Key Post House Alarms

Some other posts

liz
Unregistered User
Autodialer alarm companies

Hi,

Could anybody recommend companies that can install an autodialer alarm system. I am in the Dublin West area.

Thanks.

Maceface
Registered User
Re: Autodialer alarm companies

Hi Liz,

The best thing you can do is take out the phone book and call everyone for a competitive quote.
The other thing is to see about installing it yourself. A quick look on the web might show you how.
The only one I heard of is BestAlarms but I know most of them do it.
I might be speaking to someone tonight who has them. If so, I will post his number.

Penny Foolish
Unregistered User
John Reid

John Reid (Retec Alarms) installed an autodialler system for me in West Dublin, and I'm very pleased with it.
A few people on AAM have recommended him.
086 2607149

Maceface
Registered User
Some autodialler information

I had a guy down last night who is going to install my alarm, and I am getting an autodialler with it.

I found out a bit about it, and I think it is an excellent idea.

Firstly, an autodialler is just a chip that goes into your alarm code box (the thing you turns on your alarm), and not (as I origianally thought) a separate box which plugs into your phone line. The phone line gets wired into your alarm code box.

If the alarm is triggered, a text is sent to a number of other phones. I think with the system I am getting, you can program up to 19 different phones (don't know why you would want that many).
A text is sent every time a sensor goes off.
For example, if your back window is broken, a text will be sent telling you the back window sensor has triggered. If the thief then makes their way into the kitchen, and your sensor there picks it up, you will get another text. This goes on for each of the sensors & contacts.

So, what you will end up with is a list of texts informing you of what is happening in your house.

Each text costs 8c, so it is not like it is expensive.

When I was considering getting an autodialler, one of the things I was afraid of is getting false reports. If you get one text saying one of the sensors has noticed something, it might well be a false alarm. If you get two messages, and they give you a picture of someone going through your house, you can be pretty sure it is real. So I think false alarms are easy to detect without being in the house.

I know some people are talking about Eircom phone watch. With that, you generally don't get a bell box - you just get a internal bell - therefore not as noticable.
Also, if you have Eircom advertised, the theif may try and cut your phone line to stop an activation in the monitoring center.
You don't have this problem with an autodialler (unless you want to put up some monitoring stickers).
Anyway, I was told the phone lines in my area (which is new) are underground.

So, whats the cost of this.
I was informed it was about €200-250 on top of the price of the alarm, which I consider very reasonable.
A quick google of alarm autodialler brought up a price of 300 Sterling (the first link).
I think this is extremely reasonable when you compare it to the monthly charge on Eircom.
Also, if you get a string of text messages in the space of a minute and you know their is a person in your house, if you call 999 and explain your alarm system, they will act on it.

Getting it installed on Sunday, so I will let you know if I have any more information on it.

BTW: The person who is installing it is Neil Cummins, and his number is: 085 6834725. Extremly nice chap.
Tell him John sent you.
 
Some other posts

sluice44
Frequent poster
Alarm monitoring - Good value?

My alarm monitoring contract (approx €110pa) is due for renewal in a month.

Thankfully, I've never been burgled but, if I was and I got the call, what am I supposed to do? All they do is telephone to tell you your house is being robbed!! And, by the time the police (and braveheart myself) gets there, they're long gone.

Is alarm monitoring useful and is it worth €110pa?

Sluice

club92
alarm

My alarm is set up so it rings my mobile and plays a recorded msg from yours truly that the house alarm is going off. if it cant get thru to my mobile it rings the next no. on the list of numbers it has in its memory (my mum as it happens). its good but pain in the ass when u are down the country !! its costs nothing so would seem better value than your present deal

Dearg Doom
Frequent poster
Re: Alarm monitoring - Good value?

I'm looking in to the options of getting an alarm. My opinion at the moment is that unless the monitoring service checks very regularly (at a cost to them) for line cuts and do some value add if the alarm goes off then it's not worth it. Most modern houses (mine included) have a wee box outside that can be used to cut the phone line. That would prevent the alarm dialing out in the case of a monitored or auto-dialler (as club92 mentions) alarm system. So unless the monitoring system is checking very regularly for a cut line, then it doesn't add any value. Note there are systems that monitor for a cut line by getting your alarm system to dial out, at your cost, every so often - this cost should be added to the annual cost of monitored service. The only value I can see in any type of monitoring is to let you know if the alarm goes off for no good reason whilst you are away, then at least you can ask someone to reset it and not have it driving the neighbours demented until you return. And this can be done just as easily with the auto-dialler and at no annual charge.

