How much does an intruder or burglar alarm cost
How much does an intruder or burglar alarm cost?
How much does an intruder or burglar alarm cost, what is the difference in cost between wireless and wired installations? Also, what about certified or not certified. These are questions we get asked regularly as security providers.
How much does an intruder or burglar alarm cost
Most of our customers want to know how much does an intruder or burglar alarm cost before realising which type suits their premises the best. There are many different factors to consider and with hundreds of self install or monthly payment options available its difficult to sort the good from the bad. For budgetary purposes most residential installations of burglar alarms supplied and installed by a professional installer for around a three bedroom property are between £500 – £900. A major factor of cost is location, London installations are more expensive where as Essex areas such as Canvey Island, Rayleigh, Chelmsford etc can be cheaper.
This allows you to gauge the initial costs for a decent intruder alarm. We would strongly advise against DIY products or installers that aren’t accredited by one of the two governing bodies for security providers:
SSAIB (The Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board)
NSI (National Security Inspectorate)
By doing this you are ensuring your burglar alarm is installed to the correct British Standards and that they have proper procedures in place. If you do not your intruder alarm system will not be compliant and your insurance company may invalidate your policy.
How much does an intruder or burglar alarm cost
There are many different factors to take in to consideration when building an intruder alarm system. Some houses are to spread out to reliably use some wireless systems, wired systems aren’t always possible due to decoration and condition. These can all affect the installation costs.
SFB Solutions believe every job is unique and for this reason we always insist on a full site meeting with the client to ensure a bespoke quotation is created and documented.
By far the most important aspect of quotations is to always make sure the quotation is inclusive of all equipment required. A detailed specification produced and shared to ensure the customer can see the areas covered and where equipment will be installed.
Commercial burglar alarm installations can be quite different in there structure and specification as they are often required by the insurance company to be installed to a specific grade and type.
The following points are areas that can affect the overall quotation for a burglar alarm
- Wired or wireless equipment
- Number of devices attached to the system
- Cable type i.e. fire rated, low smoke etc
- How far cable routes will be from main alarm panel/equipment
- The construction of the building and its effect on how difficult or easy it is to install those cables
- The type of building, residential house, warehouse, commercial etc
- The supply of containment for wiring and whether this is required
- Whether external cabling is required and also external containment
- The time frame for the installation including in or outside of normal working hours
- Installation location including special factors such as congestion charge or parking
Wired Intruder/Burglar Alarm Installations
A traditional wired intruder alarm system is perfect for most commercial installations where wiring can be hidden in the fabric of the building. If a homeowner is undergoing renovation we would also suggest using a wired burglar alarm system as the wiring can be hidden within the renovation works. There are pro’s and con’s for each type but generally if we can wire the system we will. The wired equipment costs less from the manufacturers however takes longer to install so labor costs increase where equipment costs decrease.
Wireless Burglar/Intruder Installations
All new intruder alarm systems have a wireless version and these are becoming highly reliable. Most new installations on residential dwellings are wireless as there is no need to try and hide cabling. Each device does require a battery to power it but these can last up to two years in some instances. A quotation visit would be required to ensure the equipment can distribute a good signal to all devices. The wireless burglar alarm systems do not work on the same frequency as you home WiFi network. This keeps the alarm completely separate from your home network allowing it to stay in contact with its devices if your WiFi drops out or disconnects. All our intruder alarm systems are installed to Grade 2 and above meaning the wireless devices are two way and check in at least every 4 minutes. Some DIY burglar alarm products do not do this, be mindful that 1 way communication is never advised. As above the equipment is much more expensive however the labor costs of installation can be reduced.
How difficult will the installation be
How much does an intruder or burglar alarm cost, wireless burglar alarm systems are generally installed in a working day with one engineer completing the work. A wired system can take longer than its wireless partner as cabling will need to be run and hidden within the fabric of the building. Handover and training can vary in time but generally takes between one and two hours. On completion an instruction pamphlet, welcome pack service book and full training are provided.
How many detection devices are required
At the time of the initial meeting and quotation appointment we would complete a risk assessment on the property. We would also ask if the premises insurance company have placed any requirements within the policy to ensure the burglar/intruder alarm is installed to the desired grade and specification. Some properties require a Police response or alarm receiving center connection for a key holder response. Most residential intruder/burglar alarm installations are self monitored through the internet connection and subsequent manufacturer app installed on the users smart phone.
Installation Location
The location of the property that the installation will protect and secure is very important, SFB Solutions have customers all over the country but th ebiulk of our work is in Essex & London. Likewise the size and make up of the premises is also very important. London based installations and projects obviously incur extra charges due to parking, congestion and ULEZ charges if they apply. Essex based installations in areas such as Wickford, South Woodham Ferrers or Leigh On Sea in Southend do not generally incur these charges as these issues are not relevant. We always provide a full quotation detailing all costs including parking etc. if required and any taxes or charges such as VAT.
Monthly Subscription intruder alarm systems
Some of the larger burglar alarm suppliers offer a monthly subscription service with a small upfront installation cost. There are a number of considerations to take in to account when employing on of these companies, to keep costs low they have started to omit (remove) some important equipment or factors:
- Does the burglar alarm system come with an audible siren on the exterior of the property? Some sales people have been known to falsely say these are now illegal, this is not the case! In our opinion all intruder alarm systems should have an external audible warning device to alert friends, neighbors or passers by of an activation.
- Will the burglar alarm installation be certified and accredited in the proper way? Not all companies are installing compliant equipment and aren’t always actually accredited. They may say a sister company or a call center are accredited but that doesn’t actually mean your installation will be.
- How long will the contract be and what is the total cost over the period? Some contracts are for 3 years, maybe longer, a small monthly cost can soon grow to a much higher one if you don’t keep a check on its length. Most accredited professional installers will work with you on a payment plan if you cant afford a one off upfront payment for your intruder alarm.
- Does the contract include a servicing package? Although you are paying monthly not all packages include the yearly or bi annual service some systems will require. The larger firms have been known to charge upwards of £500 + VAT for an intruder alarm service.
- Does the company use/employ specialist trained engineers to complete their installations and is all equipment installed to the manufacturer standard? We have seen some burglar alarm installations that have double sided sticky tape used to fix detectors to walls and doors. This is unacceptable and will result in false activation’s if the tape fails.
- Always ensure you are issued with an SSAIB or NSI certificate for your installation and request this in writing if need be (you will be surprised who wont be able to supply this)
Conclusion
In conclusion to the article there are so many different factors to take in to consideration when considering a intruder or burglar alarm system we would always suggest employing a professional installer. Some home DIY products can work well for a period but you must be specific in your choice to ensure two way communication between all devices at all times. You must also check with your insurer to ensure this type of product will suffice, generally in our experience this isn’t the case.
A professional installer should have the relevant training, experience, insurance and accreditation to ensure you have piece of mind and trust in them and your installation. Not only that you can be sure it has been installed to the latest British Standards using only the equipment that ensures the protection of your premises is paramount.
Yes there are some cheap DIY products available but will they make you feel secure and would you be 100% certain that they would work correctly if ever required? At SFB Solutions we don’t just sell security products we provide the piece of mind, confidence and security that the products and installation will work every time they are required!
For more information on intruder/burglar alarm installations, security products, CCTV or accreditation’s you can visit the below websites or contact us at SFB Solutions
01268 937006
Security Systems and Alarm Inspection Board
