Homesecure vs HKC

Harshad

Any thoughts on choosing between HomeSecure or HKC alarm systems?

Below is my analysis but open to correction

HomeSecure

• Cheap installation
• High monthly cost
• Nice app

Question?

• Lock-in post contract termination - to do monitoring via the app you are stuck with them and have to pay high monthly charges? or can easily switch to using Ajax app or since it's a Zerowire panel can we change it?

HKC Alarms

• High Upfront cost
• Cheap monthly cost
• The app is not that great compared to Homesecure
• No lock-in

Also, I think Homesecure installs Shock sensors but I see in some discussions that Homesecure don't offer perimeter protection - is it because the shock sensors are not included in the basic package?

Let's say I'm stuck with Homesecure for two years contract and have to pay 29.95 pm monitoring fee which comes around 718.8 eur for two years and I decide to break away from the monthly monitoring fee and just want to use the alarm with self-monitoring would it be a better option compared to using HKC?

HKC quote comes around 950 installation fee (gsm wifi, 8 shock sensors, 5 contact sensors, 1 motion sensor etc.) and yearly fee of 67 eur

1Voice87

@Harshad so Homesecure offer a minimum 12month contract. After 36 months you own the system and the App still works as a stand alone system.

€49 installation fee plus €29.95p/m for 36 months = €1,127.

HKC pricing above after 3yrs is €1,151 but you need to keep paying the SIM card fees. The Ajax system will work via a broadband connection no SIM needed.

HomeSecure offer whatever style system you require and perimeter is offered as standard.

Above price includes a mix of 7 sensors e.g 1 contact for the front door, 1 motion sensor and 5 shock.

I wouldn’t directly compare a HKC to HomeSecure. HKC offers you an SMS self monitored price for €1,151. If your alarm goes off you will need to investigate yourself. It is not considered “dual verified” and does don’t include an annual service fee your installer will charge you. If you list your alarm on your insurance it needs to be serviced every 12 months.

HomeSecure price includes the system, the installation, servicing and the monitoring. I.e. your alarm goes off and someone will call you and/or your keyholders to advise and check if everything is ok. If it’s a genuine alert they will notify The Gardai via an alert system that requires them to attend a “dual verified” alarm.

Google: Garda policy on Monitored Intruder Alarms

I hope this helps.

kub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119815633#Comment_119815633

You did not mention that the HKC communicator has the capability to connect to the outside world in the event of a power cut as it has a World Sim onboard and is not completely reliant on a router which will obviously fail in that circumstance.

Also HKC is the market leader and most installation companies are well experienced with same, so one is not necessarily tied to one installation company or left to the mercy of social media for technical assistance.

Harshad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119815633#Comment_119815633

thanks - I'm not planning to list the alarm in the home insurance as in my opinion the risk is not worth the small discount they provide incase the alarm is not turned on due to human error

Also, I guess post the contract period where we own the system - what about the service options and parts replacement if we don't continue to pay for homesecure?

For HKC, the parts replacement is cheap (20 eur to replace a faulty sensor) and can be done by any installer. The annual service fee seems to be 100 eur.

Post 3-year period, HKC costs 67 euro plus some occasional annual service fee whereas with home secure you are just left with yourself with less flexibility/benefits?

bk

Another option is to DIY install an AJAX alarm, the same alarm that Homesecure use.

You can get all the parts online and install is pretty straight forward. Lots of folks over on the Home Automation Forum have installed it themselves.

Self monitoring over broadband is then free, if you want backup for monitoring over SIM card, then you need to put your own world SIM card in and pay for that, probably no more then €20 per year, but not required.

Easy to buy and install replacement parts yourself later.

Of course with this setup you are self monitoring, rather then a monitoring center. You need to decide for yourself the value of such remote monitoring. Personally I rather save the money and buy a few very cheap IP cameras to keep an eye on the place along with self monitoring. But others may have a different opinion.

ULMarc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119832044#Comment_119832044

Where can the AJAX equipment be purchased from? They list only Homesecure as a seller.

bk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119833466#Comment_119833466

https://www.megateh.eu/products/ajax-wireless-security-systems-and-smart-home

https://best-alarm-system-webshop.eu/en/order-directly/

Amazon.co.uk also has some systems and components.

You could also consider the Hikvision AX Pro system, which seems very similar.

Check out this thread for experiences of people who bought it from these sites and installed it themselves:

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058052081/smart-intruder-alarms#latest

Jjjjjjjjbarry

Homesecure have two options. The cheaper option is 5x motions sensors but no window sensors (30 quid a month). The more expensive option (for me anyway) is one motion sensor and window sensors on every window that an adult could get in. Both options have door sensors.

What do people generally go for? Cheaper is obviously better on the pocket but is it the smart move?

arbrahul

I have Home secure and finished the three years contract. Contacted the support asking for a reduced rate (as promised by the salesman three years ago) as I already paid for the system. The answer was no, I will be moved to a three-month rolling contract and continue to pay the same amount of money! If I decide to not pay, I own the system, but as per the lady, I will lose access to the app! I am thinking of getting rid of this and moving to ring or something like that which is just 10 euro a month for monitored option.

davidconroy46

Forward your number regarding your issue.

bk

"What do people generally go for? Cheaper is obviously better on the pocket but is it the smart move?"

A typical alarm setup would have door/window sensor on every door and window plus at least one motion sensor but ideally two or more depending on the configuration of your home.

The door/window sensors are very handy as they can remind you that you have left a window open when leaving the house. An open window being an attraction for a thief.

But the other reason is that they allow the alarm to trigger earlier, before the burglar is even in your house and hopefully scare them away. Also to get Garda response two sensors need to be triggered, so a window + motion sensor or otherwise two motion sensors, which means the burglar has to be wondering through multiple rooms of your home.

The attraction of the AJAX alarm IMO is the wide variety of more advanced sensors, like glass break sensors, curtain PIR's, external PIR's, etc.

Personally if you are just going to get the bog basic window and motion sensors, I'd go with a DIY system like Ring. Or self install Ajax or AX Pro.

"I will lose access to the app!"

That doesn't seem right! From what they have said in the past, your entire system + app should continue to work.

Perhaps they mean you lose access to the Homesecure branded app, but need to install the Ajax app instead. Perhaps reach out to Ajax (the company who makes the alarm system) for help.