Cost guide
How much do intruder alarms cost?
A wireless system fitted is £500 to £1,200 for a typical house, and a wired system installed during renovation £800 to £2,000. Monitoring, where it is taken, adds £120 to £300 a year.
Typical prices
Ranges, not quotes. A quote depends on your room.
| Work | Typical UK price |
|---|---|
| Wireless system, typical three bedroom house | £500 to £1,200 |
| Wired system fitted during renovation | £800 to £2,000 |
| Taking over and reprogramming an existing panel | £150 to £350 |
| Extra detector added to an existing system | £70 to £150 |
| External sounder replaced | £120 to £250 |
| Annual service and battery replacement | £90 to £180 |
Ask your insurer what they will accept before choosing a grade or a response type. A system that meets a policy condition is worth money every year; a system that exceeds it is worth nothing extra.
What moves the price
- Number of detectors and door contacts, which follows the shape of the house rather than its size.
- Wireless against wired, and whether the property is finished or being worked on.
- Whether the system is bell only, app connected, or monitored by a centre.
- Grade of system, which is sometimes set by an insurer rather than by choice.
- Taking over and reprogramming an existing panel instead of replacing it.
- Annual maintenance, which is required to keep a monitored system's certification.
Who quotes for it
1 of the 133 electricians listed on this site take on intruder alarms.
Most of them in one place: Sheffield (1).
Questions about intruder alarms
Can I get police response?
Only through a system installed and maintained to the recognised standard by an inspected company, with its own reference number and a keyholder arrangement. A retail kit, however capable, cannot have it.
What does monitoring cost?
Typically £120 to £300 a year for keyholder monitoring, more for police response. Weigh it against what actually happens with an app alert when you are two hundred miles away.