What is important in budgeting your access control & surveillance project?

Companies must decide what credential they will give to the users to allow access. A credential that is a simple key fob would cost less than a credential that has a photo of the user and is also used as the employee’s badge.

Explore cutting edge options like PoE or Bluetooth locks to save on cabling costs and cut down on the hardware needed in a traditional access control systems.

Stand alone systems that do not connect to other sites require less programming and set-up than a system that controls multiple sites.

Will the door lock mechanism be required to integrate with the facility fire alarm panel? A system that must integrate with the fire alarm will cost more than one that does not. It will also require multiple trades to install.

Remember, there are many entry points on a corporate campus and interior office space. Beyond standard interior and exterior doors, you should also consider elevators, parking gates and turnstiles. Some of our clients also use access control for the IT rooms or private offices.

Historically, analog access control systems have dominated the market. Analog Access Control Systems require more cabling and infrastructure to support them. Recently, IP based systems have emerged and through ethernet cabling and “edge” door controllers have started to lower costs.

What type of lock will be used? The lock will vary from door to door. A typical electric strike on an office door may only cost a few hundred dollars while a typical electric vertical rod system in a storefront glass door may cost several thousands of dollars.

Typically, we see our clients keeping video records for about thirty days. This one is pretty straight forward. The more storage you need, the more expensive it will be. If the need arises, you can also back your video up off site which can add cost to the system but may lower storage hardware costs up front.

A system that includes a Video Management Software is typically more expensive than a system that utilizes a DVR with software built in. A VMS system will allow for far more functionality. Mobile apps, analytics, and more control of how you capture events come standard with many VMS systems out of the box.

Outdoor cameras are commonly more expensive than indoor cameras. This has to due with the fact that they are more rugged to take on the elements and are sometimes mounted on costly poles.

Cameras that can pan, tilt, or zoom based on your control are typically more costly than those that have a fixed view. Higher resolution (more megapixels) that use digital zoom can also increase cost, lower resolutions can decrease.

Some cameras provide onboard storage and analytics. Others use wide dynamic range (WDR) to manage lighting effects on the image. This added functionality is perfect for many applications and will affect cost.

Wouldn’t it be nice to see who is presenting their badge at the door to ensure it is actually them and not another employee or a burglar? This coupled with the analytics that an integrated system can provide can be helpful to your loss prevention team.

Yes, they still make Analog Cameras. You won’t find us recommending them very often but in environments where existing coax cable is very costly to replace we see some end users opting to use analog HD cameras. They offer low resolutions and are a poor substitute for IP Cameras but can get the job done for the most basic of installs.

Where is the project located? Some parts of the country are more expensive than others. Some rural areas may require travel due to availability of the field resources which could increase cost.

Type of environment will impact price. Class A Office, Distribution Center, Manufacturing, Retail, Indoor vs. Outdoor could all impact overall cost.

Projects being installed with a Union Labor requirement will be more expensive than projects without the requirement. Some projects require a prevailing wage to be paid to a technician which can also increase costs.

Permitting varies from state to state and city to city. One city may not require anything more than an application form to receive a permit, while others may want full engineered drawings that go through a plan review process. The full set of engineered drawings carries a substantial price tag that elevates the overall system cost. Another consideration is the time required if the review process is a requirement.

New construction will typically be less expensive than renovation.

Local codes can drive cost as they vary in requirement. For instance, in some locations across the U.S. all overhead cable must run in conduit while others can be supported with J-Hooks in the ceiling.

Pathways can contribute greatly to overall system costs. Costs of core holes sizing and cutting slab for conduits needs to be considered in your budgeting process.

What type of structure is being built? A system in a manufacturing plant is developed completely different than a high rise office building. An apartment complex can reuse the same templates for each building; this saves design time and costs.

Normal working hours will be less expensive than after hours or weekends.