We get asked this question a lot and it’s tricky to say until we pop out for a site survey. however we should be able to give you a basic idea of costs here. It depends on what size the system is and what you would like added into that system. Statistics show that burglaries tend to increase in Winter time, so it’s a good idea to think about getting your home secured.
What is a basic alarm?
Our basic alarm system consists of a central control panel, and either a couple of door contacts and/or PIRs. We would normally add a bell to the property which would be placed on the exterior of the building. We can do a few variations of this – you’re not stuck to one particular setting but that’s a general set up.
It is controlled by the main panel which is generally installed in cupboard or enclosed area. You can either just use the alarm panel and enter in a code when you come in to arm/disarm. There are a couple of types of fobs that we can supply if you prefer that method. Most people prefer to control using the app that comes with the alarm. It’s great as it will give you notifications when triggered.
The app is secured using biometric login and it means you can monitor your alarm yourself. You can pay extra for remote monitoring but this will allow you to monitor on your own easily. It can also be set to send any alarm notifications to other people too. This means you can have a manager or relative/neighbour if you like notified if you go on holiday.
It’s simple to use and it’s been designed and made by a British alarm company who have been on the go for over 35 years. The security on our alarms is second to none and it contains trail blazing technology throughout its various kit.
What can I add to my alarm?
We have various sensors and contacts that we can add to your alarm to make it work efficiently. It depends on the set up of the property as to what would work the best but this should help to give you an idea of the range of kit we can utilise. Bear in mind that we won’t list all the sensors here as there are so many. Commercial properties also often use specific types so we can go more into that later. We have other kit such as wireless keypads and extenders which we’ve not listed but can give more info on them if required.
These are the main ones that we use day to day.
Door Contacts
This is typically put on doors and windows although we have a few variations on this. The main door contact is a simple product which lets you know if a door or window has been opened while the alarm has been set. As it’s wireless it’s easy to add and is available in 3 colours – white, brown and anthracite grey. Each wireless device on this system, including movement detectors is a transmitter and a receiver. The wireless technology used on this holds a significant advantage over one way and some two way wireless products currently available on the market.
Variations include:
Shock/Inertia Contact – this is good for doors and windows, anything where you want to know if someone is attempting a forced entry.
Magnetic Contact – A door contact that works using a strong magnet. Available in white and brown, it’s uses 2 way technology to provide a great high security option which is simple to add to a system.
Nano Contact – A simple contact which is 66% smaller than the standard contact. The advantage of this is that it can fit inside the frame of uPVC doors and windows and is very flexible. It can be used for main doors, windows, cupboards or something like a medicine cupboard. Also it benefits from a 2 year battery life so a great addition. It comes as white but can be modified with a kit to get it in brown or anthracite grey to match your door/window.
External/Garden Contact – A tough contact IP66 rated which has been developed to provide added security to garden sheds, doors, roller shutters and more. It’s robust and tamper proof and can be added to improve your perimeter protection. It has a large magnet on it to reduce any false negatives on it and it made to last harsher conditions outside but is still aesthetically pleasing. Engineered for enhanced perimeter protection, this can be connected to cameras and automation devices for voice push notification, video verification and automation options.
High Value Items
The Asset Contact is great for any high value items in your home or business. Tills, jewellery boxes, safes, art work can all be protected using our mini contact. It can be set to high or low sensitivity to allow for vibration etc, and is a great way to keep high value items protected.
PIRs
PIRs are what we would place in a room, corridor or area which we want to detect motion in. There are various types of PIRs with various settings for different areas but we would get the right one for your property.
They can be set to allow movement for pets, they can have various infra red ranges (most common are 10,12 and 15m) and utilise a couple of methods such as infra red and microwave for detecting movement. As they’re wireless, it’s really flexible where they can be placed in a room. This is a very effective method of improving your security as well as being cost effective. 1 PIR can protect a large area rather than using a few contacts.
Garden Detectors
These detectors are great for outdoor areas such as gardens and yards and can also be set to be pet-immune. They will work with a couple of different detection processes such as 2 Infra red sensors and microwave technology. This means they all have to be triggered before setting off an alarm.
Anti-sway tech built in to also avoid false negatives. The sensors are IP55 All weather rated so will last through high density snow, hail and rain as well as wind and dust. Even the UV has been thought of. They’re coated in a UV blocking filter to avoid degradation through UV.
Light Camera
Available in black and white, this light camera can be added to your system to provide a handy security light with a camera function. It has various features such as a built in siren, 2 way audio (so can be used to talk to a courier for example). It has 2 bright LED lights (2500 Lumen) and will work via the app.
With up to an 18m IR range the camera will give 1080p Full-HD so you’ll get a great image too. Pop in a micro SD card and we’ve got around 15 hours of continuous recorded footage.
WiFi Cameras
The Cube
This is a simple camera which can be placed in the home in various places and will give a 2MP resolution. It’s great for keeping an eye on pets in the house or checking in on a baby’s room. It can also be used for medical reasons such as watching a relative who hasn’t been keeping well. As it has a built in PIR, it can be used as a motion sensor too.
With a 10m IR range, it’s great for most rooms/properties. The wide dynamic range deals with most light conditions, and it has a built in microphone too and 2 way audio. So you can talk through it and hear whoever you are talking to.
Indoor WiFi Camera
This indoor camera has a 180 degree pan and 75 degree tilt and has the same wide dynamic range technology. This means it can handle most lighting conditions. Again great for checking in on pets etc in the home and integrates with the app.
Smoke/Heat/Carbon Monoxide Detector
We can incorporate smoke, heat and carbon monoxide detectors to your alarm too. If triggered, you’ll get a notification no matter where you are. This is handy as you can notify a neighbour, or the fire service/police if you want it checked out. They also have the usual sounder and flashing LED lights to enable a quick and effective alarm.
Intercom or doorbell
We have various doorbells and intercoms which we can add to your system too. They can be WiFi based or hardwired, but this will depend on your WiFi in the property. We would do a quick site survey to see what would work the best here.
Tablet
The Android tablet can be configured to an interface that suits you. It can be wall mounted or carried around the property, whatever suits. The HomeControlHub allows great control and can also have smart plugs added to it for greater control. As well as your security, it can also be used for surfing the net or watching movies.
How about a CCTV System?
For something a bit wider ranging, we can incorporate a hardwired CCTV system to your property. This can be tied in with the camera system so it works on the same app but there are so many options. Have a look at our blog here.
So how much is it?
Again a basic alarm system will be around £450 to install. This includes your app which is free for the first year and £25 per annum after that. That’s if you want to keep it – it will still work without the app. If you’d like to add sensors, then they will be on top. It depends on how long the system will take to install overall as to the total cost.
If you’d like to look a bit more on the alarm system we mainly use, go onto the Pyronix site here and it will give a lot more detail.
Our CCTV systems can be added at the same time to give you a complete home security solution. This can go from around £325 installed.