Search *this* newsgroup, it was discussed in depth within the last coupla weeks.
Brinks - proprietary equipment, if you're not happy with them IF you can get out of the contract you WILL be buying a new control panel (main brain) and new keypads from whatever company you decide to go with after them.
ADT - mostly private labeled Ademco products, usually takeover-able if you are able to get out of contract. Meaning the equipment can be reused (usually)
Slomin - dunno.
Remember, it's not so much the equipment but the relationship. If you're happy with the idea of being 1 of 3 million customers then go with one of the big guys. If you think you would get better service from a smaller locally owned and operated company...hmmm...maybe you should consider one in your area...ask your friends//neighbors//businesses for recommendations.
All the equipment is about the same, Brinks and ADT use equipment supplied by Honeywell. I don't know what Slomin's use. The main difference is installation quality (which can wildly vary within the same branch of a company), and monitoring quality. I for one have heard way too many complaints about ADT's monitoring to ever recommend them. Most of our account takeovers come from ADT, usually folks tired of waiting six weeks for service.
The best thing you can do is ask your friends and neighbors what they think of their alarm company. Ask about their responsiveness to service issues and how the monitoring center employees treat them when contact is made necessary. Of course price is an issue too, but keep in mind you get what you pay for. Some companies offer a warranty on all parts and labor for the life of the monitoring contract, something that WILL pay for itself.
2- requires you to name them as additional insured on your homeowner's policy
3- uses 2 wire, non-UL listed smokes (very funny statement in their contract where you understand the Slomins Fire System is NOT a fire system, nor is it compliant with FM, NFPA, etc) I'll post the exact quote from their contract tomorrow when I get to my office.
4- places a lien on your property.
5- charges you 60% of the entire contract should you wish to terminate the agreement. Included in that is the $1195.00 they value their basic system at. It's only a free install if you fulfill the 5 years.
6- charges an additional $139.00 per year for a warranty
7- offers a local relocation option should you move
The above comparison might work if this was a privately owned newsgroup belonging to the person who posted it. However, this is an ALT newsgroup, which is essentially an open forum. Questions from all sectors, including homeowners are always welcome here. The problem is that some folks are just rude.
This is a frequently discussed issue in this newsgroup. Slomins has been accused of all sorts of bad behavior, some of which accusations are actually true.
Brinks sells a proprietary system which cannot be used without them. No one but Brinks can service or monitor it. The system is usually leased (though their salesmen rarely mention that during the presentation).
ADT has two separate and vastly different divisions of its alarm business. ADT corporate has a good reputation. Their "authorized dealer" network, unfortunately, does not. They are rife with problems, have been sued by attorneys general in several states for fraudulent marketing and other consumer abuses and have generally done all they can to destroy public confidence in the alarm industry.
Of the three companies you mentioned, I'd hesitate to recommend any except ADT and then only if it is ADT Corporate should you go forward.
Others have mentioned going with a small, local dealer. There are lots of honest, competent people in this industry who run small, independent alarm companies. You may very well get a better deal from one of them than you can from Brinks, Slomins or any "authorized dealers". Note that Protection 1, Monitronix and Sonitrol dealers can be equally bad as some of the ADT authorized dealers.
Unfortunately, there are also far too many incompetent, uncaring individuals running small independent alarm companies. One example (I'll let you figure out which it is) posted a nasty reply to you already. That person ran an illegal alarm company in Milford, CT, for several years until the state caught up with him. Unable to pass the license exam and without any of the required qualifications to be a licensed alarm installer, let alone an alarm contractor in CT, he lied to the state (told them he was running a "home improvement" operation which did not require a license. He *claims* to have left the trade due to his girlfriend getting sick or some such nonsense. Unable to work illegally in CT, he's now doing the same thing in NY state (again without a license). You can't even imagine the miserable "workmanship" his victims get in return for their money.
The short answer to your question is, "Be careful of any alarm dealer." Many are good and will try to protect you and your home to the est of their ability. Very few of those, however, are "authorized dealers" and very few of them work for Slomins or Brinks.
Get several bids. Insist that the salesman list exactly what components he will use and where. List the makes and models here or send me an email. I'll let you know whether it's good quality hardware and whether it is an adequate plan of protection.
Although you're not interested in DIY, feel free to browse my website. You can at least get a good idea from my pages what the equipment costs the dealer and whether his markup is reasonable.
Note that many dealers are pushing bare bones systems lately, trying to beat the "free" (they really are not free, but I'll bet you already knew that) system dealers. At a minimum, ask for a bid that includes all exterior doors and motion detection in hallways, in front of (but not onto) the stairs leading to sleeping areas, near the stereo, office, etc.
A better approach is to protect all exterior doors and all accessible windows using magnetic sensors (called "contacts"). Back this up with motion and, in rooms with glass doors, perhaps a glass break detector as well.
Ask for smoke detection, too, but refuse to pay an incremental fee to have it monitored. There is no excuse for charging extra to monitor smoke detectors. Fees like that are a rip-off.
Nope. That's just a nice idea written by someone who doesn't participate here. It is not the "Group's FAQ" and that website is privately operated by someone who has more to corrupt this newsgroup than anyone else here, with the possible exception of Jiminex.
Pink, In my original question I DID ask about independent dealers (by that I meant independently owned alarm companies not authorized dealers of the national chains).
my orig question, at the very beginning of this thread: "I am looking to get a residential alarm system (3 family house in urban area). Is there a difference in quality of equipment between ADT, Brinks, Slomins? What about independent dealers? How would a consumer know if the equipment was "good"? "
If you browse the various alarm supplier web sites you'll see that there's probably about 10 mfg's of panels. Ademco, Napco, (my choice) Caddx, DSC, and so on. Most major National alarm companies use one of these brands or have one of these mfg private lable them. I'd avoid any private labled equipment. Just means they're probably the only one who can service it if they have anything specialy engineered into it.
So once you've determined that whoever you chose to give you an extimate is using nationally recognized equipment don't give it any more thought. It's all pretty good and the complexity of what panel is going to be used is up to what ever features you'r willing to pay for or need/want
Most important is to determine that the company that you choose comes to you by recomendation from someone who has used them before. Thats the best way to pick someone who'll do a good job for you.
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