Overview
Intercom quotes are sold on visitor experience, and the wiring is the work that doesn't show
Intercom installs sell on the visitor side and run on the wiring side. The customer wants someone at the gate to press a button and hear or see them clearly without static; the contractor is running cable through walls or trenching across a driveway, terminating panels, and integrating with the existing door release or gate motor. Audio versus video, wired versus wireless, single-occupant versus multi-flat block, smartphone app integration or just a handset on the wall. Every choice changes the price and the install time. A flat 'intercom, $480' quote hides whether the customer is getting a single-button doorbell or a four-flat video panel with a remote app.
QuoteGenio gives intercom installers a quoting shape that surfaces the choice. Outdoor panel by spec (audio, video, multi-button) with the brand named, indoor handset or app integration, cabling by metre with the spec (Cat6 for digital systems, 6-core for legacy audio), door release strike or gate motor integration, install labour by day, and any trenching or wall chasing as a separate line. Send via WhatsApp from the customer's gate or door, take a deposit on the panel order, and the final invoice closes with the system tested from outside and inside, and the customer's app paired before the contractor leaves.
Who it is for
Who uses QuoteGenio
Built for every type of intercom and door entry installation business.
The problem
The quoting headaches every intercom installer knows
Gate stations, handsets, cabling, GSM SIM costs, and install labour all need to land on one clean document. Notebooks and Word docs do not cut it.
Quotes built after every site visit
You measure cable runs at 4pm and only get the quote out at 9pm. By then the client has called another intercom installer.
Cable runs cost more than expected
Forgetting the 30 metre run from the gate station to the apartment intercom is a margin killer. A structured quote catches it before you send.
Slow quotes lose installs
Clients comparing intercom quotes accept the fastest professional one. A 24-hour quote loses to a 30-minute quote almost every time.
The fix
QuoteGenio fixes that
A clean workflow built around how intercom installers actually quote. Gate station, handsets, cable runs, GSM SIM, install labour on one branded document.
The payoff
What you get with QuoteGenio
The everyday wins that add up across a year of quoting and invoicing.
Built for intercom installers
Line items for gate stations, handsets, video panels, cable runs, GSM SIM costs, and install labour. Structured the way intercom specialists work.
Works from your phone
Quote from the gate, the apartment block lobby, or the estate office. No laptop, no office detour.
Quote in under 2 minutes
A repeatable workflow that gets you from site walk-through to sent quote before you pack the cable reel.
Track install payments
Know which intercom install invoices are paid, pending, or overdue without opening a spreadsheet.
Built for your trade
Quoting calibrated to how intercom installers actually work
Pick your trade in Settings and the entire quote flow switches to fit. Line item presets, compliance fields, on-the-quote calculators, and per-m² / after-hours pricing all change to match your industry.
Trade-specific line items
Quick add picker pre-fills the common items your trade quotes. Skip the blank rows.
Brand-specific catalogues
Pylontech, Hikvision, Canadian Solar, Sunsynk and others pre-named. Pick the brand, the description writes itself.
Compliance fields built in
IOPSA, ECASA, PIRB, PSIRA, NHBRC, SAQCC. Set once. Every quote prints them under FROM.
Registration expiry alerts
Dashboard notification 60 days before your PSIRA, CoC or any dated registration lapses.
Per-m² / hour / day billing
Unit selector on every line item: m², hr, linear m, days. Stop doing the maths externally.
After-hours and emergency
1.5× and 2× multipliers as a one-tap toggle. Customer sees the breakdown on the quote.
Quote-flow calculators
Solar size, battery backup, cable run cost. Compute on the spot, drop straight onto the quote.
Staged payments
Deposit on acceptance + balance on completion as two separate amounts on the quote PDF.
Scope-of-work checklist
Structured Included / Not included lists. Client acceptance = signing the scope.
Site-survey mode
Log a location per line item: camera positions, fixtures by room, sensors by zone.
Regional rate hints
Pricing ranges per item per currency shown as you quote.
Free on every plan
All of the above included on the free plan. Premium is for capacity, not the trade tooling.
Why QuoteGenio
Why Intercom Installers choose QuoteGenio
The tools that matter most when you are quoting on-site, under pressure, and between jobs.
Quote from your phone
Most Intercom Installers build and send quotes directly from the job site. No laptop, no office, no delays.
Win more jobs, faster
The first professional quote a client receives usually wins. Respond in minutes, not hours.
Quote to invoice in one click
When the job is accepted, convert to an invoice instantly. No retyping, no double entry.
Pricing guide
Typical Intercom Installers job pricing
A rough guide to what intercom installers charge for common jobs. Pricing varies by audio versus video, single versus multi-tenant, GSM versus wired, and cable run length. Use these ranges as a reference when building your own rate card, not as fixed prices.
