New alarm recommendations

[stealthwolf]

We moved into our house about three years ago. There was a Honeywell G4 accenta alarm fitted but it was turned off and never worked. We asked but never got any info from the estate agents about it.

Fastforward and we've found a recommended electrician to fit a new alarm system. He's suggested £450 for a wired Honeywell system with 4-5 new PIR sensors.

Sounds reasonable?
Should we go for something else?
A colleague was quoted £1000+ by ADT for a new alarm system with an additional monthly subscription fee for monitoring. They'll call you to tell you the alarm's triggered and will send a message to the police but there's no guarantee that the police will come out. Which seems to defeat the purpose of a monitored system.

Any thoughts?

 

[sparkymarka]

So you have an existing system ? So all the wires are allready in place ? Is he fitting extra equipment or just just replacing ? And what Honeywell panel his he fitting ?

 

[secureiam]

very vague have they said what panel, what detectors, bell box and battery.


Just replacing I suspect, but with what

 

[alan333]

Google "Selfmon" - you can monitor your alarm yourself for £1/month (with some alarm panels, including the Honeywell Galaxy).
You don't say how many zones you have etc but new Galaxy G2-12 (12 zone) panels are about £30 on ebay.

 

[stealthwolf]

So you have an existing system ? So all the wires are allready in place ? Is he fitting extra equipment or just just replacing ? And what Honeywell panel his he fitting ?

I didn't ask specifically - he just said he could replace it with another honeywell or something similar to what my cousin had (texecom veritas).
Reuse old wiring for two PIRs (where the existing ones are). New wiring and PIR for utility room and for upstairs landing. New bell boxes and control panel.

very vague have they said what panel, what detectors, bell box and battery.


Just replacing I suspect, but with what

As above, I didn't ask about specific models.

Google "Selfmon" - you can monitor your alarm yourself for £1/month (with some alarm panels, including the Honeywell Galaxy).
You don't say how many zones you have etc but new Galaxy G2-12 (12 zone) panels are about £30 on ebay.

Thanks - will look into this.

 

[sparkymarka]

Sounds expensive if that's the case ...

 

[stealthwolf]

I've had a look online. A system identical to what we have will cost £130 or thereabouts for me to buy. Which means £300 to swap out the old stuff and take some wiring through some walls. How much do you reckon it should cost? Chap said two days' work.

 

[secureiam]

to swap everything over, depends on how many zones and how much of a mess it is, as for running the cable through some walls?

we don't know where the cable is being run and what he needs to be shifted to gain access.

I have been to jobs where to run it under the floor would require a removal team a day to shift the furniture out of the way, let alone lift the boards and others I have seen where the floors are already up, and running the cable is pretty quick.

Also been to jobs where customer has promised to make area clear of junk, and come to do the job on the day and there has been more junk there.

I would estimate a days work, rather than two on an average home, but haven't seen the property.

swapping panels over, can be done very quickly if its tidy and well labelled, but if its a mess and unlabelled it can be a little more fun, also depends on how much spare he has to play with, as to how awkward it all is.