Maceface
Registered User
Re: Alarm monitoring - Good value?

There are monitored alarams which don't require phone lines - ADT have a radio monitored alarm (no other info available).
This is an option for the new houses.

Club92- can you provide a bit more info on the system you have. Is it more expensive? Who provides it? Would you recommend it overall?

Ta.

club92
alarm

overall i would recommend it. you can leave your key with neighbour/relative who lives close and they could check alarm for you if you are away. also avoids annoying the neighbours if alarm goes off due to wind/dog etc and you are away and nobody has key. one off cost of 700 euro or so i think. provided by b-link security systems ph no. 4508314. not sure of they have web site. i found them professional.

Bridget
monitored alarm

my parents have one, Eircom Phonewatch as it happens. However I was shocked that when they installed it they didn't move the incoming phone line box, which is so low any adult could cut the line.......

Wexfordman
Registered User
Re: Alarms

Cut Lines are a problem with all monitored alarms, but if you are really worried about it, you can actually replace your landline with a mobile for your alarm monitoring. THere is a mobile device (made by seimens I think), which mimicks the line conditions of a landline, and so can be used for purposes like this. Use one of these for your monitored alarm can save you a fortune in the long run (get rid of line rental 24squid a month if you use a prepay sim and dont need the landline for anything else). So at the minimum it can save you on yearly line rental, apart from the secuity gains it will offer. Cant find a link to the device, but if anyones interested, I'll have a search.

I have a self monitored alarm system, with built in answering machine, and autodialler. This way I dont have to pay some ripoff crowd 200 odd quid a year just to tell me I'm being burgled. The alarm system I have allows me to do much more (controll lights heating etc), but also lets me listen in over teh phone if the alarm goes off. Mine is a wired system, but you can get wireless systems that do the exact same.

Wired is better in the long run, but anyone with who can change a 3 pin socket theses days shoul dbe able to install their own wirefree self monitored alarm, and save themselves a fortunte.

Have a look at:- [broken link removed]

Or if you want a wired system thats a bit more fancy: [broken link removed]

Wexfordman

biggerry
Registered User
Group 4 Falk Home Monitored Alarm System

Just had a call from a young lady selling a wireless monitored alarm for Group 4 Falk Security.

The sales pitch was that they're giving me 3 * passive infra red detectors, 1 * internal siren, 2 * door contacts, 1 * keypad, 1 * control panel and 1 * external decoy box for free. However, I have to sign up for 4 years home monitoring. The monthly cost of monitoring is €43. The €43 is paid to Friends First Finance. The total credit cost is €2064.

At the end of the 4 years we don't have to renew the monitoring contract.

I've signed the finance papers but didn't sign the 10 day waver box (don't think the sales lady was happy with this) as I wanted to see if there's something missing.

Has anybody been offered this deal? Am I missing something here?

Any comments from anybody?

rainyday
Re: Group 4 Falk Home Monitored Alarm System

What's the APR rate? Is there a cash price option?

biggerry
Registered User
Group 4 Falk Home Monitored Alarm System

Hi Rainyday, it's 0%. I checked this before I signed. There isn't any admin fee applied when the first payment is processed either.


rainyday
Reply | Edit | Del Re: Group 4 Falk Home Monitored Alarm System

So why are Friends First involved if there is no real loan/interest involved? Doesn't add up...

Breeze
Registered User
Re: Group 4 Falk Home Monitored Alarm System

I think you should pull out of the deal. That is ridiculously expensive. You can get your house monitored from a company like top security for €180 a year. Does tend to go up every year. You could also get a new alarm system probably next year that will cut out the monitoring company and just txt or ring you directly to several different numbers.

While the home monitoring is a safety thing I found that the gardai don't tend to call out to these calls. At least not in my case. I'm getting the new system next year which is quite dear about .€8-9 hundred however it would pay for itself in 4-5 years. Y

You should just borrow money from a credit union or small loan from bank to buy the/any alarm system outright and get independent monitoring. So you can at least try it out for a year and see if it works for you. By the looks of it you would end up spending about 1k less.

