House alarm systems, including wireless alarms, have been popular with British homeowners for decades. Despite a drop in burglary numbers in recent years, the thought of having your home broken into is a nightmare scenario for hundreds of people.
Sadly, it is common for victims of home burglaries to move houses once the incident has occurred as it can be such a traumatic event in their lives.
We’ve made this guide to go over the following topics, how much a burglar or intruder alarm costs, what affects the cost of an alarm, how to save money on a burglar alarm, what the best security alarm is for your home, what’s involved in fitting a burglar alarm and how to find and hire someone to fit your intruder alarm.
If home safety is something you want to improve, keep reading to find out our top tips.
Topics
How Much Does a Burglar or Intruder Alarm Cost?
As you’d expect, there’s more than one type of intruder alarm. Here are the main contenders, along with their estimated cost, and the time required to fit. These prices do not include the cost of any monitoring contracts.
| Alarm Type | Number of Sensors | Estimated Cost Including Installation | Time Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bell-only (wired) | 2 sensors + 1 door contact | £150 to £550 | 1 to 2 days |
| Bell-only (wireless) | 2 sensors + 1 door contact | £300 to £400 | 1 day |
| Monitored alarm system | 2 sensors + 1 door contact | £250 to £500 | 1 day |
| Dialler alarm | 1 sensor + 1 door contact | £200 to £600 | 1 day |
| Smart home security system | 1 sensor | £200 to £650 | 1 to 2 days |
The simplest alarm you can install yourself will cost you between £150 to £550 for a bell-only type, depending on the number of sensors you choose for your home.
For the wired option, you can expect to pay between £150 to £550, with the wireless coming in at £300 to £400.
For a little more security, monitored systems can start from £250 and up to £500, with a running cost of between £15 to £45 a month thereafter.
Dialler alarms do what they say on the tin – if triggered, they dial saved phone numbers to alert homeowners or authorities of a break-in. For one sensor and one door contact, you can expect to pay between £200 to £600.
Finally, the most sophisticated in the list is the smart home security system. This will set you back between £200 to £650 depending on the model you get but will afford you the best security out of all the options.
Installation, Monitoring and Repair Costs
Burglar alarm technicians charge between £60 to £80 an hour, so remember to add this to our estimates above to give the entire cost for purchase and installation.
If you opt for a monitored alarm, the running costs are between £15 to £45 a month.
Maintenance costs can be £75 to £125 for an annual service, and repair costs are typically between £80 to £120, depending on the issue and type of alarm.
Click To Get QuotesWhat Affects the Cost of an Alarm?
Choice of System
As we’ve just discussed, your choice of alarm system will greatly impact your price.
Bell-Only Alarm
This type of alarm sounds a very loud siren that will last for around twenty minutes.
Dialler Alarm
This type of burglar alarm, will, in addition to the loud siren noise, get in contact with up to ten people if it detects a break-in.
Messages are sent via a landline or a mobile phone SIM card connection, and it can either alert you by calling your phone, or it can get in touch with you via an app to your smartphone or tablet.
As soon as the first person answers a call or a message, your alarm will stop trying to contact the others on your list.
Monitored Wireless Alarm Systems
The clue is in the name – with a monitored alarm, you’ll be paying extra for the service of monitoring your home. This can range between £15 to £45 per month, depending on the number of sensors you have.
In addition to the ringing noise, a live operator is contacted if a break-in is detected with monitored burglar alarms. The monitoring centre members of staff will then either try to phone you.
Between you and the monitoring company, you work out a procedure that could lead to the police being called to attend your property if you do not give out a certain codeword or you do not pick up the phone when dialled.
Monitored systems can contact a keyholder you nominate to check on your home – this could either be a friend, a family member, or a private manned security firm.
Smart Home Security Systems
Smart home security systems are the most expensive option, and these can give you a constant video feed of who is at your door, and even notify you when someone rings your doorbell.
Sensors
Burglar alarms work by measuring unexpected or unwanted changes. The more sensors you have, the greater chance you have of detecting unusual activity in and around your home.
