Security Camera Installation Near Me
With home break-in numbers rising, having a well-installed CCTV system at your property is no longer a nice-to-have, but an essential. Whether you’re simply leaving your home to go into the office or are planning to go away for a week-long break, having security cameras installed around your home can help to give you much-needed peace of mind knowing your home is being safely watched over while you’re not there.
Choosing the right security camera company near me is pivotal in ensuring the effectiveness and reliability of your security system. In this article, we’ll look at everything you need to know about picking the best security camera installation specialists to help you make an informed decision about your home’s security.
Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
Defining Your Security Installation Needs
Before you get into the nitty-gritty of choosing your security camera system, first, you must pinpoint your security camera needs. To do this effectively, you should consider the following:
- What area do you want to cover? Is it one specific door/entryway, or do you want eyes on your entire property?
This will determine whether you need just one or multiple cameras installed - Do you want/need indoor or outdoor surveillance, or do you require both?
Understanding this requirement will help you choose your camera type, as outdoor cameras are built with weatherproofing and night vision in mind, whereas indoor cameras won’t be kitted with the same waterproofing - Do you want to be alerted when your camera detects motion?
Some models of CCTV cameras can send push notifications to your mobile device to warn you of suspected movement in your area if you wish - Do you want to be able to speak via the surveillance camera?
Some CCTV cameras can let you speak remotely through the camera’s microphone to ward unwanted guests off your land
It’s a good idea to have clarity on these requirements before reaching out to security camera contractors, as it will help give you a greater understanding of your exact needs, as well as help you budget effectively and not be drawn in by unnecessary up-sells.
Utilising Online Directories
If you look at the houses in your area, you’re likely able to see over five different home security providers with cameras honed in on doors, windows and garages. Knowing which CCTV provider is right for you and your needs is hard and can seem overwhelming when you’re faced with pages and pages of potential suppliers when hunting for ‘security fitters near me’.
But, it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Using MyJobQuote’s online directories can help streamline your search for security camera installers in your area, whittling your search down to just the relevant experts.
Instead of being met with hundreds of possible suppliers, MyJobQuote’s search function shows you the best-rated security camera installers near me, significantly trimming down your search time. Unlike searching on your own, MyJobQuote lets you compare and contrast trader’s reviews and ratings with one another, simplifying your search for a trusted security expert.
You can also take advantage of the past project photos listed alongside companies’ profiles to get a feel for their work. This helps to give you greater visibility on their quality of service before you commit to working with them, making sure your decision is as well-informed as possible.
Verifying Service Provider Credentials
With an installation service as important as home security, it’s crucial that you accurately assess the qualifications and experience of your chosen security camera installation specialists before booking them for a job.
When considering your trader, you must look at their experience - does it line up with their field of work and the time they say that they’ve been in service? If they have only been trading for a few months yet have thousands of reviews, tread cautiously as they may be inflating the truth and might not be as experienced as they suggest.
Further to the fitter’s qualifications, you should also look out for certifications, accreditations and memberships, as these can let you know the trader is taking their job seriously.
Examples of these can be:
- Accreditation to The National Security Inspectorate (NSI) and the Security Alarm and Inspection Board (SSAIB)
- British Security Industry Association (BSIA) - a professional association that focuses on the quality of professional security - if a contractor is a member, this can be seen as a symbol of their professionalism in the security industry
- SIA CCTV licence (PPS) while more suited to security camera operation, having an SIA licence enables an individual to work in the private security industry as a CCTV operator
If you’re opting for an electronically wired security system, check your contractor has experience in this and not just plug-and-play security systems as they require different installation skills. In these instances, you should ensure your security camera fitter has relevant electrician experience and certifications to enable them to install your system safely.
Lastly, take a look at their reviews - especially those on trusted websites, and not just their personal website, as it’s all too easy to edit or cherry-pick comments to make a service look better than perhaps it is. If you can’t see any reviews, it’s a good idea to ask your trader for references from their past clients to get firsthand insights into the expert’s reliability and installation quality.
Engagement and Communication
While you might be drawn to a contractor’s price or availability as the most important factor in your search, there is something else you need to pay close attention to while scouting for your trader - and that’s how they communicate with you.
It’s important to have active engagement and open communication with your security camera installer. Without this, you run the risk of problems during your project going unresolved and the potential of additional costs being added to your bill because of poor communication.
Before you sign with a specialist, assess how they speak to you - are they open, and do they answer your questions adequately? Or do they put off responding to you for weeks and reply with one-word answers?
