What a security system service agreement is for
Camera and alarm systems fail quietly: a drive fills up, a battery dies, a camera gets bumped. Owners find out the day they need the footage. A yearly check and priority service for a set monthly price prevents that, and it is the recurring income that steadies a security business.
What to put on a security system service agreement
- Devices and locations covered.
- Yearly check of recording, sensors and batteries.
- Firmware updates.
- Priority service rate.
- Monitoring kept separate.
- Price, billing and cancellation.
A worked example
A small business with eight cameras and an alarm wants a yearly check and priority service.
| Line | Qty | Unit | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly system check | 1 | visit | Your price |
| Firmware updates and recording test | 1 | hour | Your price |
| Sensor battery replacement | 6 | each | Your price |
Keep monitoring out of this agreement; the central station has its own. Adapt the rest as a template, which is not legal advice.
Line items security installers use
| Line item | Unit | How to write it |
|---|---|---|
| Camera, supplied and installed | each | Type, resolution and mounting location. |
| Network video recorder | each | Channels and storage size. |
| Cable run, Cat6 | ft | Attic, wall fish or exterior; jacks and labels. |
| Alarm panel and keypad | each | Brand, zones and communicator. |
| Door and window sensors | each | Wired or wireless, per opening. |
| Motion detector | each | Pet-immune where needed. |
| Video doorbell | each | Wired to the chime or battery. |
| Smart lock | each | Door prep and app setup. |
| Network switch with PoE | each | Ports and power budget. |
| App setup and owner training | hour | Phones set up and the owner shown how to use it. |
| Yearly system check | visit | Cameras, recording, batteries and sensors tested. |
| Alarm permit | each | Where the city requires one from the owner. |
Terms and deposit language for security system
- Deposit. A deposit at booking covers cameras, recorders and panels bought for the job. Follow your state's deposit rules for home improvement and low voltage work.
- Payment. Balance due at install, after the system is tested and the owner's phone is set up.
- Warranty. Equipment is under the maker's warranty. You warrant your install and cabling for the time stated. Damage from storms, power surges and tampering is not covered.
- Monitoring, if chosen, is provided by a central station under its own contract.
- The owner keeps the admin passwords; you keep only what you need to service the system, with permission.
- Wi-Fi and internet service are the owner's; cameras that rely on them are only as steady as that service.
How to fill it in
- Fill in the customer and the start and end dates.
- List what each visit includes and how many visits a year.
- Add your price per line; the plan shows a yearly total, and a monthly figure if billed monthly.
- Fill in what is not covered and the renewal and cancellation terms.
- Check your state's rules, then print it for signatures.
Free tools for security system
- Security camera installation cost calculator
- Maintenance plan pricing calculator
- Labor rate calculator
- Estimate generator
The same service agreement for other trades: appliance repair, auto detailing, carpentry, carpet cleaning, chimney, house cleaning, commercial cleaning, concrete, deck, drywall, duct cleaning, electrical, fence, flooring, garage door, general contractor, glass, gutter, handyman, holiday lighting, home inspection, hood cleaning, hvac, insulation, irrigation, junk removal, landscaping, lawn care, locksmith, masonry, moving, painting, pest control, plumbing, pool service, pressure washing, property maintenance, remodeling, restoration, roofing, septic, siding, snow removal, solar, tile, tree service, water treatment, waterproofing, window cleaning, window and door.
More for security installers: how security installers run on Koira.