Passive Infrared Detectors (PIRs) measure temperature within a room. If the temperature is not consistent, it will sound the alarm – that’s because a burglar’s body heat will be a lot higher than the standard room temperature.
Less common are magnetic contacts (sometimes called mag-contacts), which are attached to your windows and doors. A window opening will break the circuit and set alarm off.
Wired or Wireless
Wireless alarm systems have been around since the 1980s. Wireless systems either use very weak radio signals or WLAN.
The sensors are normally battery-operated, and these batteries will last for years. If a battery’s power starts to run low, it will alert you of that or start flashing a red LED light.
Wired burglar alarm systems use electrical wiring that’s run between the burglar alarm panel and the sensors.
If you want a simple bells-only box with 2 to 3 infrared sensors, prices vary from £125 to £300.
If you want to add an alert system that contacts you and up to 10 others in the event of a break-in, prices will vary between £175 and £350 generally. Please remember that you will incur extra expense with this option if you have to have a landline installed or you have to take out a SIM-only mobile phone contract.
For every additional sensor or key fob (used to switch the alarm on and off if you’d prefer that instead of a password you type into the control panel), expect to pay between £40 and £110 per item.
How Can I Save Money on a Burglar Alarm for My Home?
One of the best ways to save money on your intruder alarm installation is to buy it yourself and then hire an independent installer. This will be far cheaper than if you bought a fitting service from the alarm company themselves, who will charge a premium for the same service.
In a survey by Which? they found that those who bought their own alarms and hired an independent installer paid only £400 for the alarm and installation, whilst those who bought their alarm from a home security company paid £799 for the alarm and installation.
If you need multiple sensors, consider a wireless system. Wireless systems often start at a higher price point, but installation costs can quickly rise for wired systems with multiple PIRs.
Click To Get QuotesWhat’s the Best Burglar Alarm or Home Security System?
Advantages of Bell-only Systems
- The most cost-effective option
- Simple to install, and can be done yourself to save further on costs
- No running fees
Disadvantages of Bell-only Systems
- Not as sophisticated as some options on the market
- Multiple sensors can add more cost to your final bill
Advantages of Monitored Burglar Alarms
- Gives you peace of mind knowing your home is being watched 24/7
Disadvantages of Monitored Burglar Alarms
- Higher installation fees and monthly payments for monitoring
- While some companies give you the option to contact the police in the event your alarm goes off, in many areas, police stop responding to these calls after a certain number of false alarms—so you may be paying for nothing
- Cannot be fitted yourself
Advantages of Dialler Alarms
- Will alert you to any unusual activity in or around your home
Disadvantages of Dialler Alarms
- False alarms can be frustrating and can wake you up unnecessarily
Advantages of Smart Home Security Systems
- By far the most sophisticated option
- Enhanced security and screening
- Peace of mind while you’re away from home
Disadvantages of Smart Home Security Systems
- Higher initial cost
- Maintenance costs tend to be higher owing to the technology
What’s Involved in Installing a Burglar Alarm?
It depends on how many sensors and the types of sensors you have around the home, and, in the case of wired alarms, running the cable between the burglar alarm control panel and the sensors.
If you have a monitored alarm system, you cannot fit this yourself – it will have to be done by the company installing the system.
Setting up a police monitoring service normally costs extra at installation and can add up to between £300 and £700 to the original installation price. If you want to add extra sensors and key fobs, budget between £40 and £110 per item.
How Do I Find and Hire Someone to Install an Alarm?
Have your friends, neighbours or family members just had a security system fitted? It’s worth asking them to see if they’d recommend their installers as this can save you the job of finding a contractor yourself.
Alternatively, you can find suitable tradespeople on HouseholdQuotes which will stop you from clicking from website to website, hunting down traders single-handedly. And, in most cases, using this service will help to save you up to 40% off your quote.
Click To Get QuotesEnsuring the Professional Is the Right Fit
When scoping for contractors, gather three to four quotes from trusted local tradesmen. That’ll help you decide which system is best for your circumstances, as well as be able to see the best cost available.
