House Pre-wired with ADT: Question

[ElGordo]

I recently purchased a house which is pre-wired with ADT by the previous
owner.

As someone who's never had a home security system, I have been trying to
find information, but the ADT website has less information than you'd think.
I would like to keep the system if the monitoring costs are affordable, and
I have a couple of questions. Hopefully you gurus can assist:


Would I only need to pay the monitoring costs for a home that is pre-wired
with ADT?

Are there measures I need to take to ensure that the system was not somehow
compromised before I move in?

Are there tests that I can perform to ensure that it is working properly?

How can I determine the amount of devices in the house- does this show on
the Control Panel, or do I need to manually count all of the mounted
devices?

How is the monthly cost determined by ADT- is this measured by the amount of
devices in the house?

I've read that the system is never fully "owned" by the owner. If so, will
ADT come and remove the devices if I do not pay the monitoring fee?

Is it possible to have a company other than ADT provide the monitoring
service (using this same equipment)?. In other words, is the equipment
generic enough to be reconfigured for another service?

 

[Crash Gordon®]

Inline:

I recently purchased a house which is pre-wired with ADT by the previous
owner.

As someone who's never had a home security system, I have been trying to
find information, but the ADT website has less information than you'd think.
I would like to keep the system if the monitoring costs are affordable, and
I have a couple of questions. Hopefully you gurus can assist:


Would I only need to pay the monitoring costs for a home that is pre-wired
with ADT?

If it is only prewired you will need to buy and have them install a system. Prices vary. BUT...anyone can install on someone else's prewire. I do it all the time and I also will warranty the wiring, after it is checked out.

Are there measures I need to take to ensure that the system was not somehow
compromised before I move in?

Not really unless your home is currently under-construction and you can physically inspect the wiring.

Are there tests that I can perform to ensure that it is working properly?

You can test each wiring for opens/shorts/shorts to ground with a meter if you have one. But this is generally the responsibility of the installing company to make sure your wiring is good before/during installation. If there is a major problem you can go back on the builder...personally...when I install on a prewire-by-others I take full responsibility for the wire and will fix (at no charge) to the buyer any problems.

How can I determine the amount of devices in the house- does this show on
the Control Panel, or do I need to manually count all of the mounted
devices?

Only if you have a system already installed. Not really sure what you mean here, as you've stated above the house is only prewired. If the walls are still opened you can check for locations of buried motion detectors, keypads, glassbreaks, etc.

How is the monthly cost determined by ADT- is this measured by the amount of
devices in the house?

With ADT?...can't tell you exactly except that it involves your credit rating...maybe. Most companies monitoring rate, especially for residences, is a flat rate...with maybe tiers of extras...extras would be opening/closings, alarmco response, etc. I like flat rate, makes billing easier.

My flat rate basic residential includes: alarms, restorals, troubles, panic, hold-up, restricted openings, DAILY test signals.

ADT will charge you extra for DAILY tests otherwise they'd go out of business with a million alarms testing daily on 800 lines.

I've read that the system is never fully "owned" by the owner. If so, will
ADT come and remove the devices if I do not pay the monitoring fee?

Depends on which particular contract you sign. I have one that says you own everything after the initial term of the contract (this one says 5 years), but on the back it says that the alarm panel itself is always the property of ADT.

Is it possible to have a company other than ADT provide the monitoring
service (using this same equipment)?. In other words, is the equipment
generic enough to be reconfigured for another service?

YES. However this question is confusing because you stated above that its only a prewire. Most of ADT equipment is "take-over-able"...especially if they haven't fired it up yet. MOST not all.

Think about...do you want to be ONE of a MILLION clients, or ONE of a few thousand or hundred. Ask around, ask your friends, see who they are using and if they're happy.

If you want personalized service you may want to go with a smaller company...the monthly fees are generally about the same or LESS.

 

[R.H.Campbell]

RHC: ONLY ! Costs in excess of $30 monthly are just that - excessive. You
can easily find quality monitoring services for far less than that with a
little shopping on your part, and without the onerous contract they will
force you to sign.

Would I only need to pay the monitoring costs for a home that is pre-wired
with ADT?

Are there measures I need to take to ensure that the system was not
somehow compromised before I move in?

RHC: Not much you can do there. Hopefully the board is not locked, and can
be defaulted back to factory for the reprogramming necessary for the next
company. At least locally, and to their credit, ADT never lock customer
fully owned and paid for boards.This seems to remain the unethical domain of
small, local alarmcos. If you use ADT, there will be no problem, since they
have the codes necessary to enter. If you deal with a reputable local
contractor, he probably knows their installer codes anyway. So either way,
you'll probably be all right here

Are there tests that I can perform to ensure that it is working properly?

