the better standalone wired alarms

[ZarkovRocketship]

Hi,
I have an old optima alarm system by my front door. There is no remote keypad. I am hoping to replace the alarm system with a spanking new not quite all singing and dancing one. I hope to have it resited so i can have just a remote keypad near the door. I know this forum is primarily diy related even with the forum name but this forum seems populated with knowledgeable helpful people so thought i would give it a try even though i am hoping to have it installed. As in the title, i would like a standalone so not alarm company monitored as dont like idea of regular subscription other than maintenance.
I would like an alarm system which is wired, has 4 pirs, possibly 1 door contact, a wired bell, a backup battery, antitamper on everything and a remote keypad maybe 2. Do not plan on having keyfobs. Would consider option for it phoning out to a number i chose but not essential.

Local installers seem to offer: Texecom, Menvier, Scantronic, Honeywell
(Are there any better alarm system makers as a throw away comment?)

Of these manufacturers, can someone recommend me a particular alarm based on requirements above and state why so hopefully i can consider value for money or ease of use or most modern or most high tech appearance or best for future expandability for 3 bedroom detached(but still smallish) house? If any have major negatives aswell. So yup pros and cons / some way to differentiate between them.(For example there is a video on youtube with a menvier690 i believe and a keypad- the keypad i like(blue backlight) but i have looked online and it seems the system is discontinued yet the new keypads that menvier (can)use(i-on) look more plasticky to me-however thats probably because i was looking at the new ones in advertising pics just shown beside a main box and not mounted so please dont discount this as it does look quite modern.That kind of thing).

 

[sparkymarka]

if you want a blue backlit keypad at a low end price take a look at castle euromini 1. most modern panels are ok so its down to looks and price

 

[EightyTwo]

The Scantronic i-on30EX has a blue keypad. You can plug a speech dialler module into it if you want it to phone you or your keyholders when it goes off. It's also a hybrid panel so that you can add wired or wireless devices if you want. Scantronic seem to have ironed most of the bugs out of the current version.

 

[ZarkovRocketship]

double post sorry

 

[ZarkovRocketship]

thanks guys, its appreciated. err can you tell me any more info? so im a bit more clued in as regards them. how much would they likely cost to get fitted and would they do what im after(requirements in 1st post). do they have any negative points? thanks very much for your replies. i literally have no knowledge of modern alarms so anything you can tell me is appreciated. i always like asking on forums before speaking to installers, basically to clue myself up a little and 2ndly get the most impartial advice i think i can get.

 

[EightyTwo]

Approved (NSI/nacoss, SAIC...) installers will have their own favourite panels and they will do everything you want. Plenty of the people on this forum are small, independent installers so we're a bit biased .

National companies tend to offer low installation costs but higher maintenance charges and longer term contracts than the independents. Some installers say "Yee ha" a lot and ride horses.

When you get your quote, check to see what the company is offering (e.g. Using existing wiring? Re-using your detectors?) and check the call-out and maintenance costs.

Sorry - you makes your choice, you pays your money. Personally, I'd look for a local approved installer and get them to quote. You could also look for the newer bellboxes in the area... Expect to pay around a grand +/- three hundred, depending on the specification.

 

[ZarkovRocketship]

oops now i am worried. i looked at a system i like the look of and i said, ok, control box and wired keypad, ive seen priced at £150 approx ,4 wired pirs £70, bellbox and internal bellbox £70. possible door contact though dont think ill need (£15). So thats £300. battery £20. if i get a wireless keypad also, maybe another £100 but lets assume its without, so thats £320-00. not sure how much wiring costs but i am hoping for the most part my own allready installed wiring is used with what must be a short length added to relocate a new control box to an out of sight location and put a keypad near the door. its a moderately priced control box with keypad aswell as ive seen others a lot cheaper. these are prices that i have found on the internet but the key is that i have found, mr joe public so surely an installer would get it cheaper still.
1)not meaning to sound rude but why £700..that would be a 100% markup for labour and expertise and with most the wiring in place, surely labour time would be reduced. i am not trying to undervalue you guys but thats quite a large markup.
lol just looked at your earlier post..funny thing is thats the one i like the look of. ( edit:its probably the speech dialler pushing the price up and its hybrid)
2)also just for information sake, why is the i-on30ex, better than say the alarm in the 2 links below
http://www.responseelectronics.com/...ruder-Burglar-Alarm-System-W-Autodialler.html £200
http://www.responseelectronics.com/...-Alarm-System-W-GSM-Security-Autodialler.html £330

i am not trying to trip you up. i am trying to glean from your knowledge- i did a search for wired alarms and you guys are really helpful-help for us uninitiated is appreciated and welcome. i too like the i-on30ex but the reason im thinking is because its a relatively new system. the alarm linked above has lots of pirs and they appear better than i had seen and guestimated for in my quote estimation with the i-on30ex system.

http://www.brewtime.co.uk/show_book...a-spur-box<br>panic-button<br>cable-clips<br>

or that one above. i know what you are going to say. speak to the guys which come round to quote but the problem is its always when theyve left that i think of what i should have asked thats why i like to try and be ready. the 1st two links are probably more relevant as im thinking cost of what you get but this last example the texecom premier i suppose is on a par with the scantronic i-on30ex

 

[Europlex]

I haven't read all of this I'm afraid, but one thing sticks out, your assumption that you don't need a door contact. You do.

