discovering things and will hound dog it until I figure it out. And this community is a true gift.
Everything is what you make of it. Me?
Ask, answer, learn.
I have four homes, a closed community, gated and a winery all sitting on it.
But I spend the time. Afterall, it is my business and I do not expect (nor want) someone to “sell” me the solution that does 3/4 what I need. It could be simply stated as the value of your time.
You want something like Creston or other that does 1/2 what you want and looks like crap, but it does it solid. Then do it.
You want Home Assistant that probably does 100% of what you want, but takes some effort to get there and looks beautiful. Then do it.
It is the value of your time.