Overview
Surveillance installs are sold to businesses that need to see their own operation, not just deter intruders
Surveillance is what businesses buy when CCTV (recording for after-the-fact review) isn't quite what they need. The customer is a retailer trying to catch shrinkage, a hospitality operator monitoring queue times and customer behavior, a warehouse measuring pick rates, a restaurant watching the kitchen pass. The cameras are part of it; the analytics, the live-view dashboard, the integration with point-of-sale, and the people-counting are the actual product. A flat 'CCTV system installed, $3,200' quote misses what the surveillance customer is buying, which is operational intelligence, not just a deterrent.
QuoteGenio gives surveillance installers a quoting shape that fits the business audience. Operational survey and use-case as the first line, cameras by spec and analytics capability (face count, dwell time, motion detection, licence plate), recorder with storage and analytics platform, integration with POS or stock systems if applicable, live-view dashboard and user licences, install labour, and a training session for the manager who'll use the system. Send via WhatsApp or email to the operations or owner contact, take a deposit on the kit order, and the final invoice closes with the dashboard live and a baseline data snapshot for the customer to compare against next quarter.
Who it is for
Who uses QuoteGenio
Built for every type of CCTV and surveillance install business.
The problem
The quoting headaches every CCTV installer knows
Camera count, resolution, cable runs, NVR storage, and remote viewing setup all need to land on one clean quote. Spreadsheets and Word docs do not cut it.
Quotes built after every site survey
You walk the property at 4pm, mark camera positions, then only build the quote at 9pm. By then the client has called another installer.
Cable runs cost more than expected
Forgetting that one 60 metre run from the boundary to the NVR cabinet is a margin killer. A structured quote catches this before you send.
Slow quotes lose surveillance jobs
Clients comparing CCTV quotes accept the fastest professional one. A 24-hour quote turnaround loses to a 30-minute quote almost every time.
The fix
QuoteGenio fixes that
A clean workflow built around how CCTV installers actually quote. Cameras, NVR, cable runs, mounting, install labour, and remote viewing 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 CCTV installers
Line items for cameras, NVR or DVR, cable runs by metre, mounting, install labour, and remote viewing setup. Structured the way surveillance specialists work.
Works from your phone
Quote from the property, the rooftop, or the client's office. No laptop, no office return trip.
Quote in under 2 minutes
A repeatable workflow that gets you from site walk-through to sent quote before you pack the ladder.
Track install payments
Know which CCTV install invoices are paid, pending, or overdue without opening a spreadsheet.
Built for your trade
Quoting calibrated to how surveillance 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 Surveillance Installers choose QuoteGenio
The tools that matter most when you are quoting on-site, under pressure, and between jobs.
Quote from your phone
Most Surveillance 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 Surveillance Installers job pricing
A rough guide to what CCTV installers charge for common jobs. Pricing varies by camera resolution, NVR channel count, cable run length, and whether the install is residential or commercial. Use these ranges as a reference when you build your own rate card, not as fixed prices.
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Site survey and camera planning | R1,240 - R2,479 |
| IP camera (4MP turret, installed) | R2,314 - R4,628 |
| IP camera (8MP varifocal, installed) | R3,636 - R7,933 |
| NVR (8 channel, 2TB, installed) | R6,280 - R12,395 |
| NVR (16 channel, 4TB, installed) | R10,743 - R19,832 |
| Cable run (per metre, CAT6 or coax) | R66 - R198 / m |
| Remote viewing app setup and training | R1,570 - R3,636 |
Pricing converted from USD to ZAR at indicative rates. Rates vary significantly by country, region, currency, and market.
Call-out fees
A site survey covers your time to walk the property, identify camera positions, plan cable runs to the NVR cabinet, and recommend resolution per zone. Most CCTV installers charge R1,240 to R2,479 for the survey and credit it back when the install is booked. List it on the quote so the client respects your planning time.
