Home security system installation: a guide for pros

What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.

Offering home security system installation

Home security installation is a trust and reliability job, because the customer depends on the system working every night. Win it by mapping the home carefully, testing every zone and training the household before you leave.

What customers ask

  • How many sensors do I need?
  • Will my pets set off the motion sensors?
  • Do I need a monthly plan to use it?
  • What happens if the internet goes down?
  • Can I add cameras later?
  • Who do I call if it false alarms?

How to win the job

  • On the walkthrough, map the entry points, the rooms that need motion coverage, the panel location and the signal path for wireless devices, and write them down.
  • Show the customer the zone plan on paper before you install, so they see what each sensor covers.
  • Quote the hardware, wiring, setup and monitoring as separate lines, with the monitoring plan terms named.
  • Test every zone with the customer present, and show the alarm and the arm and disarm steps.
  • Leave the household a written user guide with codes, emergency steps and the false alarm process.
  • Photograph the panel location and the wiring routes for your records and the customer's file.

What to put on your profile

  • Post photos of clean installs that show the panel, the sensors and the motion detector mounts
  • List the security system brands and panels you install
  • State whether you install wired, wireless and mixed systems, and which monitoring types you work with
  • Show a sample zone map with the details blurred

Follow-up that helps the customer

  • Offer a camera or video doorbell add-on once the core system is working and the customer is comfortable with it
  • Suggest a yearly test of the sensors, batteries and panel
  • Recommend a smart lock or keypad upgrade for doors that have many key holders

Licenses and permits

Security system installation is often done without a separate license, but some states and local areas license alarm and security work, and wiring to the building's power often calls for a licensed electrician. Confirm the requirements with your state or local licensing agency before you take paid work.

Questions

Do I need a license to install a home security system?

It depends on the state and locality and on whether the work includes electrical wiring. Check with your state or local licensing agency before you take the job.

What do I do if the customer wants me to wire the system into the main electrical panel?

Refer that work to a licensed electrician. Your scope should cover the security devices and the low-voltage wiring you are permitted to do.

What should I say about the monitoring company?

Name the company and the plan in writing, and explain that the monitoring billing and terms are between the customer and the monitoring company. Do not promise response times you do not control.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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