If you’re encountering the latter, it’s best to move on and find another trader, no matter how available and cost-effective they seem to be. Poor communication before the contract has started is a clear red flag - if the trader isn’t trying to get your business at this stage, you can be sure they will try even less when they have your money.
Effective communication between trader and buyer helps pave the way for a smooth installation process and ultimately better service delivery, leading to fewer issues and a faster project conclusion - which is the best outcome for trader and homeowner.
Utilising MyJobQuote's Quote Form
Armed with this knowledge, it’s time to start your search for ‘security companies near me’, and using MyJobQuote’s quote form can save you time in your security camera installer hunt. Instead of entering the same details over and over again on individual websites, on MyJobQuote, you can simply enter your details once and receive relevant results for your area.
These are the steps you need to take:
- Select your job category - CCTV falls under ‘Electrics’
- Choose ‘Alarms, CCTV and Security’ from the next list
- Indicate which areas your job involves, from CCTV to security lights
- Use the text box to explain your job in more detail, listing how many cameras you need, whether they’re indoor or outdoor and if they’re wired or not
- Add in photos of the areas you wish to have your CCTV cameras installed
- Enter your postcode
- Select your budget from the options
- Choose your timeframe, from ASAP to flexible timing
- Enter your email to get quotes in your inbox
Entering this level of specificity in the first instance helps to cut down your search time as many of the main questions your installer will want to ask you are answered in one fell swoop, eliminating the need for a lot of back and forth before a quote is provided. This gives you tailored quotes from qualified security camera installers in your area at the click of a button, helping to get your project started sooner.
Instead of jumping from website to website, you can stay put and assess your results in one place, keeping your search streamlined and easy to navigate.
Seeking Recommendations
Knowing if a neighbour has a home security camera installed is quite easy to see - and it’s useful when looking for ‘security camera installations near me’. Where possible, try to visit a few neighbours to see if they would recommend their CCTV provider and installer to you - and a yes or no answer is of equal importance here.
If your neighbour recommends their security camera installer, then great news - that’s a personal recommendation you can use to pursue them yourself, armed with knowledge of the expert’s work ethic and work quality. What’s more, by looking at your neighbour’s house, you can see the standard you can expect of your installation if you choose that trader.
However, if your neighbour warns you against using their particular security camera installer, it’s also useful knowledge (although it might not seem like it at first). While it might be a dead end in terms of finding a suitable trader, it’s useful to know who not to enter a working contract with as this way, and you can avoid rogue traders.
It’s also a good idea to ask your work colleagues for their personal security camera installer recommendations. While they may not live in the same geographical area as you, your colleagues might be able to recommend a national security camera installer instead.
In these instances, you are unlikely to get the same installation team due to the location change, but you are likely to still get the same customer service from the installer’s national team. You may also get more insurance of a good job from a larger company than you might a smaller trader with limited experience.
None of this should be in place of your own research, though - one person’s opinion of someone being ‘very good’ might be different to yours, so it’s still important to do your own homework no matter how glowing the review from your acquaintance may be.
Service Terms and Agreements
It can be tempting to jump straight in with your security camera installation project once you’ve got your mind set on it - but you must have all the necessary paperwork in place before any work starts.
If a trader suggests that you go ahead with work without a written contract, make sure you move away from their services. This is a clear red flag that they may be out to take advantage of your naivety, and from this vantage point, they can add on extra costs without much pushback, as there wasn’t ever a written agreement to refer back to.
The written agreement should detail the scope of work, pricing, payment terms, and any warranties or guarantees. Be sure to check the latter to see if they cover just the equipment or both the fitting and equipment, as you can still end up out of pocket if labour costs aren’t added in the event of a replacement being required.
Written terms can protect you as the homeowner as you have clear expectations from the service provider. You should never rely on verbal agreements - no matter the job size - as it’s all too easy to deny a conversation and conflate the truth.
When embarking on a job that involves your property’s security, it’s vital that you thoroughly assess the contractor you choose. If they aren’t up to scratch or turn out to be untrustworthy and don’t keep to their word, you can come unstuck quite quickly and end up in an expensive scenario.
Taking a thoughtful approach in selecting a security camera installation service is the best route to success. Using MyJobQuote’s online directories, you can make an informed choice that ensures your security needs are met with professionalism and expertise from start to finish.
Last updated by MyJobQuote on 12th June 2024.