What alarm wired/wireless with phone notification and cats!

[rossyl]

Hi Guys,

We are in the process of renovating a house and build costs are getting a bit much. We ar hoping to find a cost effective solution to the burglar alarm.

The house is mid-terrace. The front has a ground floor bay, 1st floor bay and then a velux on the roof. The rear has bi-fold doors, a flat roof with 2 first floor windows, and a dormer roof with windows.

We want a system that will ring/text when the alarm is activated. The rear room (with the bi-fold doors) will house the cats at night.

Would a wired system be adequate? I've been doing some reading and some people say that wireless is fine others say it is uselss. I'm looking to save costs. So if I can DIY it I will.

I've had a look at a Yale system for £300, but not sure what are good systms are what aren't.

Thanks,
R

 

[rjm2k]

How about just putting up a dummy box?

 

[rossyl]

How about just putting up a dummy box?

We actually want the Burglar Alarm system. But thanks for the idea.

 

[bernardgreen]

If you are renovating then go for a wired system. You can put the cables in now and install the system ( sensors, panel, bells etc ) later when the budget permits.

A sensor with a wireless transmitter, battery holder and other components required for the wireless link will cost more to produce than a sensor with a terminal block for 4 wires.

Wireless is convenient for retro fitting when cables cannot be easily installed or when there are mobile items that need to be protected.

If you do choose wireless then read the small print and ask questions about battery life and other on going costs.

Avoid the very low cost systems that use one way wireless comms.

Some of these systems can lose a sensor ( removed from site without disturbing the tamper or sudden component failure ) without the panel knowing about it and then allowing the owner to set the alarm with an area no longer protected.

 

[rjm2k]

Just remember to check the T's&C's of your insurance re the alarm if you use it to get a discount, I believe some would not pay out if you didn't have the alarm on and were broken into.

 

[rossyl]

bernardgreen - Thanks fo the advice. How much should i expect to pay for running wires and fitting the whole system to a house of that size?

Thanks re the home insurance, yes definitely something to consider.

Thanks.

 

[EightyTwo]

I agree with BernardGreen.

Cable is not very expensive so it's the labour that costs the money. If you are doing it yourself, you only pay for the cable! £10 - 15 for six or eight core cable (100m). Use 8 core for the bell, 6 core for PIRs, Dualtecs and keypads and 4 core for the contacts and internal sounder. You could use 6 core for everything but you'd have no spares for the bell and, because it's a bit thicker, hiding it for the contacts may be harder.

It's quite hard to find a half-decent pet friendly radio detector. However, there are many wired pet friendly dualtech detectors availabe. They cost a bit more than the standard PIRs but you'll end up with a system that isn't false-alarming all the time and phone bill that isn't full of calls to your mobiles!! I like these Bosch ones on fleabay: 190640135753

To get any kind of discount from an insurance company, you may need it have an alarm installed by a professional company (Nacoss, SAIC) and have a maintenance contract. Expect to pay upto a grand for the installation and between fifty and a hundred pounds a year for the maintenance (remember the VAT...) for a system that isn't communicated (connected to a monitoring station). Get quotes from your local alarm companies. National companies often subsidise the installation cost and claw the money back with longterm contracts and higher call-out charges. You pays your money...

I hope this helps.

 

[Bratman91]

I fitted a Friedland Response wireless Type SL (868MHz) intruder alarm system a few months ago and I think that it will do all you want for under £300. You can fit IR detectors in rooms and magnetic detectors on doors and windows. I too have cats and keep them at night or when leaving the house in a room without IR detectors. The IR detectors have low or high sensitivity settings but I haven't done any testing to see if the felines will set the detectors off at either setting. A nice thing about the system is that zones can be set so that you do not need to alarm the whole house but only parts that you are not using at any particular time. The help desk at Response is excellent and their customer service first class. I have no connection with Response other than as a satisfied customer. The relevant web site is responseelectronics.com.

 

[Swalesecurity]

There is a whole list of alarms out there.
The bottom line is eighty is right! You can get Honeywell alarms from hunters as long as you have some basic knowledge or no how to read they are ok to install. Alternatively install a wireless alarm, you can always upgrade later. If its cheap and cheerful your looking for. ( i know I'm about to cause a war here) hsa6400 Yale wireless system less than £200 and will call upto 3 numbers if activated. Comes with 2 siren boxes 1 dummy boxes 2PIRs 2 door contacts and they are easy to install. ( I've got a none paging hsa6200) good for a flat for £70 lol... Not what you need.

