Top DIY Alarm Companies?

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cpals

Diamond Member
Mar 5, 2001
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I'm currently with ADT and getting tired of not getting much for paying them a lot. The cost seems to go higher and higher every year and I don't even have cellular for the alarm system. I'm sure that would add an extra $20-$30 to my bill if I wanted to look into it.

So I've been doing some investigating on DIY alarm systems and have come up with my 'top three'...

Things that are my main concern:
* Must have cellular
* Reasonably priced windows/motion/glass sensors
* Extra add-ons are nice. Smoke/Water/etc
* Reasonable monthly bill

Anyone have experience with these three companies?
* FrontPoint Security
* SimpliSafe
* Protect America
 
Leros

Leros

Lifer
Jul 11, 2004
21,867
7
81
I just have ADT signs in my front yard. I don't actually have a system.
 
P

Pardus

Diamond Member
Jun 29, 2000
8,197
21
81
ADT: $55/mo for monitoring, 3-year commitment. $100 for someone to come out and take measurements. Uses GE Simon control panel. Supervisor called me back to give a quote. Refused to put it in writing.

Frontpoint: $43/mo for monitoring, 3-year commitment. $100 for GE Simon control panel. Hardware is cheap, poorly built, loose wires sticking out.

SimplySafe: $30/mo for monitoring, No commitment. Proprietary hardware.. Refused to send quote by email. Keypad is not backlit.

Protect America: $55/mo for monitoring, Free GE Simon, Free Video Camera, Free Remote. Free Mini Pin Pad. 3-year commitment. Refused to send quote by email.

LaserShield -$35/mo for monitoring, 3-year commitment. $215 for proprietary hardware, one year warranty only, after that you pay to have it fixed.

LifeShield - $30-$40 for monitoring, 5-year commitment. $50 for proprietary hardware
 
C

cpals

Diamond Member
Mar 5, 2001
4,494
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Pardus said:
ADT: $55/mo for monitoring, 3-year commitment. $100 for someone to come out and take measurements. Uses GE Simon control panel. Supervisor called me back to give a quote. Refused to put it in writing.

Frontpoint: $43/mo for monitoring, 3-year commitment. $100 for GE Simon control panel. Hardware is cheap, poorly built, loose wires sticking out.

SimplySafe: $30/mo for monitoring, No commitment. Proprietary hardware.. Refused to send quote by email. Keypad is not backlit.

Protect America: $55/mo for monitoring, Free GE Simon, Free Video Camera, Free Remote. Free Mini Pin Pad. 3-year commitment. Refused to send quote by email.

LaserShield -$35/mo for monitoring, 3-year commitment. $215 for proprietary hardware, one year warranty only, after that you pay to have it fixed.

LifeShield - $30-$40 for monitoring, 5-year commitment. $50 for proprietary hardware
Click to expand...

Thanks?
 
KK

KK

Lifer
Jan 2, 2001
15,903
4
81
I have our rental property on a local security company, I think it was spun off of the power company. Anyways, it does have cellular and it runs like 23 dollars a month. When they installed it, I basically had them install what was already in place in the house. Since they were using the same panel I got at my house that I installed and know how to program the contacts and sensors, I told them that I would add couple wireless glass breaks and another wireless door contact which they had no problems with. My own house I monitor myself via eyezon. It seems to work good, I also got a tuxedo keypad which has the zwave capability which eventually I'll get some water sensors added.

But you should be able to find a local monitoring for alot less than ADT.
 
NutBucket

NutBucket

Lifer
Aug 30, 2000
27,073
580
126
I'm going to go with Safemart for my monitoring. The house we bought already has a 2GIG panel but they can monitor that. If you buy equip from them it'll be a GE Simon XT panel. Should be a fairly easy DIY install. Monitoring works out to about $35 a month and only a 1 year contract which is uncommon.
 
alkemyst

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
83,769
19
81
OutHouse said:
wtf why are there 5 threads on this subject?
Click to expand...

Not exactly the same threads.

Why are there so many ebola threads?

OP, check out alarmsystemstore.com. Andy Bowman is the owner / operator and very helpful/knowledgeable.

GE and Honeywell are very popular with the DIY crowd.

I like DSC, I installed mine own system myself using an 1832 kit and upgrading to the 1864 panel (they didn't offer 1864 kits at the time). I added a ton more sensors, keypads and wireless. Some say DSC is more complicated to program, but I only got stuck on one part of it and tech support cleared me up in all of 10 mins.

I have 20 window/door sensors, about 6 or so glass breaks, 3 motion, a couple fire/heat sensors, an internet communicator, GSM backup, and probably more I forget. Everything has it's own 'zone' so I can pin point exactly what sensor is alerting.
 
alkemyst

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
83,769
19
81
NutBucket said:
I'm going to go with Safemart for my monitoring. The house we bought already has a 2GIG panel but they can monitor that. If you buy equip from them it'll be a GE Simon XT panel. Should be a fairly easy DIY install. Monitoring works out to about $35 a month and only a 1 year contract which is uncommon.
Click to expand...

Safemart is good, but alarmsystemstore.com's is only $8.95/month per line and just as fast.
You pay by the year.

My setup is for them to call my house, call the police and then call my cell.

They are so fast by the time I am alerted my alarm has gone off, they have already dispatched the police if I am not home to pick up my landline (which rings pretty much within 10 secs of an alarm event).
 
NutBucket

NutBucket

Lifer
Aug 30, 2000
27,073
580
126
I ended up using a different monitoring company. Same panel, obviously. It's running me $22 including remote arm/disarm, etc.

Unfortunately the company you use doesn't support my system.
 
S

Schfifty Five

Lifer
Oct 20, 2005
10,978
44
91
OutHouse said:
wtf why are there 5 threads on this subject?
Click to expand...

Earlier I noticed all these alarm threads as well. There was some user named Johnnywestern or something like that showed up as the last user to post on all these thread. I'm thinking it's just some spam account that got deleted by the mods.
 
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