Home alarm systems
An alarm that arms with the house when you leave, lights the zone that's triggered and shows you the camera on the same screen. Detection designed for the house, not a kit of sensors spread evenly across it.
Detection that suits how you live
A good alarm design separates the perimeter from the interior, so you can arm the outside of the house at night while moving freely inside. It uses the right detector for each place: reed switches on doors and windows, pet-tolerant sensors where there are animals, and outdoor beams where an early warning is worth having.
- Perimeter and interior zones, armed separately
- Door and window contacts, motion and glass-break detection
- Keypads at the entries, plus arming from the app
- Optional back-to-base monitoring through a monitoring centre
- Duress codes and panic buttons where needed
Integration is where it earns its keep. Arming from the Leaving scene, turning on the lights of an alarmed zone, bringing up the nearest camera, and locking out the air conditioning while the house is empty. On systems such as ICT Protege, this is designed in rather than improvised.
See also: wireless alarms for existing homes.
What we see in existing alarm systems
False alarms
Detectors in the wrong place, pets in protected areas or old sensors. Most false alarms are a design problem, not a faulty panel.
Nobody arms it
Arming is a chore, so it doesn't happen. Tying it to the Leaving and Goodnight scenes means it does.
Dead backup batteries
Panels and sirens rely on batteries that are rarely checked. A service visit tests them.
Codes nobody can change
The installer kept the master code. We can often recover or reset access.
What drives the cost of an alarm system
We don't publish package prices, because two houses that sound the same can be very different on site. These are the things that move the number.
- Number of zones and detector types
- Wired or wireless detection
- Keypads and arming points
- Monitoring, if you want it
- Integration with CCTV, lighting and access
Where we work
Based on the Northern Beaches, we design and install across the Eastern Suburbs, the Lower and Upper North Shore and the harbour side of the Inner West: from Palm Beach, Clareville and Clontarf to Mosman, Hunters Hill, Wahroonga, Point Piper, Vaucluse, Bellevue Hill and Dover Heights, and further afield for larger projects.
Questions we get asked
Can the alarm arm automatically when I leave?
Yes. Arming can be part of the Leaving scene at the front door, or done from the app. Most clients arm the perimeter at night from the Goodnight button.
Can the alarm be monitored?
Yes, through a back-to-base monitoring centre if you want it. Many clients choose self-monitoring through the app instead, with notifications to the household.
Will pets set off the alarm?
Not if it's designed for them. We use pet-tolerant detectors in the areas they use and lean on door and window contacts for the perimeter.
Can you service an existing alarm system?
Yes, including systems installed by someone else. See alarm servicing.
Planning security?
Tell us about the property. We'll design the detection, and tie it to the cameras and access if you want them together.