But then you also have the galaxy wireless alarms as well and you can build log to a wholesale pretty much make your own alarm.

If I was you if its cost and your looking for something todo the job and it works
Hsa6400 you can get extra pirs and contacts for less than £15 a piece.

If need any help sourcing drop me an email.

 

[wigwam12]

sorry to intrude into this thread.
I was about to ask the question as well about cost-effective alarm for my sister's house which is pet friendly.
it is only a small house - front door leading to stairs; rear door and a rear patio door.
Upstairs there is a back bedroom and bathroom and 2 front rooms.

The Noob in me was thinking they need a PIR on the landing and one in the through lounge downstairs as well as contacts on the 3 doors and possibly that's it.
They do have a cat though which I think has the run of the place while they are at work.

BiL saw the Response system at B&Q which looking on Amazon is the Friendland Response SL2 wireless one (and cheaper then B&Q!)
And there is also the Yale Accenta Pro (wired) and HSA 6400 (wireless) on the same site.

Are these decent quality alarms? I vaguely recall reading on here that "pet friendly PIR" are just "damped down normal PIR"???

 

[Swalesecurity]

As a alarm installer I wouldn't recommend pIRs upstairs as its such a hassle to go to the toilet at night you have to mess around with setting and unsettling alarms. Contacts on windows that can be breached is more than sufficient for upstairs. You can get pet PIRs that go one weight and height...
As for affordable I will always say the cheaper the alarm easier it is to breach but I've installed Yales in many of homes and mdf can also come in on this as I know he uses Yales as well. They are cheap and cheerful don't expect the earth with them but they do the job!

I will email you a full detail spec on both properties today with possible costing with out seeing a property you can't be for sure.

 

[Swalesecurity]

BiL saw the Response system at B&Q which looking on Amazon is the Friendland Response SL2 wireless one (and cheaper then B&Q!)
And there is also the Yale Accenta Pro (wired) and HSA 6400 (wireless) on the same site.

Are these decent quality alarms? I vaguely recall reading on here that "pet friendly PIR" are just "damped down normal PIR"???

As for the response sl2 alarm I stopped installing these about 18months ago. I had 27% fail ratio from batteries failing with in the first few months to seals not being thick enough to keep moisture out. I would say out those alarms the hsa6400 is a good alarm. I've installed about 70 of them in the last year. And only been called back to one. And that was user error. Thought they could set up differently after I had finished.

Don't pay any more than £200 for the hsa6400. You will need more contacts and you can also have smoke detectors, key fob access, panic button, life line assist, flood protection, as the accessories are getting better an
D easy to add.

B and q own brand you will be replacing with in 2 years. Response within 6 months yale when you want to get a better alarm.

I hope this helps.

 

[wigwam12]

Great Thanks.
I will recommend he goes down the Yale route.
As for Upstairs PIR - does this system now allow a 2nd "Partial Set" option for nighttime which activates all except (say) that landing PIR?

 

[Swalesecurity]

Great Thanks.
I will recommend he goes down the Yale route.
As for Upstairs PIR - does this system now allow a 2nd "Partial Set" option for nighttime which activates all except (say) that landing PIR?

Honestly I would say don't even install it, maybe install it in a shed or garage?
Or just have it as a spare. As long as the windows are covered by contacts and the main room where the entry's are covered then there is no need for a PIR up stairs.

For this house a 4 bed workmans cottage. Terrace house to me and you.
Front door into porch then porch in too lounge diner, with stairs in the same room.
Then into kitchen onto the rear garden and a log cabin in the garden my office. Upstairs off the landing I have the 3 bedrooms and bathroom on to another stair case into the loft where the 4th bedroom is,

Starting at the front 1 door contact at front door then on into the front room PIR in the middle and 2 contacts on windows front and rear, into the kitchen where's there's a PIR facing away from windows, into the room. And then a rear door contact. Upstairs there is contacts on each window and then one one the sunlight. Then the cabin has a PIR and 3 contacts one for the door and one for each window. Then individual zoned.

Pirs are good but not needed if you the area is secure. Pirs are mainly used where contacts cannot be placed, to detect unwanted visitors.