€43 p.m is alot of money. Cancel and think about what other options are out there before jumping into an expensive finance deal like this.

biggerry
Registered User
Re: Group 4 Falk Home Monitored Alarm System

Thanks Breeze. €43 per month sounded a lot to me, but as our current system isn't monitored I didn't have anything to compare it against. She did say that this monitoring cost was cheaper than Eircom (but she would say that anyway, would she)

I probably should have said this in an earlier post, but they have told me that the €43 is guaranteed for the 4 years. It also includes 2 maintenance calls per year and free parts replacement if necessary.

It was late when she called last night so my wife and I let her in and listened to her. Replacing our current alarm wasn't on our agenda at all.

Rainyday, the Friends First thing didn't make sense to me either.

As I said, I didn't sign the 10 day waver, so I still have time to pull out. Anybody know how I go about doing this? Do I need to call Friends First or do I need to call Group 4?

Maceface
Registered User
Re: Group 4 Falk Home Monitored Alarm System

Breeze, I am not sure what you mean by "you could probably get one next year". They are available now and I recently got it installed.
Total cost for alarm (pre-wired house) and auto-dialler was €750. No more costs on that (except the 8c for each text if the alarm goes off)

Tom
offered the same

A while a nice Estonian young lady called and offered me the same deal.Said they only had 6 free offers to supply to the neighbourhood and I needed to make my mind up quickly.The main problem was I didn't like the idea of comitting to something for 4 years and 43 euro a month seemed pricey.

Spacer

€43 a month is of course pricey, but then it's no doubt subsidising the supposedly "free" alarm system.

This offer is costing you €2064.

The alternative system would probably cost you the guts of a grand with annual monitoring costs of about €200 - an all-in price of €1800 or so.

This offer might suit someone, therfore, who doesn't want to shell out a lump sum. On the flip side, these providers knock on your door with no apparent track record. I suspect it might be difficult to contact them in the event of something going wrong.

In the meantime, you've committed yourself to paying Friends First for four years. As the mere finance provider, they won't give a whit about any problems you may encounter over the four years and will legally insist on full repayment. Failure to repay (for example on the basis that your alarm clapped out after a year) will merely earn you a poor credit rating.

Thinking it through, proabably not a good option.

biggerry
Registered User
Group 4 Falk Home Monitored Alarm System

Tom, I think we're talking about the same girl! She gave me the same story i.e. only installing 6 alarms per estate and that the "real" sales people would be around about 1 month later and charge full price for the alarm.

What part of Dublin are you in?

Maceface
Registered User
Re: Group 4 Falk Home Monitored Alarm System

I am still struggling to figure out why people would go for the monitoring option, as opposed to self monitoring.

With the auto-dialler - the total life cost is about €750 (plus the text costs).
You will get a text when each alarm is triggered, so if someone was to smash your back window and get in, you would get a text saying the back window is triggered, then another saying the hall sensor is triggered and so on wherever you have sensors until they are all triggered or the person leaves the house.

If you were to get a couple of messages saying the window is triggered, then an internal sensor, you can simply call 999 yourself and tell them that there is an intruder as you can see the sensors being triggered, and you can be sure that it is not a false alarm (where only one zone would trigger - say if someone kicked a ball against your window).

A third of the price you are talking about here, no other recurring charges.

Another thing to bear in mind is if this is a wireless alarm. These guys work on batteries so you will need to get them replaced every so often. You will also need to get your alarm serviced every couple of years or so. How much will the company charge for these call out charges?

Tom
Unregistered User
Group 4

Biggerry, I'm in Rathfarnham and the girl called around 2 months ago.

biggerry
Registered User
Group 4 Falk Home Monitored Alarm System

Maceface, the annual monitoring fee includes 2 maintennace calls per year. Replacement parts are also included as part of the fee - didn't ask if batteries were included though.

I called Group 4 yesterday and cancelled. Will I have to call Friends First Finance and cancel also or will my call to Group 4 suffice?

Santiago
Alarm install

Who did you get to install your alarm Maceface?

Spacer

"Will I have to call Friends First Finance and cancel also or will my call to Group 4 suffice? "

It may be the case that having cancelled the agreement, Group 4 will not have even referred the matter to FF. However, it may be no no harm to contact FF anyway, quoting the agreement number and simply explaining that you've availed of the provisions of the cooling-off period.

It may prove unnecessary, but no harm anyway.

Tommy
Moderator

In general I reckon that all cold-calling "special offer" sales people are best avoided like the plague.
Tommy
 
Some other posts

piggy
Very frequent poster
How much for an alarm system (not phonewatch)?