RHC: Most alarm panels are set to 'auto test' weekly or daily. Other than
that, you will know if something is not working because you will be unable
to close the zone (unable to get your "ready" light).

How can I determine the amount of devices in the house- does this show on
the Control Panel, or do I need to manually count all of the mounted
devices?

RHC: This should be on your keypad but often isn't. It will likely be
written in some fashion inside the panel downstairs. If it isn't, it's easy
enough for your next company to tone it out.

How is the monthly cost determined by ADT- is this measured by the amount
of devices in the house?

RHC: Rates are determined by how much the market will bear. Often companies
will add extra monthly costs (for smokes etc) as a way of increasing that
all important monthly rate. Watch out for this one !

I've read that the system is never fully "owned" by the owner. If so, will
ADT come and remove the devices if I do not pay the monitoring fee?

RHC: In theory, yes. In practice, not always so. To spend a couple of
hundred dollars in labour to remove a panel and keypad worth $100, doesn't
make good business sense, unless they are trying to make a point. Also,
check your contract; it may only be a leased system and you don't own it. If
so, make absolutely sure your next company comes in to remove the panel and
keypad - don't let any previous company on site. When they come, simply hand
them the equipment in a box. (BTW, I have never had ADT pick up a leased
system after I removed it, but that may just be a local situation, I don't
know)

Is it possible to have a company other than ADT provide the monitoring
service (using this same equipment)?. In other words, is the equipment
generic enough to be reconfigured for another service?

RHC: Yes...probably, although they have been known to use proprietary
equipment. Either way, replacing a panel and keypad will quickly be saved if
you deal with a company with much lower monitoring rates (and you're far
more likely to get better service, AND you'll likely get much better and
more personalized monitoring )

My personal dislike of this company (as well as most large alarm
conglomerates) is well known, so be sure to view my comments in that light.
But it comes from years of doing takeovers from this company after they have
let the client down. Plus, I hate to admit it, but I am a third party ADT
dealer (through buyouts), and I am working hard to get my clients off their
station and on to a better one. I've only got a few left to go after which I
hope I never have to deal with this company again.

Again, my bias is clearly showing, so take my comments in that light...

R.H.Campbell
Home Security Metal Products
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
www.homemetal.com
www.flickr.com/photos/tourman

 

[ElGordo]

Thank you for the response. I realize that I was not clear in my original
post, as the house is pre-wired and also includes all of the ADT devices +
control panel.

I recently purchased a house which is pre-wired with ADT by the previous
owner.

As someone who's never had a home security system, I have been trying to
find information, but the ADT website has less information than you'd
think.
I would like to keep the system if the monitoring costs are affordable,
and
I have a couple of questions. Hopefully you gurus can assist:


Would I only need to pay the monitoring costs for a home that is pre-wired
with ADT?

If it is only prewired you will need to buy and have them install a system.
Prices vary. BUT...anyone can install on someone else's prewire. I do it all
the time and I also will warranty the wiring, after it is checked out.

Are there measures I need to take to ensure that the system was not
somehow
compromised before I move in?

Not really unless your home is currently under-construction and you can
physically inspect the wiring.

Are there tests that I can perform to ensure that it is working properly?

You can test each wiring for opens/shorts/shorts to ground with a meter if
you have one. But this is generally the responsibility of the installing
company to make sure your wiring is good before/during installation. If
there is a major problem you can go back on the builder...personally...when
I install on a prewire-by-others I take full responsibility for the wire and
will fix (at no charge) to the buyer any problems.

How can I determine the amount of devices in the house- does this show on
the Control Panel, or do I need to manually count all of the mounted
devices?

Only if you have a system already installed. Not really sure what you mean
here, as you've stated above the house is only prewired. If the walls are
still opened you can check for locations of buried motion detectors,
keypads, glassbreaks, etc.

How is the monthly cost determined by ADT- is this measured by the amount
of
devices in the house?

With ADT?...can't tell you exactly except that it involves your credit
rating...maybe. Most companies monitoring rate, especially for residences,
is a flat rate...with maybe tiers of extras...extras would be
opening/closings, alarmco response, etc. I like flat rate, makes billing
easier.

My flat rate basic residential includes: alarms, restorals, troubles, panic,
hold-up, restricted openings, DAILY test signals.

ADT will charge you extra for DAILY tests otherwise they'd go out of
business with a million alarms testing daily on 800 lines.

I've read that the system is never fully "owned" by the owner. If so, will
ADT come and remove the devices if I do not pay the monitoring fee?

Depends on which particular contract you sign. I have one that says you own
everything after the initial term of the contract (this one says 5 years),
but on the back it says that the alarm panel itself is always the property
of ADT.

