The right security company for an Edmonton commercial building is one that can design, install and support every system the building needs, hands you full control of it, and is still answering the phone years later. Here is how to compare security companies fairly, without relying on rankings or ratings you cannot check.
Start with the building, not the company
Before you call anyone, list what the building needs: which doors and gates need control, where cameras must see faces or plates, how visitors and deliveries get in, what sits empty after hours and which systems already exist. A company that asks about these things first is more likely to quote the right job.
What to compare
- Scope: can one company handle cameras, access control, video intercom, alarms, parcel lockers and the network, or will you manage several contractors?
- Brands: does the company install more than one platform, so the advice fits your building rather than one product line?
- Design: do you get a written plan of every door, camera and zone, not just a price?
- Ownership: will you receive admin access and full documentation when the job is done?
- Support: who answers after hours, and is there a maintenance plan?
- Takeovers: can the company service systems another installer left behind, or does everything have to be replaced?
- Monitoring: who monitors alarms and video, and what does the written response plan say?
- Coverage: can the same company look after your other sites in Alberta and BC?
Red flags
- A quote with no site walk.
- A system only that company can service, with no admin access for you.
- Long monitoring contracts that renew automatically without notice.
- Vague answers about who comes out when something fails at night.
- Claims about results or ratings that cannot be checked.
One company or several?
When cameras, doors, intercom and alarms are planned by one company, they work together: a door event opens the matching camera clip, intercom visits are logged like any other entry, and there is one number to call. Separate contractors can work too, but someone has to own how the systems connect.
Compare quotes on the same scope
Ask every company to quote from the same written list of doors, cameras, zones and features. Then compare what is included: cabling and network work, backup power, programming, training, documentation and support after installation.
Questions to ask before you sign
- Which brands do you install, and why this one for our building?
- Will we own the system and get admin access and documentation?
- Who supports it after installation, and how do we reach you at night?
- Can you take over what we already have?
Where Hightower fits
Hightower designs, installs and supports access control, security cameras, video intercom, intrusion alarms, parcel lockers and networks for commercial buildings in Edmonton and across Alberta and BC, from offices in Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer and Kelowna. We install 27 brands, hand over admin access and documentation on every project, and take over systems other companies installed.
Commercial buildings only
Hightower installs for condos and apartments, offices, light and heavy commercial sites, schools and automotive businesses. We work on commercial buildings only.
Where we work
Offices in Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer and Kelowna, serving Alberta and BC. We also take work in Saskatchewan, Yukon, the Northwest Territories and the USA. For anywhere else, we have a parachute team.
Related on this site
Read more: security cameras, security systems in Edmonton, intrusion alarms in Edmonton, office security, all services.
Security cameras near you: Edmonton · Calgary · Red Deer · Kelowna.
More from Insights
- What Better Commercial Security Looks Like
- Integrated Security Systems for Edmonton Businesses
- Choosing Security Cameras in Edmonton: Types, Installation and Support
Need this for a commercial building? Request a quote, or call 587-920-1610 in Alberta or 236-473-1610 in BC.
Questions
Does Hightower work on this for commercial buildings only?
Yes. We design, install and support systems for commercial buildings only, including condos and apartments, offices, retail, industrial sites, schools and automotive businesses across Alberta and BC.
Can you take over an existing system like the one in this article?
Yes. System rescue is a core service. We regain admin access to systems you own, repair what we can, document everything and support it. See system rescue.
Where should I start if this is the system I need?
Start with our security cameras page, or request a quote. We have offices in Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer and Kelowna.