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new house alarm

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  • 28-06-2016 11:33pm
    #1
    eoin.d
    Registered Users Posts: 394 ✭✭


    I'm in process of building a new house and had wires put in for 5 sensors for house alarm. Had a sales rep for phone watch call offering what seemed like a good deal. But monitoring is 37 euro p/m. Should i go with phone watch or Stick with wired alarm
    Thanks


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    #2
    KoolKid
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 24,789 Mod ✭✭✭✭KoolKid


    What part of the phonewatch offer seemed like a good deal to charge you for an alarm you don't own??

    For a wired system I'd recommend GSD or Siemens SPC.
    Shop around some local alarm companies and you will get much better value.


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    #3
    eoin.d
    Registered Users Posts: 394 ✭✭eoin.d


    KoolKid wrote:
    What part of the phonewatch offer seemed like a good deal to charge you for an alarm you don't own??


    I know little or nothing about alarms but the system they had for 399 seemed ok to me. How do you mean you dont own it.
    I dont have a phoneline will this effect the system i need to get. As i want a monitored system. Thanks


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    #4
    KoolKid
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 24,789 Mod ✭✭✭✭KoolKid


    The price offered is an installation charge. Read the t and c s. It's a rental agreement. Either way you are tied to PW with that system. No one else can do any work on their systems. Have a read over some of the threads on this forum.
    Again, the best advice is to shop around. Any licenced company can monitor your alarm also. A phone line is no longer a necessity.


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    #5
    kub
    Registered Users Posts: 6,546 ✭✭✭kub


    Hi eoin.d, thank you for coming here for advise before doing what a lot of others do and fall for PW's sales tactics.

    As KoolKid said and just to explain it further.

    Would you buy a car from a garage, that is the only one that can fix it, fuel it and service it. Now what would happen if you fell out with that garage when no one else can fix your car?
    Also PW use a panel that is manufactured specifically for them, hence only they can work on it. Not that any of the rest of us are in anyway technically challenged with alarm panels.
    Every installation and monitoring company in this country have a few things in common, primarily we all comply with the same standard namely EN50131, off the top of my head i cannot recall the specific monitoring companies standard but most importantly we all have to be licensed by The Private Security Authority. Therefore we are vetted accordingly and similarly.
    I noted as well in your original post that you had your house wired for 5 beams, as in, passive infrared beams. That means that you will not have full access to all of the rooms etc in your home when the system is armed, for example at night.
    That is why we as professional installers always specify perimeter protection whereby your external windows and doors are alarmed with inertia shock sensors and contacts. Therefore if an intruder decides to try and enter your home, the system will activate even before he sets foot on your property.
    PW's detectors have cameras in them and anyone that i have spoken to find it a bit weird that the inside of their homes can be seen by complete strangers. Also when you jump out of your bed in the middle of the night because your alarm has activated are you going to stop to ensure you are adequately attired for camera, before you make your entrance to the beams field of view?

    Here is a link to the entire list of contractors that are licensed by The PSA

    https://www.psa.gov.ie/en/PSA/1A.-Register-of-Contractor-Licensees-(AllSectors).pdf/Files/1A.-Register-of-Contractor-Licensees-(AllSectors).pdf

    So onto the subject of the control systems, we all here have our own favourites the most popular manufacturers are HKC, Vanderbuilt ( used to be Siemens ), Risco, GSD, Visonic and UTC.
    If for example you got a particular installer to specify and fit one of the above, then any reputable installer could step in and take over the servicing of the system if you fell out or whatever with your original installer. You really do not have that option with PW.

    Also monitoring charges by all of the monitoring companies that i know of are less that half of what PW charge.

    With regard to monitoring without a phone line, most if not all of the above have communicators which will function without a phone line.


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    #6
    eoin.d
    Registered Users Posts: 394 ✭✭eoin.d


    Thank you kub that has cleared it up a lot for me. I will give phonewatch a miss so! I will ring around and see who installs some of the recomended systems near me. It sounds like i was going to make a big mistake there. Thanks again


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    #7
    kub
    Registered Users Posts: 6,546 ✭✭✭kub


    No bother, you are welcome, let us know if you have any further quires after you talk with potential installers.


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    #8
    altor
    Registered Users Posts: 11,715 ✭✭✭✭altor


    eoin.d wrote: »
    I'm in process of building a new house and had wires put in for 5 sensors for house alarm. Had a sales rep for phone watch call offering what seemed like a good deal. But monitoring is 37 euro p/m. Should i go with phone watch or Stick with wired alarm
    Thanks

    If you have some cables in place then a hybrid system is what I would recommend.
    You can use some of the cables for wired PIRs plus wire free sensors to protect your windows and doors.
    Only using PIRs is giving you a false sense of security as an intruder is in your home by the time they activate if they are on at all.

    www.altor.ie



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    #9
    eoin.d
    Registered Users Posts: 394 ✭✭eoin.d


    I've found 2 installers close to me both are registered with private security authority. One has an oasis jablotron system and recommended using all wireless system. The other says to use the wires I have along with wireless with hkc system. Any thoughts on either?
    Thanks


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    #10
    KoolKid
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 24,789 Mod ✭✭✭✭KoolKid


    I'd say shop around a bit more. Always 3 at least. The first option is not a very popular system & you could find yourself stuck down the like. The HKC is a popular system but if you are looking at self monitoring via smartphone apps you will find yourself tied to app charges and annual subscriptions to use them.
    Most IP panels with apps these days are free to use & apps are free to download. HKC is the exception here.


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    #11
    KoolKid
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 24,789 Mod ✭✭✭✭KoolKid


    I'd say shop around a bit more. Always 3 at least. The first option is not a very popular system & you could find yourself stuck down the like. The HKC is a popular system but if you are looking at self monitoring via smartphone apps you will find yourself tied to app charges and annual subscriptions to use them.
    Most IP panels with apps these days are free to use & apps are free to download. HKC is the exception here.
    There is some good information on whats available in the sticky here.


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