And...I tried not to snicker at Pro 1 too.
| >> Protect America has a basic package on their website for a wireless | >> system with a control panel, keypad, motion detector, three sensors, | >> and siren. It's free but I have to install it myself, and the monthly | >> service fee is $30. They offer a lifetime warranty on their equipment. | >>
| >> Honeywell offered me a package for a wireless system with a control | >> panel, keypad, siren, three door sensors, four window sensors, two | >> fire/smoke alarms for $795 (they install, obviously), with a service | >> fee of $20 per month. There's a one year warranty on their equipment. | >>
| >> Obviously the initial money put down is much cheaper for Protect | >> America, but a few things I didn't like were their sales tactics and | >> that their plan wasn't really specifically tailored for my house. They | >> dealt with my strictly over the phone. Honeywell sent a rep out to my | >> house and he put a plan together after going through the house. | >>
| >> After several years I'll end up saving money with Honeywell, but money | >> isn't the sole concern obviously - I want to keep my family as safe as | >> possible. Any thoughts on these offers / companies from people | >> familiar with them? | >>
| >> Also, I'm meeting with a rep from Protection One next week, so any | >> thoughts on them as well would be most appreciated. Thanks!! | >>
| >
| > Look through your Yellow Pages for the name of a recognized "local" Dealer | > (someone's whose signs/stickers you see in a lot of places). Check them | > out through the BBB or your State/Provinicial Alarm Association (some | > would consider membership in either or both is a "plus", but that's not | > necessarily so). What you're looking for is someone with a reputation for | > quality and service (not necessarily the lowest price). Talk to your | > friends and neighbors to see who they use or recommend. Call in a couple | > of the better locals and compare what they have to offer against the | > Nationals you've already talked to. I think you'll find almost 80% of the | > time that doing business with a local Dealer is better (there are some of | > Nationals that have branch offices that are a "cut above" as well, but you | > really have to "dig" for them). | >
| > Remember to "do the math". When you look at the installed price of a | > system, make sure you own the equipment and the cost of same isn't | > factored in to the monitoring price. For instance, we're a Canadian | > company that does a lot of fire alarm system monitoring. We supply and | > install a ULC listed communicator (which the customer owns outright) and | > monitor the system for $15.00 a month. Cost for the install varies | > between $550 and $800 depending on the degree of difficulty in running the | > necessary cable. Our cost on equipment is about $450.00. Our competitors | > are charging about $1400.00 a year for monitoirng (which includes an | > equipment lease price)!! When most property managers are shown the math, | > it takes very little convincing to switch 'em from "the dark side"... | > :-)) | > | |