If you are considering installing an intruder alarm and your want to find out more about the burglar alarm installation cost, this guide will answer all your questions.
Burglar alarms can be an excellent first line of defence, but there’s a wide range to choose from. People can become confused by what burglar alarm systems they need, or they may be worried about the cost of a burglar alarm. Using this guide your questions will instantly get answer and we’ll help you to decide which house alarm system is the perfect choice for your home.
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Installing A New Burglar Alarm
Fitting a new burglar alarm can seem like a tiresome job; after all, you’ve lasted this long already without a serious break-in, and it’s unlikely to happen now just because your old model has ran out of batteries, right? Well actually, that’s exactly why it might happen. Most home intruders are deterred by the simple presence of a well-lit and/or audible working burglar alarm unit installed on the exterior of the property – so just a weekly check could help keep you, your family and your valuables safe for longer than you might think.
Why Install a Burglar Alarm System?
Today, officials are encouraging people to install burglar alarm systems in their homes, offices, companies and business premises. Several years back a burglar alarm system was only an option for rich people. Today, a lot of people can afford to install and maintain a home security system in their buildings. Continuous advancement in technology ensures that burglar alarm systems come with a lot of features to keep intruders away. Modern home alarm systems have been found to be very reliable and efficient in their function. They are easy to use and you can install them yourself or get a professional to install them depending on the simplicity of the system.
Even if you have not already installed a burglar alarm system, there are more than enough reasons to install one:
Leave your property for long periods without worrying
Imagine going away for a fun family holiday, a bit of time for rest and relaxation – only to finally get home (perhaps after an uncomfortable flight) to find the house trashed – your rooms ruined, the valuables gone – and perhaps even sentimental items snatched too. You are then faced with calling insurance companies and filing charges for the next few weeks – and suddenly installing a new burglar alarm doesn’t seem like so much of a hassle. But exactly how much does it cost? And what kinds of burglar alarm are available?
Protect your pets from being stolen
We always hear of somebody’s cat been stolen. The effects can be devastating, both in terms of property that’s lost and the psychological effect it can have. In many areas, break ins and burglaries are on the rise, but thieves are often opportune.
Deter burglars from attempting to access your home
One of the ways they do this is to find a property that has no visible intruder alarm system, or that has a burglar alarm that looks old, damaged or poorly maintained. By having a high quality, new, and visible intruder alarm system, you can deter many opportune thieves from attempting to access your property. They’ll pass by, and find an alternative location that isn’t as secure.
Remotely monitor your home
Also the burglar alarm will alert you regarding the intruder attempt to enter your home. Some burglar alarm systems will alert designated key holders if you’re away, or even send an alert directly to the police. This knowledge is power in your battle against crime.
Cheaper Insurance
The more protected your property is, the less changes you have your home being targeted by intruders. Thieves usually look for house that are not well-protected. Just the sight of burglar alarms can be enough to scare most burglars off. This means that by installing an intruder alarm system you can also lower significantly your insurance premiums.
What is The Best Alarm Monitoring System For My Property?
What makes the best alarm monitoring system is mostly related experience that a home security company provides to its clients. If the company is showing genuine interest, it will not try to up-sell you on unnecessary equipment or even put pressure on you to spend more than you can afford. Furthermore, there will be no surprises (hidden costs, policies etc.) after you sign the contract with them.
The primary function of a burglar alarm system is to alert the inhabitant and people around the house of the intrusion of an unwanted person into the building. They can as well be installed to detect all wanted movement around the perimeter of the building. Some types of alarm systems include:
- The PIR sensors, which are based on the recognition of body heat energy. This is getting increasingly popular.
- The Siren alarms immediately alert with siren should an intruder trip the system. The alert may be silently sent to the security company on may be audible.
- The Ultrasound devices use high frequency and Waves to detect movement within the perimeter. Disruption of the usual sound wave pattern will trigger the alarm.
- The Sensor devices triggered by smoke, heat motion, vibration or shock.
- The Integrated CCTV alarm systems have the benefit of integration of the burglar alarm system with footage that can be used for prosecution.
- Magnetic switches are used for doors and windows.
A good alarm monitoring system excels mostly in the following:
- Customer service experience
- Pricing & affordability
- Features & equipment offerings
Types of Burglar Alarm Systems
There are two major types of a burglar alarm system to choose from – hard-wired and wireless.
