A surveillance system is essentially designed to provide you with the video security needed for your home or business. This includes access to recordings or real-time activity.
Such systems have also been helping homeowners save money on home insurance premiums.
Surveillance system installation costs depend on several aspects. For instance, it will depend on the quality and number of cameras, installation costs and the central monitoring quality you opt for.
On average, having a single camera line installed will cost you about $100.
However, installing an entire home security surveillance system may cost you up to $2,200. The actual installation cost for such a system will vary from one installation to another.
Throughout this guide, you will learn the various cost factors affecting this pricing.
How Much Does a Surveillance System Installation Cost?
For a complete home surveillance system installation, including four cameras, central recording equipment, and Web interface, you should expect to spend between $1,000 and $2,200.
This amount is inclusive of all the required installation equipment and parts as well as labor.
If you are looking forward to saving a few bucks on the installation, you should consider installing a wired surveillance system.
With wired systems, you will end up spending less money on the parts, say $150 to $200 per camera.
While this is the case, wired surveillance systems cost a little more to install (in installation labor costs) when compared to wireless surveillance systems.
Again, installation costs are known to vary from one state to another. For instance, the average installation cost in New York City is about $1,245 while it is about $853 in Brooklyn, NY.
Sample Installation Costs for an Entry-level Surveillance System
For an entry-level basic installation, you should expect to spend about $1,000 inclusive of tax.
For this amount, you could have four, 2-megapixel cameras and a four-channel 1080P DVR system installed in your home.
Most of the leading installation contractors will also offer a two-year warranty on labor and parts for such a project.
Sample Top-Range Surveillance System Installation Costs
Along with the applicable taxes, you will end up paying between $1,800 and $2,200 to install some of the best surveillance systems.
For this amount, you could have eight-channel NVRs and eight 3-megapixel cameras installed. Such a system is designed to receive video recordings from the cameras wirelessly and transmit them via the internet.
Surveillance System Installation Cost Factors
As you can see from the above-mentioned examples, the cost of installing a surveillance system varies significantly.
Discussed below are the key aspects that will influence the cost of installing a surveillance system.
Type of Surveillance System
Would you like to install a wired or a wireless surveillance system? Well, this will affect the overall cost of installation to some extent.
Generally, installation equipment and parts for a wired system are cheaper, but wireless systems are way cheaper to install (installation labor costs are lower).
So, how does the pricing for these two surveillance system types differ?
Wired Surveillance System Cost
Wires make for a much tougher install. This is mainly because holes need to be drilled, wires installed and conduit kept in the place.
In most cases, professional help is recommended. The installation cost of a wired system runs higher than that of a wireless system, often between $150 and $200 per camera.
However, installation parts and components for a wired system are quite affordable. The good thing about wired surveillance systems is that they cannot be hacked remotely or jammed.
Again, most of the leading brands come with a battery backup, which comes handy during power outages.
Wireless Surveillance System Cost
Wireless security systems are comparatively easy to install. This makes them the best surveillance system choice for a do it yourself (DIY) project.
With these types of surveillance cameras, you can save money by installing them on your own.
For a DIY project, you will spend $0 on labor costs, but a professional will charge you about $100 for each camera installed.
Although the cost of installing wireless surveillance cameras is low, the equipment and installation parts are relatively costlier to buy.
Leading wireless surveillance system brands also offer remote access capabilities. You will also find such a system easier to move from one building or room to another.
Security System and Equipment Prices
Would you like to have DVR or NVR equipment installed on your surveillance system? This is another choice that is going to influence the overall installation cost.
Again, you need to choose whether you would like to have the system monitored as this will also affect the cost.
While buying the surveillance system equipment and installation parts, you will need to choose between IP and CCTV surveillance systems.
So, how do these two options differ and how much do they cost?
Internet Protocol (IP) Surveillance Cameras (Between $60 and $300)
IP cameras are often wireless and connect directly to the internet. This alone makes them a perfect choice for DIY installations.
They broadcast video over your local network and usually store video digitally on a Network Video Recorder (NVR).
Despite being easy to set up and use, such surveillance systems are susceptible to hacking. IP surveillance systems are also affected by internet outages.
IP systems are easily configurable and expandable and often come with appealing features, like high resolution and night vision.
If this is your preferred option, you should expect to spend between $60 and $300 per camera.
Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) Surveillance System ($70 to $300 per camera)
As opposed to IP surveillance systems, CCTV systems are independent of the internet. In their functioning, CCTV cameras record video and store it in a location.
Such systems are either monitored locally or designed to store video on a physical Digital Video Recorder (DVR).
On average, CCTV packages are priced between $70 and $340 per camera.
The pricing of these cameras often depends on the additional features it has, including high definition and larger digital storage. CCTV surveillance systems are best suited for large homes and businesses.
With this system, you will also be able to connect the DVR to the internet – which allows for remote viewing. However, this capability also predisposes the system to hack.
