SEH Security Team | September 2026
The short answer: the questions that protect you are not about the equipment. They are about licensing, who owns the hardware, how long the contract runs, and who shows up when something breaks in year three. Almost every regret we hear about a previous provider traces back to one of those four, not to the cameras.
Search this topic and most of what ranks was written by security guard companies, which is a different business entirely. This guide is about choosing the company that designs, installs and services the systems in your building. Ask these ten questions of any company you are considering, including us.
1. Which License Do You Hold, and What Is the Number?
“We are licensed and insured” is not an answer. Ask which license, in which state, and for the number so you can verify it yourself with the issuing agency. Requirements differ across our service area:
- New Jersey regulates alarm work through the Division of Consumer Affairs, under the Fire Alarm, Burglar Alarm and Locksmith Advisory Committee. Businesses and the individuals doing the work are licensed, and you can look a license up.
- New York issues a Security or Fire Alarm Installer license through the Department of State, which requires qualifying education, an exam and fingerprinting. New York City adds its own requirements on top.
- Pennsylvania has no single statewide alarm installer license. Requirements are set locally, so ask which municipalities the company is registered in and who pulls the permit for your job.
For fire alarm work specifically, ask about NICET certification level for the technicians who will be on your site. Verify current requirements with the relevant state agency, since licensing rules change.
2. Do You Employ Your Technicians, or Subcontract?
There is nothing inherently wrong with a subcontractor, but you are entitled to know. Ask who will physically be in your building, whether they are employees or subs, whose insurance covers them, and who you call when there is a problem with the work. A company that subs out a portion of the job should say so plainly. On fire alarm work in particular, ask whether that scope is subcontracted, because the licensing and inspection obligations follow whoever performs it.
3. Who Owns the Equipment After Installation?
This is the question that catches the most businesses. In some arrangements you are buying the system. In others you are leasing it inside a monitoring agreement, and if you leave, the hardware is removed or goes dark. Get it in writing. Ask specifically: at the end of the term, do I own the panel, the cameras, the recorder and the readers, and can another company service them?
4. Is the System Proprietary, and Can Anyone Else Service It?
Vendor lock in is the quiet cost of a cheap install. Some panels can only be programmed by the dealer who installed them, some platforms will not release your programming code, and some credentials are formatted so that only that vendor’s readers accept them. None of that is illegal and none of it is disclosed unless you ask.
The questions to ask: is this an open platform or a proprietary one, will you provide the programming code and administrator credentials, and if we part ways, can another licensed company take over the system without replacing it? A company confident in its service does not need to trap you.
| Want a second opinion on a quote you already have?We will read it with you and tell you what it does and does not include, whether or not you hire us. Call 732-506-2260 or send it over. |
5. How Long Is the Contract, and How Does It Renew?
Multi year monitoring agreements with automatic renewal are common in this industry. That is not automatically a problem, but you should know the term, the renewal mechanism, the cancellation window and the early termination cost before you sign, not when you try to leave. Ask for those four things in writing and read what the agreement says about price increases during the term.
6. Where Is the Monitoring Center, and Is It Redundant?
If the system is monitored, ask where the central station is, whether it is UL listed, and whether there is a second facility that takes over if the first goes offline. Ask how alarms are verified before dispatch, since video or audio verification substantially reduces false alarms, and many municipalities fine businesses for repeat false dispatches. Ask what the backup communication path is if the internet or phone line fails, because a single path monitored system is not truly monitored.
7. What Is the Service Response Time, and What Does It Cost?
Get specifics. What is the response window for a normal service call versus an emergency, are you covered on weekends and holidays, what is covered under warranty versus billable, and is there a trip charge. A company that will not put a service commitment in writing at the sales stage is telling you something about year three.
8. Have You Done Buildings Like Mine?
A warehouse, a medical office, a school and a restaurant have genuinely different requirements: different code exposure, different hours, different threats, different people moving through them. Ask for references from businesses of similar type and size in your area, and call one. Our industries we serve pages exist for exactly this reason, covering everything from healthcare and education to financial institutions and construction sites.
9. Will You Walk the Building Before Quoting?
A quote produced without seeing the property is a guess, and guesses turn into change orders. A real proposal follows a walkthrough that looks at entry points, sight lines, lighting, ceiling access, existing wiring, panel locations and network availability. If a company will price your job over the phone, ask yourself what they are assuming about the parts they have not seen. You can see what a proper process looks like on our how we work page.
10. Does the Quote Itemize Everything?
A single number is not a proposal. Ask for hardware, cable and labor, programming, permits and inspection, training, warranty terms and any recurring fees listed separately. Then compare quotes line by line, because the cheapest total very often turns out to be the one that left out the cable, the permit or the monitoring.
| Line item | What to confirm is included |
|---|---|
| Hardware | Exact models and quantities, not just “cameras” or “readers”. |
| Cable and pathway | Cable type, run counts and any conduit or core drilling work. |
| Labor and programming | Both the install and the system configuration, including user setup. |
| Permits and inspection | Who pulls permits and whether inspection fees are in the price. |
| Training | Who trains your staff, how long, and whether follow up sessions cost extra. |
| Warranty | Length, what it covers, and whether labor is included. |
| Recurring fees | Monitoring, cloud storage and software subscriptions, listed monthly and annually. |
For a sense of what the numbers should look like, see our guide to commercial security system costs in NJ, NY and PA.
Final Thoughts
You are not choosing a product, you are choosing the company that will be responsible for your building for the next five to ten years. The equipment on the wall matters less than whether that company is properly licensed, whether you will own what you paid for, whether you can leave if you need to, and whether they answer the phone when a door stops unlocking on a Monday morning. Ask these ten questions, get the answers in writing, and the decision usually makes itself.
SEH Security designs, installs and services commercial security systems for businesses across New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. You can read more about our team or see the areas we serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I look for in a commercial security company?
Verifiable state licensing for the work being performed, clear written terms on equipment ownership and contract length, a monitoring arrangement you understand, a documented service response commitment, and experience with buildings like yours. Ask for a walkthrough before any quote, and insist the proposal is itemized.
Is a long term monitoring contract normal in this industry?
Multi year monitoring agreements are common, and not inherently unfair. What matters is that you know the term, how it renews, the cancellation window and the early termination cost before you sign. Ask for those in writing and read the language on price increases during the term.
What happens to my equipment if I switch security companies?
That depends entirely on whether you bought the system or it came bundled inside a monitoring agreement. If you own it, another licensed company can usually take it over, provided the platform is not proprietary and you have the programming credentials. Settle both points in writing before installation, not afterward.
How do I verify a security company is properly licensed?
Ask for the license number and check it directly with the issuing agency. In New Jersey that is the Division of Consumer Affairs, and in New York the Department of State. Pennsylvania handles alarm work locally rather than through a single statewide license, so ask which municipalities the company is registered in.
Licensing and contract requirements described here are general and change over time. Verify current licensing rules with the relevant state agency and have any monitoring or installation agreement reviewed before signing. SEH Security is not a law firm and this is not legal advice.
| Ready to talk to a company that answers all ten?No pressure, no phone quotes, and a walkthrough before any number. Call 732-506-2260 or request a free commercial site walkthrough. |
