Losing hope on choosing (potentially) Self-Monitored alarm system and installer in Du

Haidee_Hammond

Hi all, I have been trying to figure out what I should do with the alarm, is the first time I own a house so all it's new to me. I have spoken to a few installers but all push for their thing and explain how awful the competition is, and researching here has been as confusing as it is useful. So I have a new house and I want a system to either just to self-monitoring or that allows me to switch to self-monitoring. I am based in Dublin and so far I have asked Action 24, Act Fast, Homesecure, Phonewatch, Network Security and <company who cannot be named>. I have heard each other called the other's system a Mickey Mouse, or directly liars. I have read online that Risco is not great, that some posters here would not touch Visonic with a pole, that HKC will make it impossible to change batteries (relevant if I go for self-monitoring). I was also considering staying with monitoring (also read pros and cons and honestly the only pro I see to monitoring is the panic button). I have read how shock sensors are bad, how contact and curtain sensors are effective but too late, how PIRs and contact are not enough but you need outside perimeter (I like in Dublin, I don't know how much perimeter can I secure otherwise, didn't get a single quote that had more than 4/5 sensors total either, which on some post was mentioned as poor  ). I would like a system that I can change batteries of, if possible, can be monitored, ideally, and pass to other companies, if I decide so, and definitely that I can do self-monitoring for, not to mention that is safe/good. And a company that does not lie to me, and doesn't have high monitoring fees, or increasing monitoring fees, or keeps ownership of the system. So far I am not sure if any fulfil the criteria   I have been quoted so far for a Risco system, a Visonic and a 2gig system. I saw @koolkid link for https://vanderbiltindustries.com/find-an-installer but I don't recognise any of the installers so I am not sure what to think of them, not sure if they do monitoring as well or if their prices are reasonable, I will ask but the lack of references is a bit scarier.

KoolKid

You are starting off looking at installers who are only interested in signing you up to long term contracts for monitoring /maintenance and/or apps.
Look for some independent installers who aren't only interested in the one product & you will find a different attitude altogether.
Where are you located?
Do a search of the PSA register here. and try get an independent survey from a few good installers.
Protection wise, the norm is shock sensors (inertia) on all ground floor & accessible points of entry . After that a couple of internal PiR Infred detectors.
Systems like Risco, GSD , Visonic & Siemens Vanderbilt will allow you to set up apps & self monitoring independent of any subscriptions or ongoing charges.
They would have the option of back up via GSM/GPRS if you wanted added security in the event of power cuts or broadband being down.
All these systems would also have the ability to add central station monitoring if required.
If you do decide on monitoring /maintenance look for a company that does not tie you to long term contracts . Many will offer a rolling contract based on how its paid.

Haidee_Hammond

KoolKid wrote: »

You are starting off looking at installers who are only interested in signing you up to long term contracts for monitoring /maintenance and/or apps.
Look for some independent installers who aren't only interested in the one product & you will find a different attitude altogether.
Where are you located?
Do a search of the PSA register here. and try get an independent survey from a few good installers.
Protection wise, the norm is shock sensors (inertia) on all ground floor & accessible points of entry . After that a couple of internal PiR Infred detectors.
Systems like Risco, GSD , Visonic & Siemens Vanderbilt will allow you to set up apps & self monitoring independent of any subscriptions or ongoing charges.
They would have the option of back up via GSM/GPRS if you wanted added security in the event of power cuts or broadband being down.
All these systems would also have the ability to add central station monitoring if required.
If you do decide on monitoring /maintenance look for a company that does not tie you to long term contracts . Many will offer a rolling contract based on how its paid.

Thanks a lot, will check now, btw are Risco or Visonics a bad system as such? Or is just that others are better? Any opinions on the 2gig?

KoolKid

Not bad as such. They all conform to EN50131-1
Some who install them go for something very basic like a few PiRs.
Some who install Risco have the panels locked to themselves and try to tie you to long term commitments.
Don't know enough about the 2 gig.

Haidee_Hammond

Network Security had them, supposedly you can go self monitoring but need to pay them to change batteries, although according to one of the other companies "everybody knows Risco is a bad brand" (guy felt a bit like a bully to me honestly). Answering your previous question I'm in Dublin 18 in case you have any recommendations

altor

Haidee_Hammond wrote: »

Hi all, I have been trying to figure out what I should do with the alarm, is the first time I own a house so all it's new to me. I have spoken to a few installers but all push for their thing and explain how awful the competition is, and researching here has been as confusing as it is useful. So I have a new house and I want a system to either just to self-monitoring or that allows me to switch to self-monitoring. I am based in Dublin and so far I have asked Action 24, Act Fast, Homesecure, Phonewatch, Network Security and <company who cannot be named>. I have heard each other called the other's system a Mickey Mouse, or directly liars. I have read online that Risco is not great, that some posters here would not touch Visonic with a pole, that HKC will make it impossible to change batteries (relevant if I go for self-monitoring). I was also considering staying with monitoring (also read pros and cons and honestly the only pro I see to monitoring is the panic button). I have read how shock sensors are bad, how contact and curtain sensors are effective but too late, how PIRs and contact are not enough but you need outside perimeter (I like in Dublin, I don't know how much perimeter can I secure otherwise, didn't get a single quote that had more than 4/5 sensors total either, which on some post was mentioned as poor  ). I would like a system that I can change batteries of, if possible, can be monitored, ideally, and pass to other companies, if I decide so, and definitely that I can do self-monitoring for, not to mention that is safe/good. And a company that does not lie to me, and doesn't have high monitoring fees, or increasing monitoring fees, or keeps ownership of the system. So far I am not sure if any fulfil the criteria   I have been quoted so far for a Risco system, a Visonic and a 2gig system. I saw @koolkid link for https://vanderbiltindustries.com/find-an-installer but I don't recognise any of the installers so I am not sure what to think of them, not sure if they do monitoring as well or if their prices are reasonable, I will ask but the lack of references is a bit scarier.

Batteries can be change in any system once you know which one is gone.
If you have the engineer code of the system you can chop and change easily enough as well as doing self service of the systems yourself.
Perimeter protection is recommended as using PIRs a intruder is in your home before a system activates.
Most of the system you company's you mention above use systems that are locked to that particular company.
They are the ones that would have you locked to them.
Common systems used by installers are easily fixed and repaired.

Haidee_Hammond

altor wrote: »

Batteries can be change in any system once you know which one is gone.
If you have the engineer code of the system you can chop and change easily enough as well as doing self service of the systems yourself.
Perimeter protection is recommended as using PIRs a intruder is in your home before a system activates.
Most of the system you company's you mention above use systems that are locked to that particular company.
They are the ones that would have you locked to them.
Common systems used by installers are easily fixed and repaired.

How do you get the engineer code? I suspect they will create that on installation and not tell me XD I checked the PSA page by the way, and maybe is broken for mobile, but it returns the first result of a list of 218 items and can't see the rest! Will try tomorrow in a laptop (requesting desktop version didn't do the trick).
So, if those systems no, which systems yes? O

altor

Haidee_Hammond wrote: »

How do you get the engineer code? I suspect they will create that on installation and not tell me XD I checked the PSA page by the way, and maybe is broken for mobile, but it returns the first result of a list of 218 items and can't see the rest! Will try tomorrow in a laptop (requesting desktop version didn't do the trick).
So, if those systems no, which systems yes? O

You simply request it before you pay
Homesecure, Phonewatch, Network Security systems would be locked or coded for them.