What affects the cost of security cameras for a commercial building?
A plain guide for property managers, condo boards and business owners in Alberta and BC. There are no prices here: every building is different, so we give you an itemized quote after a site visit.
The quick answer
Every building is different, so the cost depends on how many cameras you need, the type of camera each spot needs (indoor or outdoor, and how much detail it has to capture), and how long you want to keep the video. The fastest way to get a real number is a site visit and an itemized quote.
The main cost factors
| Factor | Why it changes the cost |
|---|---|
| Number of cameras | Each camera needs a mount, a cable run, storage for its video and, on many platforms, a licence, so the count drives most of the cost. |
| Indoor or outdoor, and cold ratings | Outdoor cameras need weatherproof housings rated for Alberta and BC winters, often with built-in heaters. Parkades, yards and rooftops need tougher mounts. |
| Image quality and analytics | Higher resolution, low-light and wide-angle cameras cost more, as do analytics such as people and vehicle detection or licence plate recognition. |
| Recording length and storage | Keeping video longer, from more cameras, at higher quality needs a bigger recorder or more storage. |
| Cabling and switches | Each camera needs a solid copper cable run and a port on a PoE network switch. Long runs and outbuildings may need fibre or a wireless link. |
| Software and licences | Some platforms charge a licence per camera plus an optional yearly support plan; others don’t. |
| Remote viewing and monitoring | Viewing on phones is usually part of the system. Remote video monitoring through our monitoring partner is an ongoing service, quoted as its own line. |
One-time and ongoing costs
One-time costs
- Cameras, mounts and housings
- The recorder or server and its storage
- Cabling, switches and the labour to install them
- Setting up views, remote access, training and documentation
Ongoing costs
- Software support plans or camera licences on some platforms
- Cloud storage, if you choose it
- Remote video monitoring through our monitoring partner
- Maintenance visits, camera cleaning and repairs
Ask any installer for the full cost of ownership over the years you plan to keep the system, not just the install. A system that’s cheaper to install can cost more to run.
Ways to keep the cost down
Reuse cameras and cable that are still good. Many platforms work with a wide range of camera brands, so a new recorder doesn’t always mean new cameras. See DVR to NVR upgrades.
Put the right camera in each spot. A hallway doesn’t need the same camera as a parkade entrance or a yard gate.
Keep video only as long as you need it. Shorter retention means less storage, and privacy guidance in Alberta and BC also says to keep it only as long as you need it.
Phase the work. Start with entrances, the parkade and the perimeter, then add more cameras on the same system.
Use solid copper cable. Cheap copper-clad aluminum (CCA) cable can drop voltage on PoE runs, so cameras reboot or drop out.
What’s in a Hightower quote
Every Hightower quote is itemized. It lists every camera, mount, recorder, hard drive, switch and licence, how many days of video the storage holds, with the make and model number of each part, the cabling, the labour, any licences, subscriptions or monitoring, and what we hand over at the end. Admin access and full documentation are handed over on every project.
That makes it easy to compare with other quotes line by line, see exactly what you’re paying for, and spot anything a cheaper quote has left out.
What to have ready for a quote
The areas you want covered and what you need to see in each: faces at the door, plates at the gate, or just activity in the lot.
The brand and age of any cameras and recorder you have today.
How long you want to keep video, who needs to view it, and whether you want remote video monitoring after hours.
Comparing platforms? Read Avigilon vs Genetec and Milestone vs Genetec.
Want a real number for your building?
Book a site visit. We’ll plan every camera view and give you an itemized quote with make and model numbers.
Related: security camerasAvigilon vs Genetecaccess control cost guidealarm cost guide
Stuck with a system nobody will fix?
We repair and take over cameras, access control, intercoms and alarms installed by other companies, when your current provider has fallen short.
Help: Export Avigilon video
Security camera cost questions
How much does a commercial camera system cost?
It depends on the number and type of cameras, the storage, the cabling and any monitoring. We don’t publish prices; after a site visit you get an itemized quote.
Can you reuse our existing cameras or wiring?
Often, yes. We check each camera model and cable run during the site visit and list what can stay.
Is cloud video cheaper than a recorder on site?
Not always. Cloud can mean less equipment at the building but an ongoing fee for each camera; a recorder on site has a one-time cost and needs maintenance. Compare the total over the years you plan to keep it.
Does keeping video longer cost more?
Yes. More days of video need more storage. We size storage to the retention you choose and show it in the quote.
Is remote video monitoring included?
It’s an ongoing service through our monitoring partner, so it’s quoted as its own line if you want it.
How long does installation take?
It depends on the number of cameras, the cabling and access to the building. Your quote includes a schedule.
Why don’t you publish prices?
Because a price without a site visit is a guess. Door hardware, cabling routes and what you already have change the cost from one building to the next, so we quote each building on its own.
More answers: Security camera questionsGlossary: NVRvideo analytics
Get an itemized quote
Tell us about the building, the areas you want covered and what you have today. We’ll follow up to book a site visit.
Call and a real person answers, 24/7 for emergencies.