I just got qouted E810 for an alarm system. Just your bog standard alarm. No fancy dialers or anything.

9 windows in the house.

Is this reasonable?

sunnyday
Registered User
Re: How much for an alarm system (not phonewatch)?

You can get a DIY jobbie for little over €100, but the difference between cheap and good value has to be considered. Get more quotes and decide for yourself if €810 is reasonable!

cullenswood
Frequent poster
Re: How much for an alarm system (not phonewatch)?

I recently got an alarm fixed to our new house by a guy that works for an alarm company but he did it as a nixer. Cost 600 squids, which included all windows/external doors, and two infra red eyes (one in the front hall facing the front door, and one in the kitchen which also takes in the patio door).

When getting it done make sure that if your window has two opening panes then both of them are alarmed, and not just one. If only one is alarmed, then the burglar could just take the window out of the other panel and climb in with no alarm going off.

piggy
Very frequent poster
Re: How much for an alarm system (not phonewatch)?

Thanks for the advice guys.

Actually, I was thinking that phonewatch is a bit pricey and possibly not worth it but they'll install an alarm only for 600 and I presume it's decent - without the monitoring. maybe that's teh way to go.

Dan The Man
Frequent poster
Re: How much for an alarm system (not phonewatch)?

I paid E300 for mine, and installed it.

The house was prewired already for an alarm (all new houses are).

It conforms to the IS standard required by insurance companies.

If you want details I can post.
 
Any advice on wired versus wire free systems?

I have a wired system at present but several of the contacts are not working and I am told it is hard to trace the connections back as the wires are buried. It is an old key operated system so an upgrade of sorts is probably in order hence the question wired or wire free?

Thanks in advance.
 
Maceface

Hi Maceface,
Is you alarm wireless and does it use a mobile account to send the messages or the normal wired phoneline.
Sounds like a great piece of kit
 
Some other posts

Irina
Registered User
Wireless House alarm

Hi there,
Just after doing the snag for the new house and am after discovering that something I didn't really understand on the extras list turns out to be important.
House is not wired for an alarm.

Does anyone know approx. how much a wireless alarm is and who fits those ?

I.

caroerin
Registered User
Re: Wireless House alarm

Eircom do one called Eircom phone watch. The cost depend on how many windows/doors you need to protect. Usually they give you the first three to six months free monitoring, I found them good, you are not obliged to take the monitoring after the free period

EAMONN66
Frequent poster
Re: Wireless House alarm

argos sell wire free house alarms. i know someone who bought one for a small self contained office and is very happy with it . there is nospecial skill involved in fitting one.

sunnyday
Frequent poster
Re: Wireless House alarm

Any alarm company can fit wireless alarms, and they can be either monitored or not, your choice. They are expensive though compared to wired option, and things like the keypad for switching it on/off and the outside bell usually have to be wired, so get that done sooner rather than later (ie. preferrably before decorating and floor covering is finished). Cost per window/door for wireless is in the region of €100 with a reputable firm!

Irina
Registered User
Re: Wireless House alarm

thanks caroerin, EAMONN66 and sunnyday,

Read on another thread about the Eircom and the Argos one but they weren't recommended.

Suppose I'll have to compare some prices there.

Thanks again

mts
Registered User
Wireless House alarm

I have had an Eircom phonewatch wireless alarm for over a year and have never had any problems with it, if I remember correctly it cost about 1500

sunnyday
Frequent poster
Re: Wireless House alarm
if I remember correctly it cost about 1500
Click to expand...

Could you provide information on how many doors and/or windows are alarmed, or if there are any internal movement detectors included for that price. It may be interesting to see how it stacks up against my rough estimate of €100 per sensor.

Marion
Moderator
Re: Wireless House alarm

I have recently installed this [broken link removed] by PhoneWatch. It cost me €1300 (incl keyfob). My alarm is a 12-zone alarm. I have used 6 zones so far. PhoneWatch accepts Amex blue. (€12.40 cashback - €60 for keyfob paid to technician on day of installation)

This includes:

Control Panel
Dummy box
3 PIRs
2 door connectors
Splitter for Broadband (or whatever it's called)
A remote control key fob (€60) I use this all the time. It allows me to activate and deactivate my alarm without having to listen to the buzzer or having to key in the code. PhoneWatch will contact me when the battery on this needs to be renewed.
3 years' monitoring and maintenance by PhoneWatch.

