Pre-wired house, but...

positron

Apologies for the noob question that I am about to ask...

This house was build some twenty years ago, and has alarm wires coming to all doors and windows and to where the alarm bell should be in the outside wall etc. However, the sensors or the system itself was never put in.

Now I am getting a new extension put in at the rear of the house, and before the extension, there were a four core wire coming to the kitchen window and another four core wire to the patio door.

I am wondering if there is a way to get these two four cores to extend and serve for the 5 windows windows and the new door.

Builder's electrician said he can't even extend the existing cable as he's not qualified, and he recommends getting a wireless system, which I appreciate.

Any thoughts on what I should consider going forward? I am thinking:

* After reading thru the expert opinion and comments here, I understand wireless systems are very capable, but costs more to buy and to maintain (battery, although it's not much).

* If this house is pre-wired (which I think it is), were is the panel where all these cables are coming together? Where do they usually install it?

* A motion sensor outside and two inside would be nice.

I guess I should speak to an alarm installation person? Although I would love to DIY some as well.

Thanks for reading thru. Any thoughts much appreciated!

KoolKid

positron wrote: »

I am wondering if there is a way to get these two four cores to extend and serve for the 5 windows windows and the new door.

Builder's electrician said he can't even extend the existing cable as he's not qualified, and he recommends getting a wireless system, which I appreciate.

Any thoughts on what I should consider going forward?

He's not qualified to run low voltage cable? If he's saying he can't do this get a new electrician.First fix wiring does not fall under PSA licencing either so don't let him fob you off with that.
If you are building & wiring anyway wired is the preferable option. Sounds like he's just looking for the lazy way out saying wireless.

positron wrote: »

* After reading thru the expert opinion and comments here, I understand wireless systems are very capable, but costs more to buy and to maintain (battery, although it's not much).

* If this house is pre-wired (which I think it is), were is the panel where all these cables are coming together? Where do they usually install it?

Thats correct wired would be preferable and cheaper device for device.
Cables could be located , in the hot press , utility room or under the stairs.
The may be covered by a blank plate on the wall. They could also be behind the fuseboard.

positron wrote: »

* A motion sensor outside and two inside would be nice.

2 inside would be the norm. Hall & landing,

positron wrote: »

I guess I should speak to an alarm installation person? Although I would love to DIY some as well.

By all means get some independent advice here, because it seems your electrician, and possibly your builder, are not being very honest with you.
You can bet if this electrician was PSA licenced he would be telling you a different story.
The amount of people I come across lately who end up spending more on their security system because their builder or electrician told them wireless was better when the building was being first fixed. Pure laziness,!!!

altor

positron wrote: »

Apologies for the noob question that I am about to ask...

This house was build some twenty years ago, and has alarm wires coming to all doors and windows and to where the alarm bell should be in the outside wall etc. However, the sensors or the system itself was never put in.

Now I am getting a new extension put in at the rear of the house, and before the extension, there were a four core wire coming to the kitchen window and another four core wire to the patio door.

I am wondering if there is a way to get these two four cores to extend and serve for the 5 windows windows and the new door.

Builder's electrician said he can't even extend the existing cable as he's not qualified, and he recommends getting a wireless system, which I appreciate.

Any thoughts on what I should consider going forward? I am thinking:

* After reading thru the expert opinion and comments here, I understand wireless systems are very capable, but costs more to buy and to maintain (battery, although it's not much).

* If this house is pre-wired (which I think it is), were is the panel where all these cables are coming together? Where do they usually install it?

* A motion sensor outside and two inside would be nice.

I guess I should speak to an alarm installation person? Although I would love to DIY some as well.

Thanks for reading thru. Any thoughts much appreciated!

I would look at having a hybrid system installed if cabling to locations is an issue. This will allow you use the cables you have plus add wire free devices where no cables are installed. If the cables can be extended then this is also an option. Just make sure the joins on these cables are done correctly as if they are in behind the wall you may not be able to get at them if there is any problems down the road.

positron

Thank you both.

I agree about people not wanting to do the job and giving excuses - very infuriating.

I found the clump of cables sticking out in the hotpress. Apparently regulation no longer allow installing control panel in hotpress. Two choices are either to install it outside, a little bit higher and out of the way, or to extend all the cables by couple of meters and install it in the attic. I got a couple of quotes on doing full alarm install with approximately similar number of sensors, and the one quote was half the other.

Thanks again, this is a great area to sink a lot of time and money, but now that I have started reading up on it, and the possibility of hooking up to the broadband, IP cameras etc, I have to a lot more to read. For the builders to close up the walls, I've extended the alarm cables myself (sourced four core alarm cable at nearest friendly wholesaler, junction boxes thingees for a clean join etc) and left cables around where I want sensors fitted.

Thanks again!