What a security camera system costs — and why there’s no price list.
Every Pinnacle system is designed for the property it protects, so the honest answer to “how much” is an itemized quote, not a number on a website. Here is what moves that number, what should always be included, and how our quotes work.
Why there is no price list here
A price list assumes the product is the same for everyone. In this work the product is the design: how many cameras, where each one points, which lens and resolution, how the cable gets from the camera to the recorder without being seen, and how many days of footage you keep. Two houses on the same street can need different systems. One published number would either overcharge the simple job or under-quote the real one — so we would rather show you what your property needs and what each line costs.
What moves the price up or down
Camera count. The biggest lever. Four well-placed cameras beat eight poorly placed ones, and every camera beyond the base adds hardware plus its own cable run — so we justify each one in the quote rather than defaulting to more.
Resolution and night vision. 1080p answers "was someone there"; 2K and 4K answer "who was it" and "what was the plate". Cameras that hold colour after dark (ColorVu) cost more than ones that drop to black-and-white infrared — and are usually worth it on driveways and approaches.
The cable runs. This is where install quality lives and where hours go: fishing cable through insulated walls and finished ceilings, sealing every exterior penetration, and landing everything at a labelled panel. Long runs to detached garages, shops, and gates take more time and material than a compact two-storey home.
Recording and storage. How many days of footage you keep determines recorder size. More storage costs more once — not monthly.
Add-ons. Video doorbells, dedicated viewing monitors, and alarm components are quoted as separate line items so you can see exactly what each adds.
Wired vs wireless: the five-year math
Battery and Wi-Fi cameras look cheaper on day one. Over five years the picture usually reverses: cloud storage plans commonly run $10–$20 per month per household — roughly $600–$1,200 over five years — batteries need charging or replacing, and Wi-Fi dropouts mean missed events. A hardwired system records to your own recorder with no monthly fees, gets power and data from one cable, and keeps working in the rain, in the cold, and when the internet hiccups. It costs more upfront and less every year after.
What should always be included
Professional installation by licensed and insured technicians
Clean, concealed wiring and a tidy finish
Full system configuration and mobile-app setup on your devices
Complete walkthrough and testing before sign-off
One-year warranty on parts and workmanship
If a quote excludes installation, configuration, or the recorder — or requires a multi-year contract to reach the advertised price — the real cost is somewhere in the fine print. Ours isn't: every Pinnacle quote is itemized, valid for 30 days, and includes a one-year parts and labour warranty.
How a Pinnacle quote works
Tell us about the property. The quote form, a call, or a few photos and your address is enough to start.
We walk it with you. In person for most homes — a video call or photos where that is faster — and we design the coverage around how the property is actually approached: the driveway mouth, the walk-up, the dark side, the door.
You get an itemized quote. Every camera, cable run, recorder and add-on on its own line, valid for 30 days. Nothing hides in a package price, and there is nothing to sign monthly, ever.
Compare it line by line. Put it beside anyone else’s quote. If theirs is cheaper, you will be able to see exactly which line is missing.
Common pricing questions
Why don’t you publish prices?
Because we don’t sell a package; we design a system. The quote is free, itemized, and yours to compare — and the number on it is the number you pay.
Why do quotes for the same house vary so much between companies?
Usually one of three things: hardware grade (consumer wireless kit versus commercial wired cameras), what's included (some quotes exclude installation, configuration, or the recorder), and the business model (contract and subscription providers price low upfront and recover it monthly). An itemized quote makes the comparison honest.
Do you charge travel fees within the Lower Mainland?
Quotes are itemized and personalized to the property, and everything on them is shown before you commit — there are no surprise line items after the fact.
Our Commitment:
The system works when we leave.
Every install carries a 1-year warranty and a satisfaction guarantee. If something isn't right, we come back and fix it. No charge, no argument.
We cover Abbotsford, Langley, Surrey, Burnaby, and the rest of the Lower Mainland. Call, message, or email us to receive a quote with no obligation.