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Site visit and intercom planning | R1,240 - R2,479 |
| Audio intercom gate station (single tenant) | R2,314 - R5,289 |
| Video intercom gate station (colour, single tenant) | R4,628 - R11,238 |
| Indoor handset (audio only, installed) | R1,570 - R3,636 |
| Indoor video monitor (7 inch, installed) | R3,636 - R7,933 |
| GSM intercom (no cable to handset) | R6,280 - R14,048 |
| Cable run (per metre, multi-core or CAT6) | R66 - R198 / m |
Pricing converted from USD to ZAR at indicative rates. Rates vary significantly by country, region, currency, and market.
Call-out fees
A site visit covers your time to plan the gate station location, measure cable runs to handsets or monitors, confirm power supply, and check signal coverage for GSM models. Most intercom installers charge R1,240 to R2,479 for the site visit and credit it back when the install is booked.
Hourly vs fixed pricing
Use fixed pricing per gate station, per handset, per monitor, and per metre of cable. Use hourly pricing (R1,240 to R1,983 per hour) for fault-finding on existing intercoms, multi-tenant programming, and GSM signal troubleshooting. Mix both on the same quote when needed.
See it in action
Example quote breakdown
Here is what a clean intercom install quote looks like with gate station, monitors, cable, and install labour broken out cleanly. Clients can see exactly what each component costs, which kills the 'why does it cost that much' objection fast.
Try it yourself
Job size
Region
Sample quote
Video intercom install, single tenant residential
Site visit and intercom planning
Video intercom gate station (colour, weatherproof)
Indoor video monitor (7 inch, with door release)
Cable run (multi-core, 35m total)
Install labour (mount, wire, program, test)
| Description | Qty | Rate | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Site visit and intercom planning | 1 | R1,570 | R1,570 |
| Video intercom gate station (colour, weatherproof) | 1 | R7,933 | R7,933 |
| Indoor video monitor (7 inch, with door release) | 2 | R5,619 | R11,238 |
| Cable run (multi-core, 35m total) | 35 | R116 / m | R4,049 |
| Install labour (mount, wire, program, test) | 1 | R6,280 | R6,280 |
| Subtotal | R31,071 | ||
| Tax (10%) | R3,107 | ||
| Total incl. tax | R34,178 | ||
Totals recalculate as you change the controls above. Tax rate inferred from the sample quote.
Items often forgotten
The cable run metres (always more than the rough estimate), conduit and trunking for external cable, the gate station weatherproof housing, the door release strike if not already fitted, the GSM SIM card and monthly data fee, and the trip back to program a tenant change. Add these to your template once and stop absorbing them.
Peer snapshot
How Intercom Installers actually use QuoteGenio
Indicative activity for Intercom Installers on the platform. Use it as a benchmark for how often to quote and how fast to respond.
25
Quotes sent per month
55%
Average quote acceptance
3 min
Median time to send quote
R34,178
Typical quote value
Figures are indicative platform averages for this trade segment.
Start quoting Intercom Installer jobs like this, free
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Avoid these
Common quoting mistakes
We talk to a lot of intercom installers. The same scoping and pricing mistakes come up again and again. Fixing these will protect your install margin and stop disputes at handover.
Mistake: Underestimating cable run metres
Better: Walk the route during the site visit and add 15 percent for slack, conduit, and wall fish. Quoting cable per metre with a generous estimate protects your margin when runs are longer than expected.
Mistake: No mention of audio versus video
Better: Always state on the quote whether the gate station and handsets are audio only or video. The cost difference is significant and the wrong assumption leads to disputes at install.
Mistake: Forgetting the door release strike
Better: Most intercoms include a door release feature, but the electric strike on the gate or door is a separate component. List it as its own line and check whether one is already installed.
Mistake: GSM intercom without quoting the SIM
Better: GSM intercoms need an active SIM with data or call credit. List the SIM and the monthly recurring cost as separate lines so the client knows the running cost, not just the install cost.
Mistake: No multi-tenant programming line
Better: Multi-tenant intercoms (apartment blocks, estates) take real time to program. Quote programming time as its own line per tenant or per block. Bundling it into install kills your hourly rate.
Mistake: No mention of weatherproof rating
Better: Gate stations sit outside in rain and sun. Always specify the IP rating (IP54 minimum) on the quote line. Clients who later complain the gate station failed in winter always blame the installer.
Mistake: No expiry on the quote
Better: Set a 14 or 30 day validity. Stock prices on imported intercoms move with the rand-dollar rate, and you do not want to honour a three-month-old quote at a loss.
Mistake: No follow-up after sending the quote
Better: Most quotes that don't close, don't close because nobody followed up. Send a polite check-in 48 hours after the quote lands, and a second nudge at day 7. Two of every three accepted quotes get there because someone followed up.
