One of the first decisions homeowners face is whether to pay for professional monitoring. Here is an honest comparison based on 20+ years of installing both:
A 24/7 monitoring center watches your system around the clock. When an alarm triggers, trained operators verify the event and dispatch police, fire, or EMS within seconds. You do not need to be awake, near your phone, or even in the state. This is the standard recommended by law enforcement and insurance companies.
You receive push notifications on your phone when an alarm triggers. The response is entirely up to you — you call 911, check cameras, or dismiss false alarms. Self-monitoring costs $0-$10/month but puts the responsibility on you.
Our recommendation: Professional monitoring is worth the $25-$50/month for the peace of mind and insurance savings alone. Most homeowners save 5-20% on their homeowner’s insurance, which often offsets the monitoring cost entirely.
A complete alarm system is more than a siren. Here is what goes into a professionally installed system:
The brain of the system. Modern panels from DMP and Alarm.com include a touchscreen interface, cellular communication (no phone line needed), Wi-Fi backup, and built-in Z-Wave for smart home integration. The panel communicates with every sensor in your home and reports events to the monitoring center.
Magnetic contact sensors detect when a door or window opens. We install them on every exterior door and ground-floor window at minimum. For homes with many windows, glass break detectors provide coverage for an entire room without individual sensors on each pane.
PIR (passive infrared) motion detectors cover hallways, living areas, and basements. Pet-immune models ignore animals up to 80 pounds while still detecting human intruders. We position motion detectors to create overlapping zones so there are no blind spots.
Acoustic sensors that detect the sound of breaking glass from up to 25 feet away. One glass break detector can cover an entire room of windows, making them cost-effective for living rooms and bedrooms with multiple windows.
Wall-mounted keypads at entry points let you arm and disarm the system. We install panic buttons in master bedrooms and home offices — a silent button alerts the monitoring center and dispatches police without triggering an audible alarm that might escalate a dangerous situation.
Interior sirens produce 85-110 dB to alert occupants and deter intruders. Exterior sirens and strobes notify neighbors and help police identify the right house. We install both for maximum deterrence.
Monitored smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors report directly to the monitoring center. If a fire starts at 3 AM and your family is asleep, the monitoring center dispatches the fire department immediately. We install combination smoke/heat detectors in kitchens to reduce false alarms from cooking.
Water leak sensors near water heaters, washing machines, and under sinks alert you before a small leak becomes a major flood. Temperature sensors detect frozen pipe conditions during rare Texas freezes. These sensors have saved homeowners thousands in water damage.
We offer transparent monitoring plans through Alarm.com, one of the largest and most reliable monitoring platforms in the country:
There are no long-term contracts required. We believe our service keeps you — not a contract. If you are switching from another alarm company, we can often reuse your existing sensors and save on equipment costs.
Texas has specific requirements for fire alarm systems that differ from other states:
We install systems that meet every Texas requirement so you never have an issue with inspectors or insurance adjusters.
A professionally monitored alarm system qualifies you for a homeowner’s insurance discount in Texas. The discount ranges from 5% to 20% depending on your insurance carrier and the level of monitoring:
We provide a monitoring certificate for your insurance company. On a $2,500/year homeowner’s policy, a 15% discount saves you $375/year — more than enough to cover the monitoring cost. Your alarm system essentially pays for itself.
Modern alarm systems are smart home hubs. Through the Alarm.com platform, your alarm system connects to:
Everything is controlled from the Alarm.com app on your phone. One app for your entire security and smart home system. Learn more about our home automation services.
We install and monitor alarm systems throughout the DFW area. Find your city below:
We also serve Dallas, Allen, Prosper, Heath, Caddo Mills, Greenville, and all surrounding communities. See all service areas.
A basic professionally installed alarm system with a panel, 3 door sensors, a motion detector, and a siren runs $800-$1,500. A comprehensive system covering every door, window, and room with smoke/CO detectors and smart home integration runs $2,000-$5,000. Monthly monitoring ranges from $25-$50. Call Complete Elite Technologies at (972) 807-0075 for a free security assessment and quote.
In our professional opinion, yes. The monitoring center responds 24/7 even when you are asleep, at work, or on vacation. Most importantly, they dispatch police and fire on your behalf. The 5-20% homeowner’s insurance discount often covers the monitoring cost entirely. A $35/month monitoring plan costs $420/year, but a 15% insurance discount on a $2,500 policy saves you $375 — making the effective cost under $4/month.
In most cases, yes. If your current system uses standard equipment from Honeywell, DSC, or DMP, we can reprogram it to work with our monitoring service. This saves you hundreds on equipment costs. We will inspect your current system for free and tell you exactly what can be reused and what should be upgraded.
Your alarm system has a built-in battery backup that keeps it running for 4-24 hours depending on the panel. Communication switches to cellular backup, which does not depend on your internet or power. Even during the February 2021 Texas freeze when power was out for days, monitored alarm systems on cellular backup continued protecting homes and dispatching first responders.
Modern systems with pet-immune motion detectors, properly placed sensors, and app-based cancel features have dramatically reduced false alarms. If an alarm triggers accidentally, you can cancel it from your phone within 30-60 seconds before dispatch. Most cities in Texas do not fine for the first 1-3 false alarms per year. We program every system to minimize false triggers and train you on proper use. Call (972) 807-0075 with any concerns.
Complete Elite Technologies is a licensed, family-owned company with 20+ years of experience serving the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. We hold Texas Alarm License #B12702301 and ACR License #2536735.
Call us today: (972) 807-0075
Licensed • Family-Owned • 20+ Years Experience • 5-Star Google Reviews