Make sure to always get a written quote, and ask for the contractor’s experience, too. Have they experienced fitting monitored alarms or just smart home security systems? Make sure their background matches your needs.
Similarly, seek out their references and find any photos or videos documenting their past work to ensure they’re a good fit for you.
Finally, all contractors should come with their own insurance – and if someone doesn’t have it, it’s best to not entertain them as they might be a rogue trader.
Final Checklist
Having the peace of mind that comes from a security system is second to none – here’s our final checklist to make sure everything is taken care of during your fitting:
- What’s the right system for you? Consider your needs and consult a professional for advice if you’re stuck
- Do you want to have a one-time payment, or are you happy to make monthly/annual contributions for monitoring?
- Consider if you can fit the system yourself to save on installation costs
- Pick the right amount of sensors for your home
- Make sure to get a written quote, and check your contractor for insurance before agreeing to any work.
Click To Get QuotesFrequently Asked Questions
Will I Need Planning Permission for a Burglar Alarm?
Can Pets Set Off My Burglar Alarm?
If you have a small pet who is not prone to jumping on furniture or worktops, you can ask your installer to include pet-friendly passive infrared sensors (PIRs) on your system.
This doesn’t monitor body heat right to the ground so it’s not able to see your cat curling up in front of the fire for a rest.
If you do have pets that like to climb on things or you have a very big dog, ask your installer about installing window and door sensors instead.
Should My Burglar Alarm Installer Belong to Any Professional Body or Have Any Particular Qualifications?
Where Can I Buy a Burglar Alarm From?
If you want someone else to install the system for you, thousands of companies in the UK will do this. You will end up paying more than a system you install yourself, but you will benefit from the peace of mind that it’s been done by a professional.
Who Can I Get to Install My Burglar Alarm?
- Specialist home security companies
- Local electrical contractors
Before I Get a Burglar Alarm, What Should I Ask My Installer?
- Which company do you use for your monitoring and how quick are they at responding?
- Are you sure the layout of sensors you’ve planned will keep me as safe as possible?
- How long will it take to have it installed once I’ve ordered it?
- How many alarms have you installed in the local area? Can I speak with some of your existing customers?
- How long have you been trading?, or if it’s a brand new company, How long have you been fitting alarms for?
- What happens if the alarm is triggered off by my pets even though you don’t think it will be?
- If my alarm breaks down, how quickly can you fix it and how much would it cost?
- Who looks after my system if you cease trading?
Can I Fit a Burglar Alarm Myself?
You will need to be confident with DIY in general to do this. There will be, depending on your level of experience, up to a day’s work involved for a standard-sized home.
However, please be careful when hardwiring the burglar alarm panel into your electrics system.
Other than the danger involved in doing it yourself, it may be better to get an expert. According to the Guardian, police worry that DIY alarm systems aren’t as dependable as alarm systems that have been installed by a trade professional and monitored by a trusted company.
What Are the Disadvantages of a Burglar Alarm?
If you have a bells-only alarm, the system will not message you or a monitoring service if someone breaks in. In addition, their deterrence effect is debatable.
A burglar will normally know the comings and goings of the people living in the house they want to burgle and they’ll know if you’re on holiday. If no one is notified and your neighbours don’t react to your alarm going off, you may think it’s not that much use.
If you have an alert alarm, you will have to make sure that either you have a landline or you live in an area with strong mobile phone reception for the burglar alarm control panel to try to communicate with up to 10 people whose system could notify that there is a robbery in progress. There is also the possibility that, if a break-in happens at the dead of night, no one will be available or awake to take your call.
If you have a monitored system, there will be a monthly fee that you pay for the service. The company providing the monitoring does not have a contract with your local police force – that means that, in the event of a break-in, the police may not even visit your property.
Many people prefer the convenience of wireless systems however they are often more expensive to buy and install because of the most advanced technology and design used in them.
Can a Burglar Alarm Help Lower My Home Insurance Premiums?
What Are Some Other Ways to Make My Home More Secure?
If you have smart technology in your home, setting your lights to random mode can help to give the impression someone is home while they’re not, which can help to deter burglars.
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