Type of Security Cameras Installed
As you may have noticed, there are many types of security cameras in the market. The various types come at different price points, which will affect the total cost of installation.
Depending on where you are installing the system and security level required, you may need different styles.
Here are the main surveillance camera types for your consideration:
Surveillance Camera Connectivity Cost
Wired surveillance systems are still available today and are considered to be very secure as they cannot be hacked remotely.
However, their installation is rather demanding; requiring wires to be run throughout the property. Even so, the vast majority of the systems being installed today are wireless.
The wireless surveillance systems often use Bluetooth or Wi-Fi technology for connectivity.
With wired cameras, the system may be linked using three different types of wires. The type of connectivity you choose for your system will impact on the installation cost as well.
Whether you decide to use Cat5, Siamese or Coax wires, the cabling cost for the entire system is about $250 for every 1,000 feet of cable. This is particularly the case for first installs, installs in preferred houses are cheaper as discussed below.
Prewired Building Installations
Is your home already wired for Ethernet 1? If so, you can save a considerable amount of money in surveillance camera installation.
Projects carried out in prewired houses cost about $1,000 on average for cabling and camera installation.
Other Factors Affecting Surveillance System Installation Cost
While these are the main surveillance system installation cost factors, the actual price of the equipment will depend on several other aspects.
Below are other aspects that are likely to influence the cost of instating surveillance systems:
Outdoor Vs. Indoor Surveillance Camera Designs
Surveillance cameras meant for indoor applications are not designed the same as those many for outdoor use.
Similarly, pricing varies between indoor and outdoor video surveillance systems. Indoor cameras types do not need to be weatherproof and tend to have a limited range and resolution.
Again, indoor surveillance cameras are often the smallest, often bailed in hidden, dome or bullet options.
External surveillance cameras, on the other hand, need to have better visibility and durability. Typically, cameras used outside the home can see farther and have better resolution.
As a result, outdoor surveillance cameras are costlier, with most of them priced at about $100 a piece. Indoor surveillance cameras cost about $60 each.
Regardless of the type you need, the cameras will cost you about $100 each in installation labor costs.
Camera Field of View
You also need to consider the field of view offered by your preferred system. This is essentially the range a surveillance camera is capable of viewing.
Most of the best home surveillance systems are designed to offer a range of 15 to 40 feet.
This range is just enough for you to monitor inside the rooms of your home, and up to the area surrounding your front door.
In order to get a range of more than 40 feet, you will need to purchase a surveillance camera that has a long-view lens.
These lenses often give you the ability to change the view or the scope from the monitoring device, giving you more detail and covering a greater area.
Owing to their superior capabilities, cameras with long-view lenses are expensive to buy. Most of the leading brands are priced above $1,000 per camera.
Security Camera Resolution
Resolution in surveillance cameras is expressed in television lines. However, most manufacturers use pixels to express the resolution offered by their products.
As such, you can get cameras of 480p, 720p, and 1080p as far as resolution is concerned.
With regard to pricing, the cost of these units increases with an increase in resolution.
Depending on the resolution you need, here is the much you should expect to spend on your surveillance camera:
High-Resolution Surveillance Cameras ($100 to $300 each)
Most high definition security cameras are rated 1080p and above. Such a camera will cost up to $300 per unit.
Although they are the costlier option, high-resolution cameras will give you a clear picture of a person, license plate, or another identifying mark.
HD cameras are recommended for entry points to your home. Higher resolution also means more bandwidth and larger file sizes.
Therefore, the system will also require you to invest a sizeable amount of money in video storage.
Low-Resolution Cameras (Below $100 each)
Any surveillance camera with a resolution of less than 1080p is considered to be of a low resolution. Though affordable, such cameras will give you a relatively low image quality depending on the resolution you choose.
Low-resolution cameras are suited for areas where details, like faces and writing, aren’t really necessary.
For systems set up to monitor what kids or a housekeeper are doing, low-resolution cameras will suffice.
Monitored Surveillance System Services
In addition to the upfront startup cost of between $0 and $200, the leading providers will also charge you an additional $30 to $65 a month for monitored services.
Such services add an additional layer of protection to your home security system.
Most modern monitored systems are wireless and provide smart home features, like remote lighting, heating, and door lock controls.
For this additional monthly charge, your home will be monitored 24 hours a day, alerting you and the authorities of any disturbance – including fires.
Ready to Install a Surveillance System?
Whether you want to monitor operations in your business in real-time or just want to ascertain whether your kids are safe at home, a surveillance system will come handy.
Such a system can also improve security in and around your home. Depending on your requirements, the cost of surveillance systems varies considerably.
As you have learned throughout this guide, the cost will depend on such aspects as the number, resolution, type, and field of view of the cameras.
Additionally, you also need to factor in the labor charges to get a more accurate estimate of the surveillance system installation cost.
Whether you’re looking to install a surveillance system for your home, business, or even office trailer, you will have the benefit of knowing your area is secure.
