Nobody publishes what it actually costs to install security cameras, which is why every homeowner researching this ends up comparing a $499 big-box bundle against a $12,000 proposal with no idea what sits between them. Here is the honest version of security camera installation cost: real installed numbers, based on what we actually install across Palm Beach and Broward counties.
Cost to install security cameras: price ranges by system size
| System | Typical installed price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 4 cameras + 2TB NVR | $1,900 to $2,900 | Townhome or condo, entry points only |
| 6 cameras + 4TB NVR | $3,500 to $4,800 | Most single-family homes |
| 8 to 10 cameras + 6TB NVR | $5,200 to $7,500 | Larger homes, pool deck, side yards, garage interior |
| 12 to 16 cameras + 8TB+ | $8,000 to $16,000 | Estates, multi-building properties, small commercial |
| Commercial 16 to 32 cameras | $18,000 to $45,000+ | Retail, warehouse, HOA, multi-tenant |
Those numbers include cameras, recorder, storage, professional Cat6 cabling, PoE switch, remote access configuration and training. They assume hard-wired cameras, which is the only kind we install, for reasons covered further down.
The four things that actually change the price
- Cable run difficulty. A single-story home with an accessible attic is the cheap case. Two-story with a finished ceiling below, or a concrete second floor, can double the labor on the same camera count. This is the biggest single variable and it is why nobody can quote you accurately over the phone.
- Camera type. A standard 4K turret is a few hundred dollars. A varifocal camera for a 200-foot driveway, a multi-sensor 180° unit for a pool deck, or a camera with speaker and strobe for active deterrence each cost meaningfully more. Each also solves a problem a standard camera cannot.
- Retention. Thirty days of 4K on six cameras is roughly 4TB. Ninety days is closer to 12TB. Storage is one of the cheaper upgrades available and the one people most often regret skipping.
- Existing infrastructure. If your home was prewired, or has serviceable coax or Cat5e in the right places, cost drops considerably. We test before quoting specifically to find this.
What you should not be paying for
- Mandatory monthly cloud fees. A local NVR records continuously with no subscription. Cloud backup is a reasonable optional add-on for critical cameras; it should not be the only place your footage exists.
- Long monitoring contracts bundled with camera hardware. These are two separate decisions. Bundling them is how a $4,000 system becomes $9,000 over three years.
- Camera count as a selling point. Twelve cameras aimed badly are worse than six aimed well. If a proposal leads with quantity rather than a coverage plan, ask to see the coverage plan.
- "Free" installation. It is priced into the equipment, usually at a worse rate than paying for labor honestly.
Why wired costs more and is still the right call in Florida
Battery and Wi-Fi cameras save on installation labor, and in this climate they cost you in three specific ways. Heat shortens battery life well below the advertised figures. Storm-season internet outages take cloud-only recording down at exactly the moment you need it. And cloud clips typically start a second or two after the motion that triggered them, which is often the second that mattered.
A wired system records continuously to hardware in your house, keeps recording through an internet outage, and stays up through flickers and brownouts on a UPS. The additional cost is labor for cable. That labor is the difference between having footage and having a story about how you almost had footage.
Getting an accurate number for your property
Camera count, cable difficulty and retention all have to be seen to be priced. We walk the property, map coverage and give you a fixed written price at no cost.
Get a Free Quote