If you are about to buy CCTV for your business, the first question is almost always the same: what is it going to cost? The honest answer is that it depends on the site, but the price is not a mystery. A handful of factors decide it, and once you understand them you can read a quote with confidence.
A rough guide to business CCTV prices
UK price guides vary, and prices are higher in London and the South East. As a broad starting point:
- Small premises (shop, small office, four cameras): often in the low thousands of pounds, installed.
- Medium sites (larger office, warehouse, multi-unit): commonly a few thousand pounds up to around £5,000 or more, depending on camera count and cabling.
- Large or complex sites: priced after a survey, because cable routes, mounting heights, lighting and recording needs vary so much.
Per camera, industry guides commonly quote a few hundred pounds for a single HD camera supplied and fitted, before extras such as long cable runs. Treat any figure you read online, including these, as a guide only. A written quote from a surveyed site is the only number that matters.
What drives the price up or down
Number and type of cameras
Fixed dome and bullet cameras cost less than pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) models. Higher resolution (4K), wide dynamic range and good low-light performance cost more, but they are often the difference between footage you can use and footage you cannot.
Cabling and power
Labour and cable are frequently a bigger part of the bill than the cameras. A camera on a high gable at the far end of a yard needs more cable, more time and sometimes access equipment than one inside a reception area.
Recording and storage
The recorder (NVR) and the hard drives need to be sized for how many cameras you have and how many days of footage you want to keep. More days and higher resolution mean more storage.
Remote viewing and monitoring
Viewing live footage on your phone is now standard. Having a monitoring centre watch your cameras and respond to events is a separate, ongoing service and is priced as such.
Lighting and extras
Good CCTV needs good light. Sometimes the best improvement is a floodlight rather than a better camera. Signage, access equipment and integration with your intruder alarm or access control also add to the scope.
Running costs to plan for
- Maintenance: cameras get dirty, drift out of position and fail. An annual service keeps the picture sharp.
- Cloud storage or remote monitoring: optional, usually a monthly fee.
- Data protection: most businesses pay an annual data protection fee to the ICO and need clear signs. Our guide to CCTV, GDPR and signage explains what is required.
How to compare quotes properly
- Ask for the quote itemised: cameras, recorder, storage in days, cabling, labour, commissioning and training.
- Check the resolution and the lens, not just the camera count.
- Ask what is covered by the warranty and who looks after the system afterwards.
- Ask for a site plan showing where each camera will be and what it will see.
- Make sure the quote names the number of days of recording you will get.
The cheapest quote is rarely the cheapest system
A system that records unusable footage, fails in the dark or needs replacing in two years is poor value at any price. The aim is a system that does the job you bought it for: deterring crime, identifying people, protecting staff and settling disputes.
If you would like a straightforward price for your site, our engineers can survey it for free and put the options in writing. Take a look at our CCTV and surveillance service or call us on 01296 614440.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a CCTV installation take?
A small system of around four cameras can often be fitted in a day. Larger sites with long cable runs, several buildings or specialist mounting can take several days and may need more than one visit.
Can I install business CCTV myself?
Simple systems can be self-fitted, but positioning, cabling, weatherproofing, image quality at night and data protection compliance are where DIY installs often fall short. A professional install is usually the safer choice for a business.
Are there monthly costs for CCTV?
Local recording to an on-site recorder can avoid subscriptions. Cloud storage, remote monitoring and maintenance contracts are optional extras that add a monthly or annual cost.