Burglar Alarm Quote Checklist | What Should It Include?

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Illuminated security keypad mounted on a wall

You’ve asked for a couple of burglar alarm quotes, and the prices are further apart than you expected. One gives you a single total for an “alarm package”. Another lists detectors, servicing and a monthly monitoring charge. It’s hard to tell whether you’re comparing similar systems or paying for quite different things.

An alarm is something you’ll use and look after for years. The installation price only tells you what it costs to get started. You also want to know what the system protects, who responds if it goes off and what you’ll pay afterwards.

You don’t need to be an alarm expert to choose well. A good quotation explains the equipment, the fitting work, the handover and the ongoing services in plain terms. Here’s what to look for before you agree to the work.

At a glance

✓Check that every quote covers the same job: the areas protected, the equipment, the fitting and the handover.
✓An audible alarm, an app alert and professional monitoring are different services with different costs.
✓Ask for installation, servicing, monitoring and any finance or subscription charges to be shown separately.
✓Compare the total over the same period, including VAT, and add any cost that one offer leaves out.
✓If an answer is missing, ask for it in writing before you accept.

START WITH WHAT YOU WANT THE ALARM TO DO

Before comparing prices, check that each installer has understood the same job.

You might want to set the whole house when you go out and only the downstairs rooms at night. Perhaps there’s a detached garage to include, pets to think about or an older alarm that could be upgraded. Details like these change the equipment and labour needed.

If your insurer has set an alarm requirement, share the wording before the system is designed. Ask the installer to explain how the proposal meets it and what paperwork you’ll get. A general description such as “insurance approved” doesn’t tell you whether it meets your own policy.

Tip: A useful quote refers to an agreed design or specification. If it is only an initial price based on a phone call, ask what still needs checking and when the final price will be confirmed.

CHECK WHICH EQUIPMENT AND AREAS ARE INCLUDED

“Four sensors and a keypad” tells you very little about coverage. You should be able to see which doors, rooms and other areas the devices will protect, and which areas are left outside the design.

Look for the make or product range, the types and quantities of detectors, the control panel, keypad, sounder and any fobs. If app access or monitoring is included, the communication equipment should be listed too.

This makes differences between quotes much easier to understand. One installer may have allowed for the garage while another has quoted only for the house. Another may have added a second keypad because of the way you come and go.

For an upgrade, ask for existing equipment to be listed separately from new parts. The quotation should say what testing is included and how any faults found during the work will be handled. Our guide to upgrading an old wired alarm explains why keeping the cables and keeping the sensors are separate decisions.

You can also look at our home burglar alarm services if you’re still deciding between a new installation and work on an existing system.

FIND OUT WHAT THE INSTALLATION PRICE COVERS

The equipment is only part of the job. Fitting, programming and testing take time, and the work depends on the property.

Ask about cable routes and any visible trunking, drilling or lifting of floorboards. If old equipment is being removed, check whether disposal and making good are included. Filling old fixing holes and redecorating are not necessarily part of the same price.

The proposal should also list anything you need to arrange, such as access to particular rooms, a suitable power supply or a broadband connection. Sort these out before installation day.

For a wireless system, ask whether the proposed positions and radio coverage have been checked. Wireless equipment can mean less cabling, but the devices still have to work reliably where they’re fitted.

Tip: If the installer finds something unexpected, how will extra work be agreed? A clear process is far better than finding a new charge on the final invoice.

If you’d like us to look at your property and explain the options, request an alarm quotation. Tell us what you want to protect and whether there’s already an alarm in place.

BE CLEAR ABOUT APP ALERTS AND PROFESSIONAL MONITORING

The word “smart” can cover several different features. Ask what the quoted system actually does when it activates.

An audible alarm sounds at the property. An app may send a notification to your phone. Professional monitoring sends signals to an alarm receiving centre, which follows the agreed response arrangements. These are different services, and a phone notification is not the same as somebody being contracted to respond.

If monitoring is included, the proposal should explain:

✔Who receives the alarm signal and who they contact.
✔Whether keyholding or an attendance service is included or charged separately.
✔What communication connection the alarm uses.
✔Which setup and recurring fees apply.

Worth knowing: If police response is part of the proposal, ask the installer to explain the eligibility, registration and ongoing requirements. Don’t assume it comes with every monitored alarm.

It’s also worth asking what happens if broadband or mains power fails. The answer depends on the equipment and backup arrangements, so have those explained for the actual system being quoted.

KNOW WHICH CHARGE PAYS FOR WHAT

Quotes often mix up four different things: installation, servicing, monitoring and finance. Ask for each to be shown separately, even if you pay for some of them in one monthly amount.