It's possible to add on other features that this system offers.

An agent (not PhoneWatch) called to my home selling this particular package. I hadn't contacted PhoneWatch. This were cold calling on houses in the area.

Marion

ThomasJ
Registered User
Re: Wireless House alarm

Try Fortress Alarms

geegee
Local user
Re: Wireless House alarm

In my case,the first fix (wiring) is included in the price but the second fix (alarm box, PIR’s, dialler etc) will cost €800-€900 extra. This price seems about average bur then in Argos there is a Micromark wireless system with dialler for £170 stg! This would negate the need for the first fix so a rebate for that would be due.

I see that someone has used such a DIY system for a small office but what about a house? Any other opinions on it?

sunnyday
Frequent poster
Re: Wireless House alarm

If the house is already wired for an alarm, you'd be mad to install a wireless system IMHO. This is because every sensor in a wireless system uses batteries, which will eventually require replacing. This can get rather tedious in coming years, and annoying. Also, when a sensor goes faulty, (and they will go faulty) they are much more expensive to replace than the wired variety. On that note, I'd be wary of any DIY type packages from Argos or whoever. What happens when you need to replace a sensor in five years time, and Argos have a new range?

geegee
Local user
Re: Wireless House alarm

Good points, Sunnyday, thank you.

AShambles
Registered User
Re: Wireless House alarm

I think Eircom wireless phonewatch isn't the wireless that Irina is looking for. Eircom wireless means the alarm system doesn't use the phone line to alert the monitoring station, but probably uses a mobile signal. The individual sensors within the house are usually wired.
A wired system can be added without too much mess the wires are thin and can be run fairly discreetly around the house.

The builder/electrician was disappointing (even by the lowly standards they set), shouldn't have taken more than an hour to install alarm wiring in a normal 3-bed semi prior to plastering and the actual wiring itself couldn't cost much.
 
Some other posts

serotonin sid
Registered User
Pre-wiring for an alarm....how to?

What needs to be done during a house build to allow for the installation of a fully functioning alarm at a later time?

Wires have to be run to all windows/doors?

If so, how does it all work? ie. what type of wire, how much does it cost, etc.

sunnyday
Frequent poster
Re: Pre-wiring for an alarm....how to?

4 or 6 core wire costing about €20 per 100m roll. You have to decide if you want to alarm all windows and/or doors. You'll also need a wire to where ever you want keypad(s) to switch on/off the system, one out to the bellbox, some for panic buttons (?), one for internal bell etc.

serotonin sid
Registered User
Re: Pre-wiring for an alarm....how to?

Thanks for that sunnyday. Is this 4/6 core wiring freely available ie. most hardware places would have it?

100m should be more than enough for a 4bed semi ya think?

legend99
Very frequent poster

remember too you can wire it in series I think. i.e. not every window needs to have a wire going back to the box. Win a can go back to the box, win a goes to win b, win b goes to win c, win c goes to win d etc etc

sunnyday
Frequent poster

Anywhere that sells electrical stuff, as in cable, sockets etc., should have the cable you need. Best to use 6 core to cover most scenarios. As legend says, you can series the windows. Doors are usually cabled to individually, as are keypads, sirens etc. Most alarm companies will cable for you at construction stage (for a fee of course) and this would be better than (a) the sparks doing it as they invariable f*** it up as they don't really care since they probably won't be finishing it anyway, or (b) you doing it since you have no experience and so may also not be too sure what to do. There's nothing worse than discovering cables are in the wrong place/wrong side of the door/ wrong type, after the place is plastered and decorated! You'll wish you'd got a professional .

legend99
Very frequent poster

Is there a reason for not puting the doors in series?

rogermure
Registered User

serotonin sir
I must agree with sunnyday get a proffesional to first fix for you and save a up to €800 on the control box
This unit is usually the most expensive part of the installation and it only rings a bell a very simple unit with battery backup does just the same it also does not require a degree in computer science to control. A telepnone dialler connected to this will call several numbers to let you know the alarm has been activated and there is no annual fee.

We have one of the expensive units in one house and have have a simple unit in another. The expensive units flashes and buzzes us to "Call the engineer" when I looked up the fault in the enormous manual it is only a date set by the installation engineer.

The older unit about 30 years old and has never had a fault it is a simple key controlled unit with 3 positions.

