01
Knowing They Got Home
A notification when the kids are through the door after school, and the option to look if you want to.
Back to Security
Home Security · Guided Decision
Find the security setup that fits your home.
Most home security decisions come down to two questions: what do you actually want to be able to see, and what is already wired into the house. Work through both and the equipment, the platform, and the monthly cost mostly answer themselves.
2Platforms — Ajax or Alarm.com
OptionalProfessional monitoring*
1Configured system + walkthrough
Section 01
What's Prompting This?
What's Prompting This?
Most people arrive here with a specific moment in mind rather than a fear. Naming yours is the fastest way to the right system.
02
Seeing the Door
Who is on the step, whether the parcel arrived, and being able to speak to them from wherever you are.
03
Checking In While Away
A quick look at the house while you are at work, at the lake, or away for a week.
04
Knowing What Happened
If something does happen, a clear recording is worth considerably more than an alarm nobody heard.
Section 02
Wired, Wireless, or Both
Wired, Wireless, or Both
The deciding factor is usually the house rather than the camera. Where cable already exists — a new build, or a home with a camera rough-in — hardwired is the stronger choice for entrances and driveways. In a finished home without it, modular wireless equipment is normally the sensible route.
| Type | Power | Reliability | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery + Wi-Fi | Battery | Depends on charge + signal | Rentals, temporary placements |
| PoE Hardwired (Cat5/6) | Network cable | Constant power over the cable | Entrances, driveways, perimeter — where cable exists |
| Hybrid (wired core + battery add-ons) | Mixed | High | Large homes needing flexibility |
Conditions: retrofitting cable into a finished home is generally not worth the disruption. Continuous on-site recording applies to wired camera packages with a recorder, not to every system. Hardwired cameras still depend on your home network for remote viewing.
Section 03
Start Where It Matters, Add Later
Start Where It Matters, Add Later
A security system does not have to arrive all at once. Cover the places that matter first, then expand — and understand what moves the price as you do.
01
Start With the Entrances
Front door, back door, and the driveway cover most of what people actually want to see. Everything else is an addition, not a prerequisite.
02
Camera Count + Resolution
Four cameras versus twelve is a real difference. Higher-resolution sensors cost more and hold usable detail further from the lens; the resolution on your cameras is the one listed in your package.
03
Cable Routing
Running cable through a finished basement is harder than a stud-wall new build — which is why we ask early whether a rough-in already exists. We scope it honestly.
04
Recording + Storage
Where a package includes an on-site recorder, its drive capacity sets how many days of footage you keep. How much that buys depends on camera count, resolution, and whether recording is continuous or motion-triggered.
Conditions: these are cost drivers, not a price list, and camera specifications, storage, alert types, and two-way talk vary by device model and package. Your quote lists the equipment that applies to your system.
Section 04
Control, Monitoring, and Handoff
Control, Monitoring, and Handoff
Who watches the system, what it costs monthly, and who holds the accounts are the questions worth settling before install — not after.
| Step | Action | Who Does It |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Share priority areas — and whether a camera rough-in exists | You |
| 2 | K-Jay recommends a platform, layout, and equipment list | K-Jay Electric |
| 3 | Approve the design + price | You |
| 4 | Install — mounting, cabling where applicable, app setup | K-Jay Electric |
| 5 | Walkthrough + handoff — the accounts are yours | K-Jay Electric |
Conditions: Ajax and Alarm.com are separate ecosystems with their own apps and accounts — Ajax is our recommended route when it fits the home and can run without a monitoring subscription, while Alarm.com hardware requires one. Devices on the same platform share one app; equipment from different ecosystems does not. Security work does not normally follow the electrical permit and inspection path that EV and solar do, but a monitored system may require a one-time homeowner registration with your municipality — we confirm what applies to your address. Monitoring is offered on both platforms at different costs. Pricing, provider, response scope, contract and cancellation terms, and device eligibility are set out in your quote — this site does not publish costs for any service. This guide does not publish a quote turnaround time.
Section 05
Building a New Home?
Building a New Home?
In a home that has not been finished yet, one decision made now keeps every later option open.
01
The Camera Rough-In
K-Jay builder homes can include a Cat5 camera rough-in chosen during construction. It is what makes a hardwired camera path practical later on.
02
Ask Your Builder
The rough-in is selected through your builder's sales team during construction, not through this intake.
03
Already Finished?
Without that cable, we normally recommend modular wireless rather than fishing cable through finished walls.
04
Either Way, Add As You Go
Wired or wireless, the system can start with the entrances and expand as you want more covered.
Conditions: the camera rough-in is a builder-selected construction option; its scope and pricing are confirmed by your builder's sales team, not on this page.
Reviewed 24 August 2026 by K-Jay Electric. Figures in this guide are general or typical values, not a specification for any package. Camera resolution, recording behaviour, alert types, storage, app access, and subscription requirements vary by platform, device model, and package — the ones that apply to you are listed in your quote. Next scheduled review: 24 February 2027.
Know What You Want Covered?
Let’s design your coverage.
Tell us what you want covered, and whether your home already has a camera rough-in. We'll recommend a platform, design the system, and send you a quote.