Alarm system - Large rural home

lbj666

Hi guys appreciate the help in advance and I know this is a very common question. I am looking to fit an alarm system for my folks home, it's a big house. In rough terms its 5-6 rooms wide X 2 deep, 2 floors. Hallway dissects rooms front and back on both floors.

Ideally needs to be wireless (but not over wifi) , but conscious given the size of the house some systems may not have the range.
Ground floor has over 10 points of entry by window/door, upstairs 5-6.

Prefer something DIY out of the box , with alert over GSM or phone line, no 3rd party monitoring.

Few questions
Is it better to focus on motion sensors rather than trying to put sensors every window.
Any recommendations
Or is this too much to chew and better to consult an installer.

altor

lbj666 wrote: »

Hi guys appreciate the help in advance and I know this is a very common question. I am looking to fit an alarm system for my folks home, it's a big house. In rough terms its 5-6 rooms wide X 2 deep, 2 floors. Hallway dissects rooms front and back on both floors.

Ideally needs to be wireless (but not over wifi) , but conscious given the size of the house some systems may not have the range.
Ground floor has over 10 points of entry by window/door, upstairs 5-6.

Prefer something DIY out of the box , with alert over GSM or phone line, no 3rd party monitoring.

Few questions
Is it better to focus on motion sensors rather than trying to put sensors every window.
Any recommendations
Or is this too much to chew and better to consult an installer.

Perimeter protection is always advised over internal PIRs only.
An intruder is in your home by the time these activate plus they do be off at night to allow access around the home.

If range is a problem perhaps putting mail control panel central in the home will save using RF extender's.

Modules for GSMs and that are nearly all add ons.

lbj666

altor wrote: »

Perimeter protection is always advised over internal PIRs only.
An intruder is in your home by the time these activate plus they do be off at night to allow access around the home.

If range is a problem perhaps putting mail control panel central in the home will save using RF extender's.

Modules for GSMs and that are nearly all add ons.

Thanks,
So perimeter protection you mean window/door sensors or external CCTV with motion detection? Or both.

How sensitive are shock sensors to wind etc.

altor

lbj666 wrote: »

Thanks,
So perimeter protection you mean window/door sensors or external CCTV with motion detection? Or both.

How sensitive are shock sensors to wind etc.

Yes, windows and doors. PIRs are used as a back up to most alarm systems and are off at night depending on location in your home that they are installed.
The sensors have a gross and pulse detection that can be adjusted to suit windy areas.

They say, Alarm first, CCTV second so head in that direction.

machiavellianme

Have a look around this forum for Ajax alarms. They do exactly what you need, are professional standard and easy to self install/monitor

?Cee?view

machiavellianme wrote: »

Have a look around this forum for Ajax alarms. They do exactly what you need, are professional standard and easy to self install/monitor

Just had a look at this online. Seems like a serious bit of kit and ticks all boxes for me!

One thing, it seems it's professional only install. Do you know if you can buy the elements and self install as the various reviews say it's very straightforward?

Doolittle51

?Cee?view wrote: »

Just had a look at this online. Seems like a serious bit of kit and ticks all boxes for me!

One thing, it seems it's professional only install. Do you know if you can buy the elements and self install as the various reviews say it's very straightforward?

There is a separate thread about Ajax alarms. Worth reading through it. You'll find links to European websites where you can buy all the stuff you need.

I installed my own one recently. It's very straightforward to install and set up. All done through a smartphone app. Take care when installing the mounting brackets for the hub and sounder. It's quite easy to break them if you're not careful. That's no reflection on the quality of the kit. The mounting brackets are designed to activate a tamper if the equipment is ripped off the wall for example, so have built in perforated sections and small tabs that are easy to break by accident during install

?Cee?view

Thanks All,

I've been looking at Ajax overnight based on the recommendations here and pretty certain that I'm going to go with it.

It's scalable which is just what I want. It's also the first system I've come across which has credible outdoor protection for a domestic setting. HIK cameras can also integrate with it and I've used them on some other houses.

The one drawback is that if I install it myself I can't get it monitored by a monitoring company. Ideally, I'd like that type of monitoring eventually. Is there a possibility of getting a professional in to audit your system, certify it, and thereby get a previously installed system eventually monitored by a monitoring company?

Doolittle51

There is one company in Ireland that are a recognised installer of Ajax. You'll find them with a quick google search. They might certify and set up monitoring for you. But it might be cheaper in the long run to get them to do the install for you. They have a very cheap price for initial installation and seem to make their money from the monitoring charges.

I don't really think monitoring is worth the money though. Pricey enough monthly charges and you'll have to keep the system serviced regularly. All you really get for your money is a phone call to tell you that your alarm is going off. You'll know that quick enough when you get a push notification from the app. If you're concerned about your broadband not being reliable or being compromised by intruders, you can install a sim card and set up text message notifications. Any discount on your home insurance for having a certified alarm is very quickly offset when you have to pay someone to service it every year. That's my take on it anyway, but some of the regulars on the forum might have better advice!

Darc19

As above, combine alarm system with CCTV. If alarm is triggered you can check live CCTV pictures and it takes the worry away.

kub

Doolittle51 wrote: »

There is one company in Ireland that are a recognised installer of Ajax. You'll find them with a quick google search. They might certify and set up monitoring for you. But it might be cheaper in the long run to get them to do the install for you. They have a very cheap price for initial installation and seem to make their money from the monitoring charges.

I don't really think monitoring is worth the money though. Pricey enough monthly charges and you'll have to keep the system serviced regularly. All you really get for your money is a phone call to tell you that your alarm is going off. You'll know that quick enough when you get a push notification from the app. If you're concerned about your broadband not being reliable or being compromised by intruders, you can install a sim card and set up text message notifications. Any discount on your home insurance for having a certified alarm is very quickly offset when you have to pay someone to service it every year. That's my take on it anyway, but some of the regulars on the forum might have better advice!

Darc19 wrote: »

As above, combine alarm system with CCTV. If alarm is triggered you can check live CCTV pictures and it takes the worry away.

OP, as a professional I would advise you to get that certified Ajax installer to install and certify that system, especially if you are doing the right thing and getting the system professionally monitored.


Those previous 2 posts on this thread, are obviously not professional advice.


Those of us that know this business are more than aware of how intruders operate.
To say that professional monitoring is not worth it, is very naive.