We have a grade 2 Georgian Manor House. We are having the same trouble that others in this forum have written about re insuring the place as rebuild costs being 4 times above the value of the property (from a desktop evaluation not a site visit) ie £4 million when house is valued at £1.2 million. All brokers/ insurers I've spoken to are also insisting that we need to have a fire and intruder alarm system that includes an alarm receiving centre ie monitored 24/7 with a guard response. I wondered if anyone had one recently fitted and would welcome any comments and recommendations. thanks
- Thread starter HOF
- Start date
I live in a Grade II manor house. When we bought it we had no idea what cover we needed so we contacted NFU and they sent their surveyor. The cover was around 3.5X the purchase price. That was in 2001. I am still with them. They give a discount every year we renew.
We had a fire and intruder alarm installed and it was monitored on a dedicated landline. My concern is always a fire while I am away - I don't care what an intruder steals but a fire would be disastrous. Recently the 2001 panel failed, the model is obsolete now, the company can't replace it with a compatible one and landlines are being phased out so I have to switch one that will be monitored by my mobile. Not thrilled about having to rely on a signal but no choice. Same company, it's actually being installed today. I don't know if I can mention which one.
Re security, the house has old sash windows and this year NFU insisted that all the ground floor ones had to have locks and any window wider than 600cms needed two. I tried to avoid but they wanted a £5000 excess in that case.
We had a fire and intruder alarm installed and it was monitored on a dedicated landline. My concern is always a fire while I am away - I don't care what an intruder steals but a fire would be disastrous. Recently the 2001 panel failed, the model is obsolete now, the company can't replace it with a compatible one and landlines are being phased out so I have to switch one that will be monitored by my mobile. Not thrilled about having to rely on a signal but no choice. Same company, it's actually being installed today. I don't know if I can mention which one.
Re security, the house has old sash windows and this year NFU insisted that all the ground floor ones had to have locks and any window wider than 600cms needed two. I tried to avoid but they wanted a £5000 excess in that case.
fernicarry
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- Argyllshire
Sounds like they want what's called a maintained system. Lots of companies will fit them then charge you an annual fee for the monitored bit. If it triggers and they can't contact a key holder they send round a rent-a-cop. The response time usually isn't all that prompt (I think my friend's is 30 minutes) so may not provide you with much in the way of real protection. You'll also be expected to arm it every time you pop out to be able to make a valid claim.
Be prepared for lots of cosmetic damage when its fitted. Surface run cables tacked onto the skirting boards, detectors ruthlessly chopped into the edge of door and window reveals. At least that's what I found when I took over this place. Maybe its all wireless now so the wires are less of a problem but don't expect them to take any trouble concealing the white plastic boxes. If you value your period details then have a very serious conversation with the installer about what you expect and watch them like a hawk as they work.
As I work my way round renovating I'm rerouting the cables inside the walls or under the floor and recessing the detectors into the door and window jambs so that its all completely invisible. All perfectly doable but of course a lot more effort. My smoke alarms are interlinked with the alarm panel too.
Be prepared for lots of cosmetic damage when its fitted. Surface run cables tacked onto the skirting boards, detectors ruthlessly chopped into the edge of door and window reveals. At least that's what I found when I took over this place. Maybe its all wireless now so the wires are less of a problem but don't expect them to take any trouble concealing the white plastic boxes. If you value your period details then have a very serious conversation with the installer about what you expect and watch them like a hawk as they work.
As I work my way round renovating I'm rerouting the cables inside the walls or under the floor and recessing the detectors into the door and window jambs so that its all completely invisible. All perfectly doable but of course a lot more effort. My smoke alarms are interlinked with the alarm panel too.
There are plenty of maintained systems that are wireless and aimed at the DIY installer now, alarm companies have realised it is a great way of cutting their costs.
ADT and Yale both offer their branded take on these sorts of systems under their monitoring packages. Other more modern (and arguably better featured) companies are also available
ADT and Yale both offer their branded take on these sorts of systems under their monitoring packages. Other more modern (and arguably better featured) companies are also available