Question:
Hello, I'm trying to purchase an alarm system for my home, just starting to compare vendors but I'm not really sure what I should be looking for. I've spoken with two so far, Protect America and Honeywell. Protect America has a basic package on their website for a wireless system with a control panel, keypad, motion detector, three sensors, and siren. It's free but I have to install it myself, and the monthly service fee is $30. They offer a lifetime warranty on their equipment. Honeywell offered me a package for a wireless system with a control panel, keypad, siren, three door sensors, four window sensors, two fire/smoke alarms for $795 (they install, obviously), with a service fee of $20 per month. There's a one year warranty on their equipment. Obviously the initial money put down is much cheaper for Protect America, but a few things I didn't like were their sales tactics and that their plan wasn't really specifically tailored for my house. They dealt with my strictly over the phone. Honeywell sent a rep out to my house and he put a plan together after going through the house. After several years I'll end up saving money with Honeywell, but money isn't the sole concern obviously - I want to keep my family as safe as possible. Any thoughts on these offers / companies from people familiar with them?

Answer: Look through your Yellow Pages for the name of a recognized "local" Dealer (someone's whose signs/stickers you see in a lot of places). Check them out through the BBB or your State/Provinicial Alarm Association (some would consider membership in either or both is a "plus", but that's not necessarily so). What you're looking for is someone with a reputation for quality and service (not necessarily the lowest price). Talk to your friends and neighbors to see who they use or recommend. Call in a couple of the better locals and compare what they have to offer against the Nationals you've already talked to. I think you'll find almost 80% of the time that doing business with a local Dealer is better (there are some of Nationals that have branch offices that are a "cut above" as well, but you really have to "dig" for them). Remember to "do the math". When you look at the installed price of a system, make sure you own the equipment and the cost of same isn't factored in to the monitoring price. For instance, we're a Canadian company that does a lot of fire alarm system monitoring. We supply and install a ULC listed communicator (which the customer owns outright) and monitor the system for $15.00 a month. Cost for the install varies between $550 and $800 depending on the degree of difficulty in running the necessary cable. Our cost on equipment is about $450.00. Our competitors are charging about $1400.00 a year for monitoirng (which includes an equipment lease price)!! When most property managers are shown the math, it takes very little convincing to switch 'em from "the dark side"...