Over the longer term, buying your system up front at fair market value is generally less expensive than all of the large company "specials" heavily advertised in the media as "free systems". We practice no deceptive pricing practices like this, and give all of our customers absolute maximum value for their dollar.
Compare our service and calculate your costs over five years:
| Large Firms | Our service | |||
| Outright Purchase | Varies | $600 (all doors, 2 pet motions) $550 if properly pre-wired | ||
| INSTALLATION | ($99 - $199) | Included in purchase pricing, regardless of system size (there is no such thing as "free" installation!) | ||
| Non-monitored option | Virtually never available except at drastically inflated prices | Not recommended and not provided due to the severe degradation of overall security. See "monitoring" | ||
| Payment options | Varies but usually quite flexible | Outright sale - up to
three postdated cheques if necessary Monitoring - pre-authorized monthly payment plan only (void cheque or credit card) |
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| Monitoring rate | Varies($24.95 - $34.95 and more based on system size) | $14.95 regardless of system size, 5 year rate guarantee against rise (Pre Authorized Payment Plan only via automatic bank withdrawals or credit card) | ||
| Contract term
|
3 to 5 years (all sale types) | Purchased systems $14.95 plus GST monthly, no long term contract (Pre Authorized Payment Plan only via automatic bank withdrawals or credit card) |
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| Contract renewal | Normally 1 to 5 year automatic or negotiable | Month to month contract rates are guaranteed for a five year term - no long term contract is necessary (note: we have not raised our rates for the last 15 years. The more customers we add, the less it costs from the monitoring station) | ||
| Additional Protection Points (doors, motions) | ||||
| Upgrade option
(to larger panel size) Additional equipment following installation |
Full market price for a new
panel Can be substantial in cost - somewhat negotiable. |
Wholesale cost difference only between panel sizes ($30 to $80) True wholesale cost for equipment, no installation charge |
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| System move to new premises | Varies- usually labour only at $50 hourly. Larger companies will often install free at your new home, but at the cost of extending your current contract by a further term. | Flat rate of $200 maximum regardless of system size. Additional equipment required at dealer wholesale cost | ||
| System takeover of monitoring from another company (we do not actively encourage this except coming from the mass marketers) | Can vary from $50 to $300 by large firms. Others usually no charge. | No charge,
provided it meets acceptable standards upon inspection. Note: Older hardware, or "oddball" panels may require a hardware upgrade to a new, modern panel plus keypad at wholesale cost. |
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| Warranty | Included (less replacement battery) | Same except batteries included as well as damage by lightning strike | ||
| Warranty term | Varies from 3 months to 1 year | Indefinite while monitored including backup batteries and lightning strike. | ||
| Service costs | Varies ($25 to $50 per hour) | Included at no cost | ||
| Service quality | Varies | Personalized | ||
| Service backup capabilities | Varies greatly regardless of company size | "Partnered" with several local companies to provide alternate service available at all times | ||
| Monitoring quality | Varies but usually excellent | ULC quality by Security 24 - a top quality local station (3rd party arm of Reliance/Protectron) | ||
| Permit assistance | You’re usually on your own | We look after paperwork but not applicable in Ottawa area | ||
| False alarm payout | Varies* | Varies * | ||
*False alarm payout: Some companies will pick up false alarm charges. We obviously use the same discretion in applying this policy applying it to installations done by our firm (no takeovers), and will refund if the equipment is clearly at fault.
Under our free service concept, questionable equipment (in your judgment) brought to our attention is replaced immediately (hopefully before it causes problems).
Note: Police visits are $130in the event of a police visit on a false alarm. However, third party response companies charge $45 per visit for every dispatch whether real or false, and this is available to all customers at their choosing by advising the monitoring station. If investigation of the alarm call proves real, police will then be called and will always respond.
We actively encourage customers negotiate their own contract with the third party alarm response company - usually at $45 per visit - and save the billing surcharge added by the monitoring station.
This page last updated Saturday, February 25, 2012 .