Installing a home alarm system in Belgium

A wireless alarm system can be installed in half a day. The technical side of things is straightforward; what makes the difference is the positioning of each component. This page explains how we go about it, how much the installation costs, and what you can do yourself.

The package

€250 excluding VAT for up to 10 items— installation, commissioning, application configuration, testing of each detector and a full explanation upon handover. For distances of more than 15 km from Brussels, please allow for atravel surcharge of €100 excluding VAT.

A ‘component’ is a device: a control panel, a detector, a contact, a keypad, a siren or a remote control. A basic kit contains three or four of these; a full home system, eight to ten.

How is a fitting carried out?

1. Location.We walk round the property and identify the routes a burglar would have to take. A burglar doesn’t teleport: they enter at one point and make their way through. The detectors should be placed along this route, not in the largest rooms.
2. The radio test before installation.Each component is paired up and its signal level checked at its intended location, before any holes are drilled. A load-bearing wall or a metal door may mean that a detector has to be moved by fifty centimetres.
3. Installation.The control panel is out of sight from the entrance; the indoor siren is positioned high up and out of reach; the outdoor siren is on the façade in a hard-to-reach spot; the keypad is near the main door.
4. Commissioning.Zones, entry and exit delay times, users and codes, notifications. This is where user convenience comes into play: if a delay time is set incorrectly, the system ends up permanently disarmed.
5. The handover.A comprehensive test is provided here, including a walkthrough of the mobile app and an explanation of what to do if an alarm is triggered.

Where we operate

Brussels · Liège · Charleroi · Namur · Mons · La Louvière · Nivelles

Elsewhere in Belgium,ask us: We confirm the feasibility and the location before any order is placed.

Do-it-yourself installation: what you need to know

It’s perfectly feasible to do this wirelessly, and many of our customers do just that. The five mistakes we see most often are:

• The detector is positioned opposite a sunny window or above a radiator.Temperature fluctuations can cause the system to trip. Position the unit at right angles to heat sources.
• The control panel in the hall, clearly visible.It is the first thing an intruder will snatch. It is kept upstairs or in an adjoining room.
• Secure it in place before testing the signal.It’s always the other way round: you check the position first, then you drill.
• Too many detectors, poorly distributed.Three well-placed detectors are better than six that cover the same room twice.
• Forget about the outdoor siren.It is the deterrent that can be seen from the street, and it is often the only thing that puts potential intruders off before they even attempt a break-in.

The declaration – don’t forget it

In Belgium, an alarm system installed in a home must beregistered with the federal contact point. It’s free, it’s done online, and it remains up to date as long as nothing changes. There is no obligation to take out a remote surveillance contract. If you also install cameras, these must be registered separately and this must be confirmed each year — see our article on thecamera registration.

What next?

There are three options depending on what you want to happen when the alarm goes off: only you are notified (free of charge, included), an operator clears up any uncertainty (dispatching, from €20 per month excluding VAT), or a member of staff visits (on-call service following an alarm, €35 per month excluding VAT).

Before we talk about installation, let’s look at how to choose the right materials:how to choose an alarm system, thedetailed prices, or directly theready-to-fit kits.