Your final exit door needs a contact, to complete (in the correct way) the setting and to start the opening sequences.

 

[ZarkovRocketship]

I haven't read all of this I'm afraid, but one thing sticks out, your assumption that you don't need a door contact. You do.

Your final exit door needs a contact, to complete (in the correct way) the setting and to start the opening sequences.

i am no expert or not even a novice and so i would like to come back to this later (i will message you if you want so you dont have to keep checking it)-i havent explained my plans for pirs but please message me so as not to dilute the thread but for now i dont wish to go off on a tangent and am hoping people can comment on my last posting as regards costs and wired alarm systems against the examples in the links i provided.
would like to say thanks now for the info anyway..

 

[EightyTwo]

Alarm installers need to earn a living! People happily pay a car main dealer £120/hr for some kid to change the oil and fit spark plugs. Allowing £40 or £50/hr for the alarm guy doesn't seem too much, does it? Let's face it, he'll have been CRB checked...

Response alarms are for the DIY/electrician market. The Accenta is a basic domestic panel. Don't be tempted to fix your contacts with sticky pads, ALWAYS USE SCREWS. I don't think that the keypad light is blue...

If you opt for a GSM speech dialler, make sure that you test it regularly and that you keep the sim card topped up. A lot of pay-as-you-go sim cards have a "use it or lose it" attitude to credit You'll feel bad if you get burgled and you dialler's sim has run out of credit!! The Menvier SD2 has a blue display, as does the SD3 GSM... (and they're easy to use).

Texecom is more professional equipment and will meet the current european standards for communicated systems (that call a central station for policed response). Your one is a very comprehensive kit - you'll probably not use all of it.

Finally, if you forget to ask the installer something, just phone them up and ask it! Quotes are done on computers so it's usually quite simple to alter them.

 

[ZarkovRocketship]

Moderator, thanks for deleting my posts that strangely i couldnt. Would have preferred an answer like, 'well you cant with this forum software' or something or if its possible then where the button is.

 

[ZarkovRocketship]

Alarm installers need to earn a living! People happily pay a car main dealer £120/hr for some kid to change the oil and fit spark plugs. Allowing £40 or £50/hr for the alarm guy doesn't seem too much, does it? Let's face it, he'll have been CRB checked...

Response alarms are for the DIY/electrician market. The Accenta is a basic domestic panel. Don't be tempted to fix your contacts with sticky pads, ALWAYS USE SCREWS. I don't think that the keypad light is blue...

If you opt for a GSM speech dialler, make sure that you test it regularly and that you keep the sim card topped up. A lot of pay-as-you-go sim cards have a "use it or lose it" attitude to credit You'll feel bad if you get burgled and you dialler's sim has run out of credit!! The Menvier SD2 has a blue display, as does the SD3 GSM... (and they're easy to use).

Texecom is more professional equipment and will meet the current european standards for communicated systems (that call a central station for policed response). Your one is a very comprehensive kit - you'll probably not use all of it.

Finally, if you forget to ask the installer something, just phone them up and ask it! Quotes are done on computers so it's usually quite simple to alter them.

Thanks for the information. Grr what a day ive had- ive just formatted my hard drive on my pc because of computer problems.I'm not going online with it and am ipad dependent until i get out to a shop to buy better pc protection.
Lol anyways, thanks for the information.
. The Accenta comment i dont understand but its not really relevant . As regards the Texecom that i only linked to, thats great news- i will bear that in mind - i would prefer a more basic alarm which would be cheaper possibly with the facility to dial my mobile and only my mobile if texecom do them-the only reason i showed the other links was to show all the things that they offered with that price. The scantronic i-on30ex looks a solid bit of kit and i am leaning towards that.
As regards labour cost you are comparing an hourly rate to a generalised on the least amount of work set cost(car mechanic)i believe so its still steep in my opinion but i do not know the alarm industry so fair dos. Darn it thinking about it where you said they need to make a living, yes you are right-i was being selfish and thinking of it from the customer side-where else is his cash to come from though it explains to me why i see vans which list the jobs that its company do with intruder alarm installs listed with other things- im not saying a bad company, im thinking theres not enough work to go around.
So as a guestimate what would you estimate it would cost to buy and install a scantronic i-on30ex without the dialler facility which i can take as a base amount and then later factor in if i would like a facility to contact my mobile phone?

 

[EightyTwo]

Sorry to hear about your PC! I tend to use the i-Pad for internet stuff too.

Security companies often do more than intruder alarms because commercial customers often want just one contractor doing their intruder alarm, CCTV and access control systems. Also, it works out cheaper if you can pull cables for all three systems at the same time. If you're doing the card readers, you might as well do the gates/barriers at the same time... Then, it's much easier to integrate systems together if you've supplied them all - the access system sets/unsets the alarm; the alarm triggers the presets on the moving cameras so that they show the action; etc..

You should be able to get the "i-SD02" speech dialler module for about £80. Make sure you buy the EX version of the panel if you want to fit one of these.