Four charges that often get lumped together

Charge	What it usually pays for	What to ask
Installation	Equipment, fitting, programming, testing and a demonstration	Which areas are covered, and whether cable routes, disposal and making good are included
Servicing	Checks on the system after it is installed	How often checks happen, what they cover, and whether parts and batteries are included
Monitoring	Signals sent to an alarm receiving centre that follows agreed response arrangements	Who receives the signal and who they contact, whether keyholding or attendance is included, and which fees recur
Finance or subscription	Equipment that is rented or supplied as part of a subscription	Who owns the equipment, the minimum term, the payment schedule, renewal and cancellation terms, and what happens when the agreement ends

PUT ONGOING CHARGES BESIDE THE INSTALLATION PRICE

A quote can look affordable at first and still carry commitments you haven’t budgeted for. Ask for post-installation charges to be shown clearly, including when they begin.

These may include servicing, monitoring, app subscriptions, mobile signalling, keyholding and call-outs. Some may be combined into one agreement, and others may be optional. Check what you can choose separately and what is required for the service you’re being quoted.

For maintenance, find out how often checks take place, what they cover and whether parts and replacement batteries are included. Our home alarm maintenance service explains the kinds of checks involved in looking after a domestic alarm.

Worth knowing: A warranty and a maintenance agreement do different jobs. Ask what the warranty covers, how long it lasts and whether labour or attendance charges apply. Then check the arrangements for routine servicing and for faults outside that cover.

Before signing, confirm the minimum contract term, payment schedule, renewal arrangements and cancellation terms. If equipment is rented or supplied as part of a subscription, ask who owns it and what happens when the agreement ends.

COMPARE THE SAME PERIOD OF OWNERSHIP

Putting the figures over a few years makes the difference between two proposals much clearer.

These figures are illustrative only, to show how to compare quotes. Both examples use VAT-inclusive amounts and the same three-year period. Before comparing real quotations, check what the initial payment and monthly charge include, and add any costs excluded from either offer.

Illustrative example: three years, VAT included

Quote	Installation	Monthly charge	Months	Total over three years
Quote A	£900	£15	36	£1,440
Quote B	£650	£25	36	£1,550

Worth knowing: In this example, the lower installation price leads to the higher three-year total. That doesn’t make it the wrong choice, because it might include a service you value. The point is to find out what you’re paying for before you compare the totals.

Use the actual contract terms, including any price increases or separately charged servicing. If a maintenance fee is already included in a monthly package, don’t count it twice.

For each quotation, ask for the total payable at installation, the first-year cost and the recurring charges from year two. Confirm whether VAT is included and whether the quoted price has an expiry date.

INCLUDE TESTING AND A PROPER HANDOVER

Installation isn’t finished when the last detector is fixed to the wall. The quote should include programming and testing the system, followed by a demonstration.

You should be shown how to set and unset it, use any night setting, recognise a fault and find help. If app access is included, agree who will set up the account and show you the controls.

Ask what records you’ll receive, including operating instructions, details of the installed system and any applicable certificate. Keep the warranty, maintenance and monitoring information with them.

Our guide to using your burglar alarm explains why being shown the controls matters. An alarm you’re comfortable using is far more useful than one you avoid because you’re worried about setting it off.

A BURGLAR ALARM QUOTE CHECKLIST

Before accepting a proposal, make sure you can answer these questions:

☐Which areas are protected, and what equipment is being fitted or reused?
☐Does the price include fitting, programming, testing and a demonstration?
☐What building work, disposal or making good is excluded?
☐Who receives an alert, and what response has been agreed?
☐What will I pay at installation and over the contract term, including VAT?
☐What do servicing, warranty and call-out arrangements cover?
☐Who owns the equipment, and what happens if I change provider or cancel?
☐How will extra work be agreed, and what paperwork will I receive?

If one answer is missing, ask for it in writing. A short clarification now can save a much longer conversation after the work has started.

A FEW COMMON QUESTIONS

Should I choose the cheapest quote?

Price matters, but compare coverage, equipment and support first. A cheaper proposal may be perfectly suitable, or it may leave out a room, a service or work that another installer has included. Ask about the differences before deciding.

Can I have an alarm without a monthly monitoring fee?

An audible alarm does not need an alarm receiving centre subscription. Other functions, including app access, may have their own charges, and servicing still needs to be budgeted for. Ask which fees apply to the specific equipment and services you want.

Does a service agreement include batteries?

Not necessarily. Check the terms for parts, batteries, labour and call-outs. “Maintenance included” needs enough detail to show what you would pay when something needs replacing.

Can an installer quote without visiting?

An initial estimate may be possible from your description or photographs. Ask what assumptions it relies on, whether a survey is needed and when the scope and price become firm. An existing system with unknown faults may need testing before repair costs can be worked out.

Can I compare a monitored quote with an unmonitored one?

You can compare their costs, but first identify the different service each provides. Check who receives alerts, who is expected to respond, what communications are needed and what happens if the service is cancelled. A lower total may reflect a different scope rather than a cheaper equivalent system.

ASK US FOR A CLEAR ALARM QUOTATION

If you’re arranging an alarm for your home, tell us how you use the property and what you need from the system. We can talk through installation, servicing and monitoring so you can see which options suit you.

What Should a Burglar Alarm Quote Include? Installation, Monitoring and Ongoing Costs