Is it possible to have a company other than ADT provide the monitoring
service (using this same equipment)?. In other words, is the equipment
generic enough to be reconfigured for another service?

YES. However this question is confusing because you stated above that its
only a prewire. Most of ADT equipment is "take-over-able"...especially if
they haven't fired it up yet. MOST not all.

Think about...do you want to be ONE of a MILLION clients, or ONE of a few
thousand or hundred. Ask around, ask your friends, see who they are using
and if they're happy.

If you want personalized service you may want to go with a smaller
company...the monthly fees are generally about the same or LESS.

 

[ElGordo]

Great- thank you for the response. I plan on getting a quote from ADT and
then looking at my options with local firms in comparison.

 

[R.H.Campbell]

Sir, may I suggest you get at least three quotes in total. Compare your
total five year costs (regardless of the length of the contract)
including...cost of monitoring X 60 months, cost of at least one service
call, cost of warranty coverage. The costs that are often not taken into
account are the costs of service and exactly what is covered by warranty and
what isn't. This can be quite expensive with some companies.

For more information on how to shop and what to look for, may I suggest you
follow this link...

www3.sympatico.ca/rh.campbell/howto.htm

R.H.Campbell
Home Security Metal Products
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
www.homemetal.com
www.flickr.com/photos/tourman

 

[ElGordo]

After speaking with ADT, I was told that the security devices were installed
by a local authorized dealer in January. I was told by ADT that I would
need to re-activate the system directly through this authorized dealer to
continue service.

I spoke with the local dealer, and they quoted me the same price as ADT
estimated, $34.99 per month for burglary and fire. I asked specifically
about the cost per incident, and was told that there is no additional cost
aside from the monthly fee.

It was my understanding that, since the equipment is less than 2 months old,
I would need to continue the current monitoring contract. I will still call
around to get a second opinion on service options-

 

[R.H.Campbell]

What likely happened was the other party moved and left the existing system
in your home. If they had not fully paid for the system by the time they
moved, they likely would have had to buy the contract out, or agree to put
another monitored system in their new home

So if you own the system outright, you can now shop for much better pricing,
service and monitoring from any number of providers in your area. One way to
find smaller dealers is to walk around your area and look at the decals
placed on homes. Companies may not necessarily advertise in the Yellow
Pages; that is often not cost effective for smaller companies considering
the high cost of ads (overheads boost cost which boost your monthly rate
etc). I don't even bother to have a phone book listing; like most small
dealers, all my business comes through word of mouth referrals or off my
website.

If you decide to go with ADT or one of their dealers, make sure that
replacement backup batteries are covered. Assuming all else continues to
work well, you WILL need to replace that every three years, and many
companies do not cover "consumables" under warranty.

Good luck in your search

RHC

 

[ElGordo]

Thank you for your time and the excellent advice. I will be sure to compare
costs and features of the local providers in my area.

This newsgroup has provided me with some very useful information.

Regards,
Chris

 

[Crash Gordon®]

Since you now own the home you're not necessarily locked into ADT.

Open the alarm panel box and see what Brand & Model # it is. Like we've said before "most" ADT systems are take-over-able. If you post the brand/model # here we can tell you if it may be possible - IF the panel programming is not locked - and there is sometimes a way around that too.

 

[Crash Gordon®]

ps...ADT will escalate your monitoring fees, so don't count on 34.99 a month being locked in...and..34.99 is high.

I bet you can find a good locally owned company that will monitor for 24.00 p/m and even if you don't get ONE free battery every 3 years, the amount you'd save (120.00 per year) over the term of your contract would be more than enough to pay for a battery and a few service calls.

 

[R.H.Campbell]

Pricing varies greatly by region. In our region for example, here is the
pricing ranges:

Raw monitoring only from a select few companies...usually for Do It
Yourselfers because service is spotty and expensive if it's even available
(or needed).....$9.99 monthly

Service from small companies, with varying degrees of service and warranty
built in....$15 to $20 monthly, term contracts from monthly only, up to
three years

Service from larger companies, with varying amounts of service and warranty
built in...$22 to $29 monthly, ALWAYS with a restrictive long term contract
built in

Service from ADT with varying amounts of service and warranty built
in....$30 and up with "sky's the limit"

RHC

ps...ADT will escalate your monitoring fees, so don't count on 34.99 a month
being locked in...and..34.99 is high.

I bet you can find a good locally owned company that will monitor for 24.00
p/m and even if you don't get ONE free battery every 3 years, the amount
you'd save (120.00 per year) over the term of your contract would be more
than enough to pay for a battery and a few service calls.