We don't have a discount on our insurance for either units in case someone has forgotten to switch the alarm on and the insurance company will then not pay us.
This also applies to smoke alarm discounts you are not covered if your alarm does not sound.

Roger


sunnyday
Frequent poster
Is there a reason for not putting the doors in series?
Click to expand...
The main reason would be that only certain doors would be programmed for entering and leaving the building. For example, in many houses only the front door is used, and opening it gives you, say, 30 seconds to switch off the alarm before it rings. If the back door was in series with the front door in that case, a burglar could conceivably break in through it, and have 30 seconds grace to either deactivate the alarm or just grab and run.

serotonin sid
Registered User

Bit of a futile question perhaps, but what sort of ballpark figure would i be looking at for pre-wiring an average 4bed semi?

Now i know i should be getting a quote to get the answer to this but i dont have house plans yet - and just want to get an idea of what all these extra's are going to cost.

So i guess my question is - is there any of you who had alarm pre-wiring done as an extra on a 4 bed semi - and what did it cost you?

BTW, do many developments include pre-wiring as standard in general?

sunnyday
Frequent poster
Re: Pre-wiring for an alarm....how to?

I would have thought most new developments now pre-wired as standard. If not, the sparks on site would probably do it for little over €100, but as I said before, I wouldn't recommend that. I got an actual alarm company to do it for €180 with a "promise" they would discount the final installation if I got them back. The discount bit I don't buy, so take the €180 as the cost. If it's cabled properly, then you could probably install the equipment afterwards yourself anyway.

serotonin sid
Registered User
Re: Pre-wiring for an alarm....how to?

Thanks for that Sunnyday - puts me in the picture, so that i can do a back of fag packet estimate of what additional costs i will incur later on this year.

rogermure
Registered User
Re: Pre-wiring for an alarm....how to?

Here you go
1 pkt Fgs @ € 6.50 x 31 days = € 201
That pays for the wiring.
4 more months of the fags € 800
Thats the lot paid for in 5 months
Stay of them for the rest of the year and thats another € 1400 Spare.

How's that
Roger

sunnyday
Frequent poster
Re: Pre-wiring for an alarm....how to?

You can probably buy the equipment you need for about €400, or expect to pay an alarm company about €600 to supply and fit, once the pre-wire was done properly!

serotonin sid
Registered User
Re: Pre-wiring for an alarm....how to?

@rogermure: nice idea, although i don't smoke...drink feck all these days too

@sunnyday: I will just have it prewired for now- as i want a pc-based system or one that hooks up to a pc. Have scoured the net - and although theres nothing really suitable, i would imagine its only a matter of time before someone covers this.

sunnyday
Frequent poster
Re: Pre-wiring for an alarm....how to?
i want a pc-based system or one that hooks up to a pc.
Click to expand...
Interesting! I've never heard of any such system, but that's not to say they're not available. You should take into account the reliability of the PC though (Windows crashes etc.), and also have UPS for it. Maybe you want to go down the road of home automation? I very vaguely remember some thread referring to it here.

serotonin sid
Registered User
Re: Pre-wiring for an alarm....how to?

There are a couple of american systems that can be hooked up - but not with the features i want from it. I will have a media server running 24/7 with a wireless internet connection - no phone line. I want a system that will email / text me if the alarm goes off.
I do intend to use a UPS. As regards, Windoze reliability, well maybe one of these days i might make the switch to linux if i ever get my finger out and read up on it.

I do have an interest in practical application of home automation - and want to make the most use of the pc and home network.

sunnyday
Frequent poster
Re: Pre-wiring for an alarm....how to?

A bit off topic, but remember the race to get a manned flight into space and back? SpaceShipOne was backed by Paul Allen, the co-founder of Microsoft. But the craft itself was controlled by a Mac!
 
Re: >>House Alarms

Trying to get myself up to speed on current house alarms on the market, we had uninvited guests here some nights ago , and still shaken from the experiance.

Would really appreciate any feedback on autodial systems connected to phone or mobile, with voice pre-recorded message or the other option using text messaging.
House also has to be wired as we don,t already have anything in place.
 
Re: >>House Alarms

Anyone know of a good alarm installer in Co. Donegal. Have been quoted around 1000euro for wiring and installation of alarms in 3 bed bungalow.
 
Re: >>House Alarms

Thank you Sueellen, can't make the connection, getting sorry no matches.

