The Fire And Security Installer Community

Welcome to the Fire & Security Installer!

Thank you for taking the time to visit us !

The Fire and Security Installer web site and our community of security installers are intended to be a resource for anyone searching for help or information about Intruder Alarm Systems. There are plenty of Tips and Guidelines and brief explanations of most things Intruder Alarm related, as well as a few features on Access Control, CCTV and Fire Detection systems.

I'm by no means a security guru, I don't have all the answers, so if you have a query just ask in the community and either myself or other security engineers will try to assist you.

Regular participants in our Forums include hundreds of experienced Intruder Alarm/Access Control/CCTV/Fire Alarm engineers, and company representatives, combined we collectively cover every aspect of the UK electronic security Industry, but there are certain things we cannot advise about for obvious security reasons. After all, your system wouldn't be very secure if we told everyone how to default it, or issued engineer/installer manuals to everyone that asked.

This site is inform and advise you about Intruder detection and other security issues, nothing more and nothing less.

"There are an estimated 8,000 security companies in the UK market"
"Approximately 350,000 people work in the security industry"
"Approximately 12% of homeowners have a domestic intruder alarm"
"Sadly 60% of public sector contracts for security services are awarded on the basis of price alone"

Considering purchasing an Intruder Alarm System ?

Consider these few pointers:

1: The best way to find your installer is by recommendation, so ask your friends and neighbours for opinions of there installed systems, and yearly maintenance costs.

2: You should check that your chosen Installation company has all the relevant insurances including the efficacy (failure to perform) insurance, and make sure they offer 24/7 cover, on every day of the year.

3: We would also recommend that you get three detailed quotations, i.e.- not just prices, but kit supplied, explanation of works to be carried out etc, and assurance that the system will be installed to all current standards.

4: When you have your 3 quotes you can ask in our Forums for opinions of your quotes and which offers the best value for money against equipment specified.

Seriously consider the above 4 pointers when getting an intruder alarm system (IAS) survey, and try to steer clear of getting the odd job man from round the corner to install you an alarm or security system. You wouldn't believe some of the sub-standard work in the UK. Its a crying shame that when it comes to your home security a lot of you opt for the cheaper option, well after all an alarm is an alarm right..? Well its not quite that simple, that's like saying a car is a car. You see where I'm going with this..? You will pay for what you get, a quality alarm system is not cheap.

The surveyor of your property has usually made a judgment as to what he thinks you will be able to afford, and will try to do a quote for equipment that meets his estimate. Most Site Surveyors are are on commission, if they don't sell the job they've wasted their time and don't earn money, and of course no one wants to work for nothing, so they DON'T tend to quote for what many consider to be a full alarm or security system (a system that meets all your current requirements but has capacity for future expansion), simply because the homeowner would have much cheaper quotes from everyone else.