1. Number of Cameras
Each camera adds hardware, a cable run, a recorder channel, storage, and labor time. List the views that matter first: each entry door, the driveway, the yard, and any loading door. One well-placed camera can often do the job of two poorly placed ones.
2. Camera Type and Features
Many cameras switch to black-and-white infrared after dark. That shows a shape, but not the color of a car or what someone was wearing. Cameras that keep color at night, such as the Dark X and OwlView models we install, give you a picture you can actually describe. Reading license plates takes a dedicated camera set for height, angle, and shutter speed.
3. The Recorder and Storage
Wired cameras record to a network video recorder (NVR) with a surveillance hard drive inside your building. The NVR's size depends on how many cameras it serves, their resolution, and how many days of footage you want to keep.
4. Cable Runs and Building Construction
This is usually the factor that moves an installation quote the most. A single-story home with an open attic is a quicker job than a finished basement, a two-story home with no attic access, brick or block walls, or a detached garage. We run cable inside the walls through the attic, the crawlspace, or a small opening behind the camera instead of stapling it down the siding. If your building already has camera coax in the walls, we can often reuse it.
5. Mounting Height and Access
Cameras under a second-story eave, on a pole, or high on a warehouse wall take more equipment and more time to install safely. Sealing outdoor connections against weather is part of a proper installation.
6. Your Network
Cameras need a stable network to send video to the recorder and to your phone. A PoE network switch connects each camera with its own cable, so the cameras aren't competing with phones and laptops for Wi-Fi. A second building or Wi-Fi dead spots may add access points or a wireless bridge.
7. Ongoing Costs
Many consumer cameras need a monthly cloud subscription to save video. A wired system that records to an on-site NVR doesn't need a subscription to record or to view your cameras from your phone. If you add an Ajax alarm, monitoring is your choice. The app alone will alert you, or you can add API Monitoring through a central monitoring center for $44.95 per month, which includes lifetime warranty coverage on the Ajax equipment.
