Commercial CCTV installation. What should your quote include?
Published 9 Nov 2026, 11:40
Two CCTV quotes can list the same number of cameras and deliver very different footage. Before comparing prices for your Brisbane or Gold Coast site, ask what each camera needs to show and how the installer will demonstrate that at handover.
Give each view a job
For an office, mark the reception entrance, delivery access and any shared corridors in scope. For a warehouse, consider pedestrian doors, roller doors and loading areas. Assign a purpose to each view. An overview of the loading bay helps reconstruct movement across the site. A tighter view at a pedestrian entrance can capture more detail of someone passing through. Ask for a marked-up plan showing both.
Test the scene when it is hardest to record
Check an entrance with bright daylight behind visitors, and test outdoor views after dark with the normal site lighting. Include typical obstructions such as parked vehicles or an open roller door. Review the recorded clip and export a sample. That gives you a practical way to judge what footage will be available during an incident.
Compare the full installation
Ask for camera models and locations, cable routes, PoE switching, recorder and storage assumptions, and the recording schedule. Confirm who can view and export footage, how the system alerts staff to a camera going offline, and what training is included. Have the quote state the assumed retention and how it will be checked after installation. For exposed locations, ask about the mounting hardware, weather exposure and how cable entries will be protected.
Request a Smart WiFi CCTV site survey in Brisbane or on the Gold Coast. Bring a marked-up plan, the areas you want covered and examples of the incidents you want the footage to help you investigate.
Technical reference — Axis guidance on recording usable video evidence