Hourly vs fixed pricing
Use fixed pricing per camera, per NVR, and per cable run metre. Use hourly pricing (R1,240 to R1,983 per hour) for fault-finding on existing systems, NVR upgrades, and complex IP network configuration. Mix both on the same quote when a client wants you to extend an existing system.
See it in action
Example quote breakdown
Here is what a clean CCTV install quote looks like with cameras, NVR, cable runs by metre, and remote viewing setup broken out cleanly. Clients can see exactly what each camera and metre of cable costs, which kills price objections before they happen.
Try it yourself
Job size
Region
Sample quote
8-camera CCTV install, residential property
Site survey and camera planning
IP camera (4MP turret, installed)
IP camera (8MP varifocal, installed)
NVR (8 channel, 2TB, configured)
Cable run (CAT6, average 22m per camera)
Remote viewing app setup and training
| Description | Qty | Rate | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Site survey and camera planning | 1 | R1,570 | R1,570 |
| IP camera (4MP turret, installed) | 6 | R3,223 | R19,337 |
| IP camera (8MP varifocal, installed) | 2 | R5,289 | R10,577 |
| NVR (8 channel, 2TB, configured) | 1 | R7,933 | R7,933 |
| Cable run (CAT6, average 22m per camera) | 176 | R99 / m | R17,453 |
| Remote viewing app setup and training | 1 | R2,727 | R2,727 |
| Subtotal | R59,596 | ||
| Tax (10%) | R5,960 | ||
| Total incl. tax | R65,556 | ||
Totals recalculate as you change the controls above. Tax rate inferred from the sample quote.
Items often forgotten
Cable run metres (always more than the rough estimate), conduit and trunking for external runs, weatherproof junction boxes, surge protection on PoE switches, the mounting bracket type per camera, the NVR power supply UPS, and the trip back to add a user to the app. Add these to your template once and stop absorbing them into your install margin.
Peer snapshot
How Surveillance Installers actually use QuoteGenio
Indicative activity for Surveillance Installers on the platform. Use it as a benchmark for how often to quote and how fast to respond.
29
Quotes sent per month
51%
Average quote acceptance
3 min
Median time to send quote
R65,556
Typical quote value
Figures are indicative platform averages for this trade segment.
Start quoting Surveillance Installer jobs like this, free
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Avoid these
Common quoting mistakes
We talk to a lot of CCTV 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 every cable route during the survey and add 15 percent for slack, conduit, and wall fish. Quoting cable by the metre with a generous estimate protects your margin when runs are longer than expected.
Mistake: Quoting cameras without specifying resolution
Better: Always state megapixel, lens type (fixed or varifocal), and form factor (turret, bullet, dome) on the quote line. Vague 'CCTV camera' lines get compared against cheap clones and you lose the install.
Mistake: Forgetting NVR storage capacity
Better: List NVR channel count and hard drive size (in TB) on the quote line. Storage drives the price and the retention period the client will get. Clients who later complain the footage was overwritten always blame the installer.
Mistake: No remote viewing setup line
Better: App install, port forwarding, DDNS configuration, and user handover takes 1 to 2 hours. List it as its own line so the labour is visible and defendable. Bundling it into install kills your hourly rate.
Mistake: Bundling cable into install labour
Better: Quote cable as 'per metre' with quantity. Long cable runs hide labour and material cost. A per-metre line keeps the maths visible to the client and protects you on long runs.
Mistake: Forgetting surge protection and UPS
Better: PoE switches and NVRs need surge protection and ideally a small UPS. List both as standard lines on every quote. Clients who lose footage in a power surge always blame the installer.
Mistake: No expiry on the quote
Better: Set a 14 or 30 day validity. Camera and NVR stock prices move with the rand-dollar rate. You do not want to honour a three-month-old quote when the client finally signs.