- Hard-Wired Burglar Alarm Systems – these systems are robust, reliable and require less maintenance than a wireless service – they rarely suffer from signal failure or connection problems, and are fitted directly into the fabric of your home – so you won’t have to worry about the system going down while you’re out or away, and your property is protected for longer. Hard-wired burglar alarms should also comply with British Standards 4737 or BS ENS0131.
- Wireless Burglar Alarm Systems – unlike hard-wired burglar alarms, wireless burglar alarm systems work without any significant lifting, drilling or building. They often work at a greater connection speed too (if you live in a good signal area), and rarely cut-out – although the risk is increased a little. They are also portable, so you can take them with you if you ever end up moving home; and they are cheaper to install – helping to save you a bit of extra cash and reduce your home alarm cost! Wireless burglar alarms should also comply with British Standards 6769 Class VI.
Burglar Alarm Systems Prices
So, how much to fit a burglar alarm system? The burglar alarm cost can vary depending upon the kind of intruder alarm system that you opt for, the size of the building that’s being protected, and the area of the country that you live in. The figures below will give you an indication of the typical burglar alarm cost:
Basic alarm system installation: £125 – £300 (depending on the number of sensors)
Call or messaging alarm systems: £165 -£290
Bells only audible alarm system: £300 – £600
Monitored home security systems installation cost: £99+
Annual intruder alarm servicing and maintenance: £150 -£500
Designated key holder monitoring service: £160 + £25 per month
Automatic police response burglar alarm systems: £600+
You can see from this list how many varieties of burglar alarm system are available. Also take into account that there are now wireless and hard-wired alarms. The best wireless alarm systems can be more expensive, but they are more aesthetically pleasing and usually offer increased functionality.
Burglar Alarm Systems Installation Costs
There is a wide range of residential alarm systems, ranging from simple to complex or complicated ones. The ability of intruders to disable or walk through the system depends on how detailed it is. You could install simple house alarm system by yourself but they are usually not effective as complex and detailed burglar alarm systems. For total peace of mind the best solution is to have a professional install a detailed burglar alarm system as their installations are quite comprehensive and designed to communicate with your choice security company. If the alarm is set off the company immediately alerts your key holder, emergency services or both.
Having a burglar alarm system installed can involve several start up costs, as well as maintenance costs, but what price can you out on peace of mind? Some people choose to buy house alarms and then fit the system themselves. Home installation can be an option if you have a basic system, and are qualified as an electrician. If you want a more advanced system, however, it makes much more sense to engage the services of a alarm companies and professional burglar alarm system installers.
Monitored alarm systems have to be fitted by a burglar alarm company, as you cannot handle the installation yourself.
The cost of a typical monitored alarm system installation is between £100 – £200 ( one burglar alarm panel, two sensors, a keyfob to turn the alarm off and on, and a window/door contact). To this you also need to include the monthly monitoring cost which ranges from £15 to £45 per month.
Police monitored installation systems can increase the initial installation price by 300 to 700. Any additional sensor and keyfob will cost you between £40 and £110 per item.
Setting up a police monitoring service normally costs extra at installation and can add up between £300 and £700 to the original installation price. If you want to add extra sensors and keyfobs, budget between £40 and £110 per item.
Who can install my burglar alarm system?
Sophisticated intruder alarm systems should be installed by a qualified and experienced alarm engineer. Some major national companies, such as Chubb and ADT have their own in-house alarm fitters, but this could limit the choice of alarm system.
Independent burglar alarm fitters can be found through search engines or the local media. Look for an alarm engineer who is registered with the National Security Inspectorate. The NSI inspect and certify alarm fitters, to ensure that they reach the highest industry standards, as well as passing criminal checks.
What To Expect From An Alarm Installation Company
So what should you be looking for in an alarm installer or alarm installation company? Well, that all depends on the type of security you want and how much money you have to spend on the project, but generally speaking most alarm engineers will be able to:
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Carry out a pre-fitting inspection of your property to assess the type of security measures that can be fitted and are required in your local area.
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Offer an array of different burglar, smoke and fire alarm models, ranging from budget, battery-powered designs to high-tech, fully key-coded units that give you more power and protection in the long run.
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Be able to install and/or replace either wired or wireless alarms for homes, no matter what system is currently fitted in the property.
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Fit and program a brand new intercom system (featuring both visual and audio access) that increases your security by letting you see who is approaching your property at any time of the day.
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Help you program your new control panel with key-codes and passwords that only you and your family (or other residents of the property) will have access to.
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Install the most up-to-date CCTV systems for larger properties, including a full intercom system and camera operating equipment that can be monitored from directly inside your home.
