Tyler C. from Albuquerque, NM

Was it easy to install your own system?

After doing some research and talking to the folks at our local security store, we decided to order all of the components for the security system and install everything ourselves. The research process was not particularly difficult and I learned a LOT more than I would have if someone else had installed it for us. The process of learning and installing the system has made me much more comfortable in dealing with the system on a daily basis. Installation took most of a day, but the actual work was easy thanks to Alarm Grid's YouTube tutorial videos. Without those, it would have been much more challenging.

Why did you choose Alarm Grid?

Initially, the YouTube videos are what introduced me to Alarm Grid. I really liked the "DIY" aspect of the company (even though I'm generally not a DIYer). The informative website and blog, approachable employees (Sterling - the guy in the videos - will actually answer the phone for you if you call), and very reasonable monitoring prices made it an easy choice.

Do you feel safer as a result of Alarm Grid monitoring your house?

ABSOLUTELY! We just moved from a mild-mannered Midwest city to a generally high-crime city in the Southwest, so safety was our number one priority when we moved down here. We sleep much better at night now and I don't come home from work every day after work half-expecting our house to be empty. I've never had a security system before, but I can recommend it now without hesitation.

How much money did you save by installing this system on your own?

This was actually the biggest difference between our "DIY" installation and a professional installation. The price difference was huge. In total, our very comprehensive"DIY" L5100 installation in a 2,000 square foot home was about $1,900 with everything included. The quote for a much less robust L5100 system from a professional installer near our home was around $2,000, but if they had installed everything that we ended up doing, it would have probably run us $2,700 all said and done. Within that, they listed $350 to just "test" the system, $10 per window sensor to connect to them to the panel (literally, a 15 second procedure), and wanted to charge us for parts of the L5100PK bundle that we wouldn't even be using! All in all, I'd guess an $800 savings over a professional installer - well worth the effort. Plus, free learning!

Did you use Alarm Grid's YouTube channel or extensive collection of Q&As to install your system?

Despite the L5100 system being designed to be easy and intuitive for consumers (not just installers), I think most people would get stumped at least a couple of times in the process. With Alarm Grid's videos and FAQs, I was able to learn a lot about the process and answer a lot of my questions beforehand as I was putting together my "shopping list" of sensors and components. In some parts of the installation, I literally sat down and followed the videos step-by-step. They are a HUGE help.

Are you taking advantage of the home automation features available in your system?

Unfortunately for us, we do not have home automation turned on yet. The Z-Wave module is on the list of things to add to our system at a later date, but we are only renting our home for the moment. Our future plans include adding Z-Wave controllers to the lamps in our home so that we can control each individual light, as well as adding Z-Wave locks for our doors.

What is the best part of your new Alarm Grid system?

First of all, I just want to make a point to other renters. Even if you are in an apartment or a rental house, you can take the L5100 system with you when you move. Just remove the wireless sensors and panel and you're done! Thats a $1900 system that we can now take with us when we decide to move again.

Other than that, by far our favorite part is Total Connect. The ability to monitor our alarm system 24/7 from anywhere is the #1 reason we went with the L5100 system. I can arm and disarm our alarm when we're away, bypass individual zones, and read through system events. In my opinion, it adds a whole different level of confidence well beyond a "disconnected" alarm system.

Why should other people consider Alarm Grid?

I don't think that I can emphasize this more - the experience that I have had working with Alarm Grid has been absolutely fantastic. From beginning to end, they have worked with me and answered any questions I had, usually within an hour. Josh followed up on a missing package and Sterling called again to make sure it was finally received. It is the kind of customer service that you can't get anywhere else, and for me, it is what turned me from a customer into an advocate.

What do you think about Total Connect?

Total Connect 2.0 is awesome and I will never go without a similar system ever again. Hands down, this is the absolute #1 feature of a Honeywell/L5100 system. I can't wait for the next gen (whenever that is)!

Did you take advantage of the homeowners insurance discount?

Actually, we applied it to our USAA Renter's insurance. Moving from the Midwest to the Southwest nearly doubled our homeowner’s insurance rate, but with the security system discount we were able to keep it basically flat. There was no certificate required, but Sterling was happy to provide one if we had needed it.

What do you think about Alarm Grid's customer service?

I've already mentioned several exceptional examples up above in the previous sections, but I cannot foresee myself switching to anyone else in the future. The level of customer service is absolutely unreal, and the price, to be honest, could even be higher and I still wouldn't move to a competitor. My appointment for activating my security system was on a Wednesday at 7pm with Sterling, the president of Alarm Grid. He gave up a good portion of his evening just to help me get my system up and running. Not many would do that. The level of customer service at this company is on a whole different level from anyone else and I can't wait to see what they do in the future!