Anyone can buy cameras and a ladder. A good installer holds the right licences, puts the details in writing and is still answering the phone a year later.
Installing security cameras in Queensland is regulated work. An installer needs a security provider licence from the Office of Fair Trading that covers installing security equipment. Getting one involves fingerprinting and a criminal history check, which is the point: this person will know where your cameras are, where the recorder is, and how your system works.
Running the network cable is separately regulated. Cabling work needs registration with the Australian Communications and Media Authority through a registrar.
Ask for both licence numbers and check them. The Office of Fair Trading has an online licence search, and cabling registrars can confirm a registration. Ours are QLD Security Provider Licence 4930731 and ACMA cabling registration A058225.
Ask about public liability insurance. Someone working in your roof and on ladders around your house should be insured. Our cover is $20 million.
A quote you can rely on lists the camera make and model, the recorder model, the hard drive size, the cable type, where the cable will run, the warranty on equipment and workmanship, and the total price including GST. If a quote just says “4 camera system, $1,200”, you cannot tell what you are getting or compare it with anyone else.
Where will the cable run? The answer should be through the roof, wall or underfloor wherever possible, not clipped to the outside of the house.
How many days of footage will the drive hold? For a home, two to four weeks is reasonable. Fewer than seven days is too short.
Will you set up the app and show me how to export footage? This should be part of the job.
Who will do the work? Some companies sell the job and send a subcontractor. That is not always bad, but you should know who is coming.
What happens if something stops working? A good answer includes a phone number and a timeframe.
A price that seems far too low usually means something is missing. Pressure to sign on the day. Cameras offered free with a monitoring contract you have to stay in for years. No written quote. No licence number on the quote or website. Reluctance to hand over the master password.
A poorly installed system is often more expensive in the end, because it has to be pulled down and redone. The cost of cameras has come down a lot in the past ten years. The cost of careful installation has not, because it is still hours in a roof space. That is where the difference between quotes usually lives.
An electrician can, if they also hold a security provider licence and cabling registration. The electrical licence alone does not cover security installation, and network cameras do not need mains wiring anyway.
A deposit for equipment on larger jobs is normal. Be wary of paying the full amount before any work starts.
You. The master login and recovery details should be handed to you at the end of the job, in writing.
What four cameras really cost installed, what changes the price, and how to compare quotes.
PlanningFour for a standard block, and how corner blocks, highset homes and acreage change the count.
Buying AdviceRecording, reliability, summer heat, subscriptions and the cases where wireless wins.
LegalFilming your own property, neighbours, audio recording, workplaces, rentals and body corporate.
Buying AdviceThe three brands installers use most, and why the model matters more than the name.
Four camera 4K systems from $1,690 installed, planned for Queenslanders, lowsets and new estate homes.
CommercialCounter, door, yard and gate cameras for Ipswich businesses, with staff logins and long recording times.
RepairsOffline cameras, dead recorders and broken apps fixed, and old analogue systems upgraded to 4K.
DeterrenceStrobe, siren and voice warning cameras from $1,890 for four, with detection that ignores trees and wildlife.
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Tell us a little about the property and we will send back a written, itemised quote.
Thanks, your details are on their way to Richard (QLD Lic #4930731, ACMA #A058225). He will look over what you have sent and reply with an itemised written estimate, usually within 15 to 30 minutes during trade hours.