 

[Crash Gordon®]

We're pretty close here:

9-12 bucks; down and dirty guys...no test, no restorals, some dont even describe the zone...just alarm, panic, low batt, ac fail...real basic.

18-24 small-medium companies...all signals...contracts

ADT here seems to be at 34.95 right now. Dunno about Brinks and the other guys though.

There's a couple of high end co/s here that are more money than I but offer less - weekly test instead of daily, $85.00 per hour service calls...that kinda thing.

My service rate is much less for monitored clients...but I do charge more for local service, so monitored clients get discounts on labor, parts, batteries and spiffs for referrals

 

[R.H.Campbell]

Interesting ! Virtually no local company around will have anything to do
with non monitored systems, whether they originally installed them or
otherwise. When I first began, I installed about 50 "local" systems but
quickly learned the futility of that, both from a quality of protection
perspective as well as an RMR perspective. I won't leave these guys in the
lurch, but my service is fully chargeable. Other local systems installed by
other companies, I (nor most other companies ) won't touch for any amount of
money....

RHC


We're pretty close here:

9-12 bucks; down and dirty guys...no test, no restorals, some dont even
describe the zone...just alarm, panic, low batt, ac fail...real basic.

18-24 small-medium companies...all signals...contracts

ADT here seems to be at 34.95 right now. Dunno about Brinks and the other
guys though.

There's a couple of high end co/s here that are more money than I but offer
less - weekly test instead of daily, $85.00 per hour service calls...that
kinda thing.

My service rate is much less for monitored clients...but I do charge more
for local service, so monitored clients get discounts on labor, parts,
batteries and spiffs for referrals

 

[Crash Gordon®]

I have about 800 locals. Not really, by choice, we used to do a LOT of new construction builders and ya really can't lock new home buyers into monitoring (at least back then) without causing some friction somewhere...so we did them along with the rest. Also there are some monitored clients that went local for one reason or another...I don't alienate anyone, and they KNOW they are paying higher service rates...but at least someone will be there for them. And ya know what?...some end up coming back to monitoring...so it's not a bad thing.

As far as new local installs...if they want to pay the price...I'll put it in. I did one last friday in fact. Apparently, no one else will around here either. Thing is, when questioned a lot of these people really want monitoring but not right now!...seriously, some are just afraid of their coming up with their monthly nut in a new house and they end up being monitored in a few months...or a year!...what do I care? I make money either way.


I still have a lot of prewired homes out there too

 

[Crash Gordon®]

By the way...locals don't get priority service either. They have to wait till I have time to do them, and I let them know that monitored clients come first....they seem fine with that!...hey it's a living!

So? Why not do them, if you have a tech sitting around doing nothing...or I shedule them for when I have another job nearby.

 

[R.H.Campbell]

I don't do them not because of the money angle, but because by putting in
local systems, I really think all I'm doing is helping customers short
change themselves. I don't charge much for monitoring, and I won't install
without it. Also, I don't have time for toy alarms (definition...squawk in
the box wireless systems,non monitored systems of any type). My business is
professional security, and without monitoring, an alarm is virtually useless
for anything other than making an annoying noise. Alarms are about response,
not noise !! Frankly, I wouldn't care if they paid me double; I won't waste
my time. Most other companies in our area wisely think the same way
(although with many, it may be as much about the RMR as anything
else....(pardon my cynicism....)

That's my story and I'm sticking to it....))

RHC

By the way...locals don't get priority service either. They have to wait
till I have time to do them, and I let them know that monitored clients come
first....they seem fine with that!...hey it's a living!

 

[Crash Gordon®]

I totally agree.

I've only put one in in the past 6 months...because i know she's gonna eventually be monitored (former monitored client who cant afford mon. now).

But I can't abandon all those locals out there (from years ago) when they call...every call is an opportunity to sell them monitoring anyway.

 

[Aegis]

ps...ADT will escalate your monitoring fees, so don't count on 34.99 a month
being locked in...and..34.99 is high.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ That's a "getcha sued" statement
(whether or not it's true)

I bet you can find a good locally owned company that will monitor for 24.00
p/m and even if you don't get ONE free battery every 3 years, the amount
you'd save (120.00 per year) over the term of your contract would be more
than enough to pay for a battery and a few service calls.

 

[Crash Gordon®]

Sued for what?

ps...ADT will escalate your monitoring fees, so don't count on 34.99 a month
being locked in...and..34.99 is high.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ That's a "getcha sued" statement
(whether or not it's true)

I bet you can find a good locally owned company that will monitor for 24.00
p/m and even if you don't get ONE free battery every 3 years, the amount
you'd save (120.00 per year) over the term of your contract would be more
than enough to pay for a battery and a few service calls.