How it works
Four steps from “I'm thinking about cameras” to “the system is up and I know how to use it.” Most jobs from first call to install completion run about a week.
Free in-home assessment
We come to your house, walk the property with you, and figure out what you actually need. Takes about 30 minutes.
What we look at:
- Where you want coverage: driveway, doors, backyard, side gates, garage, sheds
- Where existing cable paths are: soffit, attic, basement, crawlspace
- Where the recorder will live: closet, basement, mechanical room
- Wifi and internet setup so we can plan remote viewing
- Anything specific you've had happen: porch theft, driveway issue, neighbour dispute
We don't sell on the visit. We send the quote afterward.
Custom quote
We send a written quote within 1-2 days. Usually two options — for example, a Standard 4-camera package at the price on the packages page, plus an upgrade to 6 cameras if there's a coverage gap worth filling. You pick what works.
The quote spells out exactly what's included: the cameras, the recorder, the hard drive, the cabling, the warranty, and the install timing. No surprises.
Professional install
We book a date that works for you. Most 4-camera residential installs are one day on site, usually about 6 to 8 hours. Larger 6-camera or commercial jobs sometimes go to a second day.
What we do during the install:
- Mount each camera at the right height and angle for its purpose — faces at the front door, vehicles at the driveway, wide coverage in the back
- Run cable through soffits, attic, basement, crawlspace, or wall cavities whenever the house allows it
- Explain any visible cable route before work starts if there is no clean hidden path
- Wire everything to the recorder, set up the hard drive, configure motion zones and recording settings
- Test every camera, every angle, every notification trigger
- Clean up — we leave the site the way we found it
We work quietly, don't track in mud, and don't take over the house.
Walkthrough + ongoing support
Before we leave, we sit down with you, or whoever in the household will use the system, and walk through:
- The mobile app — installing, logging in, viewing live, viewing recorded footage
- How to scrub back through footage
- How to share a clip if you ever need to
- What the notifications mean, and how to tune them so you're not getting alerts every time a leaf blows past
After install, we're close enough to show up if something needs service. If something goes wrong inside the warranty period, you call us and we come look at it.
What makes our install different
A few things we do that not every installer does.
Concealed wiring whenever the house allows it.
We look for clean cable paths first — soffits, attics, basements, crawlspaces, and wall cavities. If a visible run is the only realistic option, we explain it before work starts.
Named-brand gear, not no-name kits.
We use proper camera systems selected for the job, not no-name kits picked because they were cheapest online that month.
You own everything.
No “lease the equipment” gimmicks. No “we own the cameras and you pay forever.” When we leave, the system is yours.
No required monthly fees.
The system records locally to your NVR. The mobile app is included. There's no subscription required to use the cameras. Optional cloud backup can be discussed later, but it's not how the system works by default.
Free Durham Camera Co. signage with every install.
A yard sign and window decals. Visible signage helps make the system obvious before anyone gets near the door.