CCTV system costs UK

Here's some example CCTV system costs for different quality systems and options (e.g. CCTV monitoring costs).  N.B. These prices were updated in July 2021 (so are current):

CCTV system Cost (inc VAT) Detail
4 camera system 'standard quality' £985 This is the cost of a CCTV system with 'standard quality cameras' (e.g. 2MP dome cameras)
4 camera system with AI (artificial intelligence)
£1895 This is the cost of an AI CCTV system with AI functionality (e.g. 5MP active deterrent cameras)
4 camera self-install £295 The cost of CCTV equipment (e.g. x4 cameras, cable, DVR and hard-drive) if bought off the internet to be installed by the person themselves
1 wifi camera £119 A simple Wifi camera that enables a user to view their property remotely via an app
CCTV monitoring cost £12 to £36 a month The monthy cost of CCTV monitoring, so that a remote monitoring station has 24/7 view of your property when necessary.  Monitoring cost per 4 CCTV cameras.

CCTV system cost detail

CCTV systems have x4 main elements to them, and 4 associated costs.  The 4 main components of a CCTV system are:

> Cameras: basic options include HD or AHD, internal or external grade, AI (artificial intelligence) or standard.

> Recorder (DVR or NVR) & hard-drive: basic options include size of hard-drive, brand of DVR / NVR (and therefore operating system)

>  Accessories: options include screens, types of cable used (coax / shot-gun / CAT5 / CAT6), types of junction boxes, baluns etc. 

> Labour: this includes both wiring labour (which can be a big cost) as well as technical set-up (focusing etc) of the cameras

CCTV cost options

The reason why prices for CCTV systems can vary so much, is that there are multiple different options of each of these elements.  For example, the quality of cameras (e.g. level of Megapixels.  2MP is now standard, but you can get as high as 5MP+), or the size of hard-drive (this often links to the number of cameras and the quality of the cameras - as the higher quality camera, the bigger the hard-drive needed to store the recorded images).

To help give an idea of the different options involved in choosing a CCTV system, we’ve put together a table of some standard options for each of the 4 CCTV system elements.  Taking these into account, will help you understand CCTV pricing and ultimately how much a CCTV system costs.

If you want to know more - and speak to someone - you can give us a call: 0800 13 03 99 or email sales@amco999.com

AI CCTV explained

With today's technology advancements, you really shouldn't be considering a CCTV system that doesn't have AI (artificial intelligence) built-in.  Adding Artificial Intelligence (AI) to your CCTV turns ‘dumb’ images into ‘smart’ images - helping you get x10 out of your CCTV. For example, add 'motion detection’ alerts to detect if there’s anyone outside your property; ‘object movement’ alerts to detect if an object is stolen (e.g. a bike / vehicle); ‘facial recognition’ to identify who’s entered your property.

Typical AI CCTV functions include:

> Movement detection: identify and send alerts based on either human or vehicle movement detection

> Object theft detection: identify when an object is moved / stolen from outside your property

> Loiter detection: recognise when bodies move into a specified ‘area’, and remain in that area for a specified time

> Facial recognition: use facial recognition to identify specific people (via their photo stored in a localised database), and set alerts / permissions e.g. alarms, alerts, access control.

> People counting: track and manage people entering/exiting your property and how many people enter specific areas of your property.

 

CCTV camera options

Option Detail
AHD or HD (IP) AHD vs HD, is the option between Analogue High Definition (AHD) and or IP High Definition (HD).  IP cameras connect directly into a network, and are useful for larger properties that have an existing network (e.g. a factory / shop).  AHD is better for smaller properties, where wiring and power isn't an issue to install.
Mega pixel (MP) What quality of image you're looking for.  2MP (2 mega pixel) is now fairly standard, with 5MP being at the upper end.
Dome or Bullet-style Dome style cameras that are 'vandal proof' or Bullet-style cameras
Outdoor / indoor IP-rated outdoor cameras (that are weather resistant) or indoor cameras
IR beam length
Do you need IR beams that can cover a certain distance
Fixed or zoom lens A fixed lens camera or one with a zoom, to focus on a specific area
PTZ Pan Tilt Zoom (PTZ) functionality which allows cameras to be moved remotely


DVR / NVR options

Option Detail
Brand / operating system DVRs (digital video recorders) or NVRs (Networked video recorders) are like computers, and are reliaent on different operating systems.  Which operating system you choose doesn't have a huge effect (as the all let you record and remotely view your video footage), however some of the devil is in the detail.
Hard drive size The size of hard drive in your DVR is dependent on the number of cameras and the quality of camera image (e.g. 5MP takes up more disk space than 2MP cameras).
Remote viewing The ability to be able to remotely view footage (e.g. via a mobile phone app or via a desktop computer) is now pretty much standard for all CCTV systems on the market.  There are options however over whether you want to view via the cloud or directly (which is more private, but more complicated to set-up).


CCTV accessory options

Option Detail
Cable type The choice of camera has a bearing on the type of cable used (and the cost of cable too).  For example AHD cameras can run off Coax, Shot-gun or CAT5.  Whereas IP cameras (HD) can only run off CAT5 (or CAT6).
Junction box type Each camera installed (especially if it's outside) will require a junction box (ideally water-proof) in which the camera connections (e.g. Baluns) will fit.  There are different options of junction box, from the cheap plastic box (sitting alongside the camera) to more expensive (and more elegant-looking) junction box cameras. 
Screen This is an option if you want to connect a screen to your DVR to watch-back footage.  Screens tend to be standard computer screens, so aren't particularly expensive.
PTZ controller If you opt for a PTZ system, you'll need a PTZ control desk to control your cameras from.
Baluns / connectors CCTV connectors include things like 'Baluns'.  For longer cable runs, you can install 'active baluns' which ensure high-quality images of a long distance.

CCTV installation / labour

Option  Detail
Cable running It's usually the case that cameras are placed far apart in a property, which generally means that there will be significant cable running required.   This can often take the most time, and therefore be a significant part of the CCTV system install cost.
Equipment set-up Each camera needs to be set-up and focused.  The DVR needs to be networked (if you want to view footage via the internet), which again can take a while (depending on the set-up of your router).

AI CCTV specialists

We're a company that specialises in AI CCTV (i.e. systems enhanced with artificial intelligence) and monitored CCTV systems.  Watch the following video to get an idea of how our specialist CCTV systems work

 

CCTV monitoring

Adding third party monitoring to your CCTV system gives you reassurance someone is there 24/7 to react when there's an activation.

How does CCTV monitoring work?  An important thing to note is that CCTV monitoring doesn't mean that someone is actively watching your CCTV 24/7.  Instead, CCTV monitoring works by linking your CCTV to your alarm, so that whenever your alarm is activated one of our controllers will actively look at your CCTV cameras - providing visual verification of whether there's a crime in progress.

In general CCTV monitoring costs are split between whether you're connecting the monitoring to an 'external alarm' or an 'internal alarm'.  In general, external alarm monitoring is priced as more expensive than internal alarm monitoring - this is due to the higher number of false alarms with external alarms.

Call us for a quick quote

We do 99% of our quotations on the phone in less than 10 minutes. If you're interested in getting a CCTV system installed, then call us on 0800 13 03 999 or email sales@amco999.com so we can talk you through the options.