Step by step
How to quote intercom and door entry installs
Walk the route from gate station to each handset before you price. Confirm whether the client wants audio-only or full video at the gate, because video costs roughly 1.5x to 2x audio and uses shielded multi-core cable rather than basic bell wire. Measure every cable run metre by metre from the gate position to each indoor handset or monitor, add 15 percent for slack and wall fish, and flag any runs that cross external walls and need trunking or conduit. For GSM intercoms, test cellphone signal at the gate in all weather because a weak signal becomes a callback. Check whether an electric door strike is already fitted or needs to be quoted, and confirm the IP rating needed on the gate station (IP54 minimum for outdoor mount).
Itemise gate station, handsets or monitors, cabling, and labour. Specify audio or video and single-tenant or multi-tenant on the gate station line because vague wording guarantees a dispute at install. Each indoor handset or 7 inch monitor sits on its own line with door release functionality stated where fitted. Cable runs belong on a per-metre line with multi-core or CAT6 in the description, never absorbed into labour, and the electric strike needs its own line when not already in place. For GSM systems, list the SIM card and the monthly data or voice cost as separate lines so the client budgets the ongoing cost, not just the install. Multi-tenant programming takes 15 to 30 minutes per unit and needs a dedicated line that scales with the tenant count because bundling it kills your hourly rate on a 40-unit block.
Set a 14 to 30 day validity on every intercom quote. Intercom hardware prices on imported brands like Hikvision, Commax, and Aiphone move with the rand-dollar rate, and honouring a three-month-old quote can take the margin out of the install. State the deposit terms in writing: for multi-tenant estate or apartment block jobs over $ 3,000 ask 30 to 50 percent upfront because gate stations and monitors are ordered to spec. Note that a tenant-change programming visit is a separate callout, that GSM SIM data costs are the client's responsibility, and that post-storm failures on weather-exposed gate stations are warranty-excluded when the specified IP rating is honoured. VAT sits on its own line every time, especially on multi-tenant installs over $ 3,000.
Send the quote before you pack the cable reel. Body corporates and property managers comparing intercom quotes shortlist the fastest professional document, and a 30-minute turnaround regularly wins the install because committee members want something written to share with residents. Build the quote on your phone while you are measuring cable runs, share it as a WhatsApp link before you leave the gate, and follow up after two days with a short note referencing the cable metres and tenant count. For apartment block or estate work, offer to present the quote at the next body corporate meeting so the decision happens with you in the room, not in an email thread where the cheapest number wins by default.
FAQ
Common questions from intercom installers
Everything you need to know before getting started.
Yes. Add each gate station, handset, monitor, and cable as its own line item with quantity and rate. Quote structure is fully flexible to match how intercom installers price.
Yes. After the site visit, share the quote as a link via WhatsApp directly from your phone. The client gets a branded professional PDF instantly.
Add the gate station and monitors as their own lines, then add install labour as a separate line. You can also split labour into mounting, wiring, programming, and testing if you prefer to show the breakdown.
Yes. Every quote has a unique public link. Clients open it on their phone and accept online. The accepted timestamp acts as a written go-ahead for the install.
Yes. Convert any accepted quote to an invoice in one click. All gate station, handset, cable, and labour lines carry over with no re-entry needed.
Yes. The free plan gives you 5 quotes and 2 invoices per month with no credit card required. Upgrade to Premium for unlimited quotes, invoices, statements, and reports.
Yes. Video intercoms typically cost 1.5x to 2x audio intercoms because of the camera, screen, and shielded cable requirements. State clearly on the quote which technology you are installing. Clients who later argue they expected video when you quoted audio always end up in a dispute over the install cost.
Quote the central gate station as one line, then quote each tenant handset or monitor as a separate line item with quantity. Add a programming line based on the number of tenants (typically 15 to 30 minutes per tenant). Multi-tenant installs always involve more programming time than single-tenant, so make it visible.
Yes, always check whether one is already fitted during the site visit. If not, quote it as a separate line item with the strike model and current rating. Door strikes are a real cost and forgetting them creates either a return trip or an awkward conversation when you discover it on install day.
14 to 30 days is standard. Intercom hardware prices move with the rand-dollar exchange rate enough that an open-ended quote exposes your margin. QuoteGenio lets you set an expiry date that appears clearly on the PDF so the client knows when re-quoting may be needed.
Still have questions? We would rather answer them now than after you have signed up.
Pricing benchmark
What do intercom installers charge in 2026?
Hourly rates by region, common job prices, a worked sample quote, and the FAQs customers actually ask. The complete pricing reference for intercom installers.
Typical hourly
$60-$130/hr
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Guides
Guides for Intercom Installers
Practical advice to help you quote better, get paid faster, and grow your business.
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