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Fit brand new electric gates on either side of your home – perfect for protecting expensive garden furniture and reducing the risk of potential burglars invading your property.
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Offer an annual maintenance service to check your new security system and home alarms are all working properly and don’t need any repairs – which will then be offered at a reduced price too!
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Offer a competitive price-plan that lets you pay for your new services over a period of time that suits your budget.
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Carry out all the necessary alarm fitting and additional work so it complies with Part P of the British Building Regulations and British Standards 7671 guidelines.
Alarm monitoring costs
You can’t be at your property 24 hours a day. What would happen if an intruder tries to gain entry while you are out, or on holiday? How long would it take to answer to the alert and who would respond it? If you use an alarm monitoring service or automatic police response system, you won’t have to worry.
Alarm monitoring services are often offered by the alarm manufacturer or independent security companies. Your alarm fitter may know of a suitable security company in your area. If your house alarm is triggered at any time of day or night, they will respond quickly and efficiently. They can also act as key holders, or contact the key holders that you have designated.
High-quality intruder alarm systems may be eligible to be registered with your local police authority, thus ensuring an automatic police response if they are triggered. You may need to supply the police force with the contact details of key holders, and always bear in mind that the speed of attendance may be dependant upon how many false alarms have been triggered in the previous twelve months. An advanced intruder alarm system will avoid the lower priority case from the local police in the case have been false alarms previously.
Having a house alarm fitted can save you money, and provide reassurance for you and your family. For many people, that makes burglar alarm systems worth every penny.
DIY Alarm Systems: Cheap Security Alarm Systems
If you are looking to install a cheap house alarm system to help you keep your property safe, but are worried about how much it could cost you, don’t worry. Burglar alarm manufacturers have produced a variety of cheap home alarms that will keep intruders and thieves at bay and give you and your family that peace of mind so that you can get on with your lives.
Basic Home Alarm Kit
A basic home alarm kit is normally the most affordable burglar alarm system and it can be bought from most burglar alarm companies and stores. The DIY kit normally contains a PIR motion sensor and door contact alarm system, which works for a single room or a downstairs area. These residential alarm systems work via wireless technology, so you will need to charge the batteries on a regular basis.
Premium Home Alarm Kit
Premium alarm systems are cheap house alarm system that works in a similar way to basic home alarm kit through wireless technology, but it also has a telecommunication panel where you can store up to three different numbers.
When the alarm gets triggered, it will automatically and immediately connect you through one of these numbers, which allows you to update them as soon as the system believes that something is wrong.
Family Home Alarm System
A more extensive family home burglar alarm package might not be the most cheap alarm system you can find, but it does come with a range of additional features, including:
- An exterior yellow-siren box that acts as a highly visible deterrent to potential burglars
- LED flashlight and siren technology if activated
- PIR motion sensors
- Telecommunication panel and mobile technology
- Digital display for ease of access
- Exit-Entry activation features (including a timer)
Of course, the extensive home-protection qualities available on a family burglar alarm system make it much more reliable than an ordinary basic kit, giving you a bit of extra peace of mind and the ability to tailor the technology according to your day-to-day activities.
It may be a little higher than what you have in mind when thinking of ‘cheap’ home alarm systems, but it does offer the best kind of security that you can install yourself – so make sure you choose your alarm carefully.
Home Protection Tips
While burglar alarms are always good. There are several things you can do yourself to protect your home from burglary:
- It sounds obvious, but lock all doors and windows whenever you leave the house, even if you’re only going out for five minutes or sitting in your back garden
- Locks should be strong and fitted by a professional locksmith – don’t skimp on quality or workmanship
- Don’t leave spares keys in ‘hiding spots’
- Make sure your exterior doors are sturdy. Most burglars break in through ground floor doors, so it’s worth spending extra on strong wooden, composite or metal-wrapped doors. Whichever type you go for make sure they’re PA 524-1 certified
- Windows should ideally be double glazed, meet BS7950 standards and have frames made of strong material like wood or uPVC, as well as competent locks
- Make sure your burglar alarm is visible so it acts as a deterrent – and don’t forget to set it!
- Install security lights to startle intruders and alert you to an intruder’s presence
- Pay attention to your garden security by making sure sheds and garages are securely locked and all valuable outdoor furniture, bikes and play equipment locked away
- Make sure your fencing is in good repair
- Don’t leave ladders or tools which can be used to break into your home lying around
- If you’re going away make sure that you stop all regular deliveries – a build-up of milk bottles or newspapers will advertise that the house is vacant