Looking after your property does not come cheap.
Three major private security companies - Blue, ADT, and Enforce - were asked what it would cost to set up an alarm system for a typical three-bedroomed, two-bathroom home ranging from a basic kit to a top-end system, and whether they had any other innovative security solutions and tips to offer.
It was found that there are no hard and fast rules on which system to purchase and that homeowners are only limited by budgets, with prices ranging from R999 to set up a basic alarm with armed response to R150 000 for an alarm system that includes outdoor beams and CCTV cameras with remote viewing access and control.
Blue Security marketing manager Gary Tintinger said homeowners needed to first establish whether they wanted to secure their homes for reasons of personal safety or simply for insurance purposes, the former requiring a system that provides an early warning system and other special features.
"There is more to securing your home than just the cost involved. We often go to see clients for an installation and they say crime is high but it's not an issue for them... until they get hit," Tintinger said.
Martin Kriel, managing director of ADT Security East Coast Region, said it was important to consider all perceived risks in your home before buying a security system or service.
"We always advise clients to never leave anything to chance. If they see a threat, they must do something about it. Consumers must inquire if a provider is registered with the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority and with the SA Intruder Detection Services Association (SAIDSA). SAIDSA is a voluntary body which sets and maintains minimum standards for infrastructure and service delivery," Kriel said.
Enforce national sales and marketing manager for electronics Jayson Weideman said every house was unique and had its own requirements.
"We tailor-make solutions for our customers and are standardised on a single range which competes with the lowto high-end products," Weideman said.
Owing to the tailor-made nature of security systems, companies were initially reluctant to provide prices for products and service, but did so on condition that it was made clear these were subject to change with special offers and often depended on the labour involved in an installation.
Products and services surveyed ranged from alarm systems, CCTV cameras, electric fences, outdoor beams and gates to cellphone panic alarms with armed response and bicycle patrols.
Alarms
Enforce Security Services offers alarm systems ranging from R2 000 to R10 000.
A basic system with 16 zones that could be increased to 32 zones; a transformer; rechargeable battery; siren; three passive infrared detectors in the lounge, dining room and main bedroom; magnetic contacts on the front and back door; four panic buttons; a panel key pad and transformer would cost R4 019.64 installed.
Additional passives were priced at R180 each, magnetic contacts at R13 each and panic buttons at R6 each.
Anti-cloaking technology, which uses mircrowave passive detectors to detect intruders who try to shield themselves against infrared detection, is also available. Enforce recently installed a top-of-the-range system for R70 000.
An ADT basic eight-zone alarm system comes with free installation and equipment as a rented kit. It remains the property of ADT.
The most technologically advanced system starts in the region of R6 000 and can be remotely armed and disarmed. The unit cost of a window and door sensor is about R150 fully installed and between eight and 15 would be needed. Fixed panic buttons cost about R150 fully installed. Mobile panic buttons cost from R490 and come with a receiver and remote. Anti-cloaking technology is also available at additional cost. The average monthly service fee is R295.
Blue Security offers its entry-level alarm, which includes two magnetic contacts for windows, two passives for the front and back door and two panic buttons, for free on a rental system. The system can also be bought for R999 with the option to purchase additional magnetic contacts at R15 each and passives, which range from R140 for infrared detectors to R450 each for dual technology detectors with microwave anticloaking capability. Top-end systems that offer the most adequate protection range from R10 000 to R20 000. Blue recently installed a system with additional security options costing R150 000. Monthly service fees range from R150 to R500.
Outdoor Beams
Outdoor beams offer an early warning system against intruders, and pet-friendly options are available.
Enforce Security Services offers outdoor passive infrared detectors that sit on the external wall of the house and range from R1 770 to R2 394. These can detect movement up to 12m away from the house. Point-topoint beams range in price from R1 065 (40m apart) to R8 000 (200m apart).
From ADT the installation of four beams would cost about R6 000.
Blue Security offers strip beams that criminals can't climb under or over from R550 (with a 10m radius) to R5 000 (with a 200m radius) plus an installation fee. Outdoor passives range from R1 200 to R2 500 and range from a detection rate of 12m to 15m.
Cameras, controls and panic buttons
Street cameras can to an extent do the job of security guards and offer intelligence on the ground that enables security companies to identify and catch criminals before they leave a neighbourhood.
Enforce Watchman is a street camera that can be placed on either end of a street to monitor the neighbourhood 24/7 via the company's control room.
The cost varies from zero to R15 000 for installation depending on whether it is for a new or existing client and there is a R360 monthly service fee.
Blue Security installs a street camera at no cost to the consumer and there is a monthly service fee of R8 500 shared among neighbours.
Both ADT and Blue offer a standalone cellphone emergency service that does not need an alarm system.
For R99 a month ADT's Cell Panic allows clients to press a speed dial on their cellphone for instant access to armed response.
Existing clients pay R28.50 for four cellphone numbers. Blue Security offers its similar ICE (In Case of Emergency) service for R75 a month.
Bicycle patrol costs range between the three companies from R9 000 a month for a 12hour service seven days a week to R19 000 a month for a 24/7 service, shared by neighbours.
CCTV Cameras
When shopping for a CCTV camera some points to consider include night-vision quality and whether it is capable of recording and, of course, with prices for domestic use ranging from R800 to R50 000, cost is a factor.
Enforce offers cameras from R800 to R8 000 depending on the specifications such as how far the lens can see at night, which could range from 15m to 70m. A Samsung camera with a 50m night vision range costs R3 250 and comes with a two-year warranty.
If outdoor sensors are triggered photographs will automatically be sent to the control room.
ADT offers a four-camera CCTV system, that clients can monitor independently and this would cost R6 850 including labour, equipment and installation. As a specialised service, there is also a fourcamera remote monitored CCTV system for about R16 000 with a monthly fee charged for monitoring each camera.
A cheaper alternative to a CCTV camera system would be to install a video-com system at the property gate.
Blue Security offers cameras ranging from R3 999 for a view only model to a R6 999 camera that has recording and remote monitoring capabilities.
Images are sent to the control room when outdoor security beams are triggered.
Fences and Gates
According to Alarm Fencing and Allway the cost of a sixstrand electric fence is R70 per running metre, while an eightstrand costs R85 and a tenstrand R110, provided that it is installed on a flat service and that it does not have to be stepped.
An energiser to run the system costs between R4 000 and R5 500 and you must also budget for an additional R1 000 for a conduit if the fence needs to run over a gate.
The impact on your electricity account, regardless of the length of the fence, would equate to about R40 a month, which equates to the cost of leaving a 40 watt light bulb on.
DIY security gates can be bought from R299 to R999 at Game and Makro, while a tailor-made gate costs between R2 900 and R4 300 at Trellidor and between R3 500 and R6 300 at Xpanda.
The Independent on Saturday