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 CCTV and surveillance installs
Walk the site with the camera count on paper and the cable run meter in your head. Mark each camera position on a quick sketch, confirm the field of view the client wants (driveway wide, gate close-up, perimeter), and decide per position whether a 4MP turret is enough or whether the job needs an 8MP varifocal with motorised lens. Measure every CAT6 cable run from camera to NVR cabinet, add 15 percent for slack, conduit, and wall fish, and note external runs that need trunking or weatherproof junction boxes. Confirm the NVR cabinet location, check router position for port forwarding, and confirm whether the client wants thermal, ANPR, or basic colour night vision because the lens and sensor choice drives 40 percent of the price.
Itemise per camera, per NVR, and per cable metre. Specify megapixel, lens type (fixed or varifocal), and form factor (turret, bullet, dome) on every camera line so you cannot be undercut by someone quoting a generic CCTV camera against a Hikvision or Dahua-branded equivalent. List the NVR on its own line with channel count and TB capacity in the description because storage drives retention period and the client will blame you if footage is overwritten. Cable runs belong on a per-metre line, never absorbed, and PoE switch, surge protection, and UPS each need visible lines because power events kill footage and clients always blame the installer. Remote viewing app setup, DDNS, and port forwarding takes 1 to 2 hours and belongs on its own labour line.
Set a 14 to 30 day validity on every CCTV quote. Camera, NVR, and hard drive stock prices move with the rand-dollar exchange rate and honouring a three-month-old quote can easily leave you losing money on the BoM. State the deposit terms in writing: for installs over $ 3,000 ask 30 to 50 percent upfront to cover cameras, NVR, and drives because these are imported and hold working capital. Retrofit jobs on existing cabling need a separate inspection line with a provisional sum for any runs that cannot be reused, because surprises always hide in the old coax. VAT goes on its own line every time, and a short warranty clause covering hardware failure but excluding power surges and client-side tampering protects you on free call-outs.
Send the quote before you leave the rooftop. Clients comparing CCTV installers accept the fastest professional quote, and a 30-minute turnaround beats a 24-hour reply almost every time because the buying decision often happens the same afternoon. Build the quote on your phone during the survey with camera positions and cable metres captured as you walk, share it as a WhatsApp link before you pack the ladder, and follow up after two days with a short note confirming the camera count and NVR capacity. For commercial and estate jobs, offer to walk the BoQ with the decision maker because line-by-line visibility shuts down the 'why is this so much' objection before it gets raised.
FAQ
Common questions from CCTV installers
Everything you need to know before getting started.
Yes. Add each camera as its own line item with quantity and rate, then add cable as a separate line with metres as the quantity. Quote structure is fully flexible to match how CCTV installers price.
Yes. After the site survey, share the quote as a link via WhatsApp directly from your phone. The client gets a branded professional PDF instantly.
Add the NVR as its own line item with channel count and TB capacity in the description. You can include configuration and basic programming time in the same line or split it out as a separate labour line.
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 cameras, NVR, 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. IP cameras typically run on PoE switches with CAT6 cabling, while analogue cameras use coax and DC power. The cable type, switch versus DVR, and labour all differ. Be explicit on the quote about which technology you are installing so the client cannot later argue they expected the other.
Quote a separate inspection line for the existing NVR and cabling, then quote the new cameras and any cable extensions as fixed prices. Use a provisional sum line for cable runs that need to be re-run if the existing infrastructure is not reusable. Retrofit jobs always hide surprises in the cabling.
Yes. Configuring the app, setting up DDNS or P2P, port forwarding on the router, and walking the client through the user interface takes real time (1 to 2 hours typical). List it as 'remote viewing setup and training' so the labour is visible. Bundling it into install kills your hourly rate.
14 to 30 days is standard. Camera, NVR, and hard drive prices move with the rand-dollar exchange rate enough that an open-ended quote exposes your margin. QuoteGenio lets you set an expiry that appears clearly on the PDF so there is no ambiguity later.
Still have questions? We would rather answer them now than after you have signed up.
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Reviews
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Electrician · Perth
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Fence Installer · Houston
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Marketing Consultant · Perth
Guides
Guides for Surveillance Installers
Practical advice to help you quote better, get paid faster, and grow your business.
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