Had a good read of the posts above, and am a bit more clued in this week.

Can't decide on the pre recorded voice message (autodial) system, which alerts you via your phone when there is a break-in.
Was hoping to hear from anyone who has this installed, and how they find it.

Another point , prices varied widely, for more or less the same package , give or take a few tweaks , like one or two passive infra red detector thingies or panic buttons or not.

Generally from E850 to 1,500 including full house wiring and and sensors on each window upstairs and downstairs, front door and backdoor.

On the subject of passive infra red detectors , can anyone tell me where is the best place in the house to place these, One person suggested upstairs as well as downstairs.

We have an ordinary three bed semi, don't live in the splendour of rural isolation, yes thats my idea of splendour, so at the same time I don't want to be guilty of noise pollution, and have the place wired to the nth degree, and going off at every whisper of a sound.
 
Re: >>House Alarms

Anyone recommend a burglar alarm specialist in Co. Donegal. Hoping to install in new house, have been quoted approx 1000euro for fit and install 4 PIR = 3 door sensors.
 
Re: >>House Alarms

This is a brilliant thread!!

We are moving to a 1950's three bed semi. Will need a wire free system installed.

I see in the Golden Pages a full page ad for Webtech (1850 918 435) offering a wire free system, with auto-dialler, for €949 plus VAT.

Anyone used them?

Seems to me that with the emphasis on keyholders, paying for montoring isn't worth it. Or is it? Is it worth having the Gardai call out? In my experience (only happened to me once), they called too late. Fortunately, anything of value was in a safe.

Ta.

D.
 
Re: Key Post: House Alarms

Quick Question on the issue of the insurance co. not paying out if the house alarm was off at the time of the break in ..

Just how would they know that the alarm was off at the time ?

A case where someone didn't turn alarm on and was broken into - how would the Insurance co know the alarm was not set ?

Thanks.
Wolverine.
 
Re: Key Post: House Alarms

Wolverine said:
Quick Question on the issue of the insurance co. not paying out if the house alarm was off at the time of the break in ..

Just how would they know that the alarm was off at the time ?

A case where someone didn't turn alarm on and was broken into - how would the Insurance co know the alarm was not set ?

Thanks.
Wolverine.
Click to expand...

I think the discounts may only apply to monitored alarms so the monitoring station may have a record of either whether the alarm was set or whether it was triggered (though I guess not being triggered could mean you had an expert burglar and that the alarm was still set).

Another factor is that you may need a police report to claim from the insurance company are you going to lie to the garda taking it?
 
Re: Key Post: House Alarms

Hi all,
New to this,
I'm looking for some info on house alarms,
Been ringing up places through the golden pages but was wondering if anyone knew a good installer around the west dublin area,

I know theres not a hell of a lot to it as I did my own years ago, just cant remember much about it now, its all pretty standard and I put in dual inertia and contact sensors on an aritech model, but they vary model to model as to the wiring (I found the instructions a bit vague back then but got it done in the end)
Bell hold off and all that must be standard across all types, just not sure about the wiring, so dont want to buy the stuff and be left with it not working properly.
It is a bit annoying when you get a €1000 quote,making out its impossible for any ordinary person to do this job, when they dont want to fit a perimeter system because its cheaper to stick in PIR's everywhere (which I think could be nowhere near as good).
If the info was available, it'd be a simple matter of following the instructions, did it in the past with a little help.

Also looking for a GSM, text or voice dialler, one guy said its possible to get a module to put a SIM chip in for certain alarms? but never said the alarm make,does anyone know? another guy told me text/voice dial was only possible over a phoneline.


Anyway, anyone a number for a good installer? or a website with specific info?

Cheers in advance.
 
Re: Key Post: House Alarms

Anyone got any further recommendations for alarm companys that will fit a wireless alarm? I've made a few calls already and was surprised that three or four guys didn't do wireless systems.

I see webtech above and just want to get a few more numbers together before I hit the phone.

Thanks
 
Re: Key Post: House Alarms

You could try Best, [broken link removed], or [broken link removed].
Leo
 
Re: Key Post: House Alarms

ISS is the crowd to use down my way. Quick, clean and reasonable at €850. I decided not to have PIR's, as I have pets and a child. Had the system 18 months - very happy, no false alarms. Easy to add a temporary user for when we're away and leave the key with the neighbours.
 
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