Like to find out a rough figure for starting a CS from ground zero including backup generator, UPS, receiver (Surgard MLR-2000, computers (two servers and possibly 5 to 8 workstation) and CS software. (SIMS II).
Please tell me you don't want to "run this out of your garage". :-)
In the US?? Canada??
Vancouver, B.C. in your neck of the wood, how close can you get ? May be it's cheaper just to buy one out ? In you opinion, who would be the least expensive one to buy in the lower mainland.
Minimum of $500,000.00 if you are going UL and have to reinforce the structure.etc.
Just the SIMII computers, (1 primary, 1 vaporpaper, 1comserver/formwriter, ,
5 to 8 workstations, 2 servers with software and support for the first year, will run about 50k. UPS another 10-15K. Generator 15-35K with transfer switch (depending on size). Phone system, desks, chairs, insurance, etc. The receivers are good (MLR-2000), but I would recommend the System III, with a minimum of 10 cards. Then you have to figure cost of rent for a 40x20ft room with additional space for support personnel....... You're looking at a minimum of 100K, up to 150K........for equipment. Add another 15K for UL or ULC listing and approximately 6 months for that to happen after you have all your customers on line. In order to break even, you'll need a minmum of approximately 5,000 in-house accounts at an average of $25.00 per month. The rest is gravy............ Call me if you want to discuss it further, I 'll be glad to assist. 386-445-7936.Norm Mugford
I choose Polesoft Lockspam to fight spam, and you?
Jim Rojas had some a couple of weeks ago.
Norm Mugford
At least. And not to mention keeping it staffed...nightmare for smallco.
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Lessee... How about a spot that used to have a CS operation?? In Burnaby?? I believe the old Honeywell/Counterforce digs are still vacant (I'm talkin' Tricom pre-takeover). All the lines are still there AFAIK.
Staff wouldn't be a problem... Get married. Then subborn your wife and kids to the CS. One guy here ran a "modestly successful central station alarm company" like that for years... Out of his garage too... ;-)
Thank you all for all the prompt responses.
I agree. You will not believe how fast you can burn through money building a central station, but it's the operating costs (and continuing headaches) that will really hurt a small company. Even 5,000 accounts is pretty minimal: instead of puttimg profit in your pockets, those dollars will go towards supporting your central station.
It's good to think about why you would want your own central station. Back in the old days, before there were monitoring companies, nearly all central stations were owned by installing companies who were usually reluctant to sell their services to other alarm companies. Those companies, in turn, were not comfortable having a competitor monitor their systems. So, opening your own central station was almost a necessity if you wanted to compete in the central station business.
That's obviously no longer the case. What benefits does an alarm company receive by operating its own central station? Mostly, it's bragging rights: telling customers (and friends in the industry) that you operate your very own central station, located right here in town: "Come on down and we'll show it to you!" Looking at it in terms of dollars and cents, it's rarely a good idea to do it yourself.
- badenov
You're Absolutely Correct...
If I had to start it over again, I'd sub out the monitoring......
Norm Mugford
I choose Polesoft Lockspam to fight spam, and you?
I manage a company called Monitoring America Alarm Co-Op. We are a true cooperative business. We are owned by our customers, the alarm companies whose accounts we monitor.
Monitoring America began in 1989 and was the dream of a few alarm dealers who were tired of paying their competition to be their partner in the monitoring business. They wanted their own central station but it's nearly impossible for a smaller alarm company to afford a quality central station. They pooled their resources and formed Monitoring America.
Today Monitoring America is a UL listed central station monitoring over
20,000 systems coast to coast. We operate under the principle that this is your central station. Each member owns one share of stock and has one vote. We monitor according to your specifications. Your accounts are handled the way you want them handled. We have internet access for our dealers we don't charge for data entry.Some of the previous messages are correct, there is some pride in owning your own central station. You too can have pride in being a part of a cooperative central station.
You can visit our web site at
Ron Wies
For a non UL CMS you can start from 19,000=80's. For UL compliant CMS it starts from 500,000.00$.
We have full details on how to do what. So we did the research and ended up with these figures.
On the other hand if you would like to know how to set up the perfect CMS please click here:
Hi Ron,
Don't forget to mention the yearly Dividend checks :-))
Regards, Russ Brill (A happy Monitoring America Member)
whats 19K? one reciever (no spares package), one puter, a cheap software package, and a 5K generator?
We have full details on how to do what. So we did the research and ended up with these figures.
On the other hand if you would like to know how to set up the perfect CMS please click here:
You forgot the cost of the garage.
AFAIK, I'm the only one posting here who has done what the gentleman asked. I bought a home from a doctor many years ago. There was a separate office area which was ideally suited for our non-UL central station. Other than the cost of the space I initially spent about three thousand on a central station receiver, $10K on software + PC (Bold), ~$4K on an auto-start generator and several thousand dollars more on phone equipment, etc. Shortly after starting up I bought a second terminal to be able to do data entry while monitoring via BOLD.
That was the bulk of our cost over 20 years ago. I haven't priced out monitoring packages in a while. There are some recent developments which might be of interest to someone just starting up a small CS. Napco Security has been promoting an Internet-enabled monitoring system which may significantly lower the cost to a small CS operation. Several other firms are working on Net-based monitoring and a few products are already on the market. There are serious questions about the reliability of Internet-based monitoring though.
Crash!
I totally agree on your opinion! What can you do for 19K?
You are not going to believe this but almost 76% of monitoring stations throughout the globe have setup there CMS at prices "starting" from this price. They just purchase furniture, chairs, 750$ receiver, SAMM software 750$, a single PC, 4 phone lines, and rent a "garage". Do you think that I, as a worker of A-traq, back such monitoring stations? NO! But what I try to do is to develop the mentallity of such companies to evolve in to "companies" that can give CMS services. This is why we have published the most documentation of how to set up monitoring stations between all of the automation service supplying companies. So all it takes is to "read" what we have evaluated in international trends and needs of CMS services.
Although it is not our duty, we have set our mission to improve the quality of CMS throughout the globe. I know that you may not agree me, but how many CMS owners have confronted proper advice of the business? Robert, you started small! How many companies where there around to help you out and give you proper consultancy to develop your business in the beginning?
Gentelmen, I think it is our (the core people in alt.security.alarms) duty to develop the market so we can increase the size of the cake instead of trying to make our slices bigger!
Good-luck to you all!
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