How Much Does CCTV Installation Cost in 2026?
Home CCTV installation cost for a 4-camera system is £500 to £1,000 fully installed. A basic 2-camera CCTV installation cost starts from £300. The price depends on whether you choose wired or wireless, the camera resolution, and whether you install it yourself. Considering a combined CCTV and alarm system? That costs from £800. Here is the full breakdown.
£300
2 cameras from
£500
4 cameras from
£150–£400
Installation
£15–£30/mo
Monitoring
Prices updated April 2026 · Based on industry data and contractor submissions.
Data protection rules apply. If your cameras capture footage beyond your property boundary, you must comply with data protection law. The ICO recommends displaying visible signs and being prepared to handle subject access requests.
Home CCTV Installation Cost by System Type
What a home CCTV system costs, broken down by type and number of cameras. Police.uk's crime prevention advice recommends visible cameras as an effective deterrent. Prices include equipment and professional installation.
2-camera wired system
Front door + rear, 2MP–4MP, DVR/NVR recorder
£450
£300 – £600
4-camera wired system
Full home coverage, 4MP, 1TB hard drive
£750
£500 – £1,000
8-camera wired system
Large property, 4MP–8MP, 2TB+ storage
£1,400
£800 – £2,000
2-camera wireless system
WiFi cameras, cloud or local storage, app control
£250
£150 – £400
4-camera wireless system
WiFi, battery or mains powered, cloud storage
£450
£300 – £700
Professional installation only
Labour for fitting and configuring cameras
£275
£150 – £400
Wired vs Wireless: Which Is Better?
A side-by-side comparison to help you decide which type suits your home.
| Feature | Wired | Wireless |
|---|---|---|
| Reliability | Excellent - no WiFi dependence | Good - depends on WiFi signal |
| Installation | Harder - cable runs needed | Easy - mount and connect via app |
| Installation cost | Higher - £150–£400 labour | Lower - most are DIY |
| Power | Constant mains via cable | Battery (charge every 2–6 months) or mains |
| Image quality | Typically 4MP–8MP | Typically 2MP–4MP |
| Monthly costs | None (local storage) | £3–£10/camera for cloud storage |
| Best for | Permanent home system | Renters, quick setup, flexibility |
Ongoing Costs
Monthly and occasional costs to keep your CCTV system running. If your cameras capture beyond your property boundary, the ICO's domestic CCTV guidance explains your data protection obligations.
| Item | Typical Cost |
|---|---|
| Cloud storage (per camera/month) | £3 – £10 |
| Professional monitoring (monthly) | £15 – £30 |
| Hard drive replacement | £50 – £100 |
| Camera replacement | £50 – £200 each |
Average Cost of CCTV Installation UK by Region
Average total cost for a 4-camera wired CCTV system, professionally installed, by UK region.
| Region | Average Cost | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| London | £900 | +20% |
| South East | £825 | +10% |
| South West | £775 | +3% |
| Midlands | £750 | Average |
| East of England | £780 | +4% |
| Yorkshire | £680 | -9% |
| North West | £700 | -7% |
| North East | £650 | -13% |
| Scotland | £670 | -11% |
| Wales | £690 | -8% |
How to Get Your CCTV for Less
Buy the kit yourself and pay for fitting only
CCTV installers typically mark up equipment by 30 to 50%. Buy a well-reviewed system from Amazon, Screwfix, or a specialist supplier, then hire an installer to fit it. A Hikvision or Dahua 4-camera kit costs £200 to £400 online. Fitting typically adds £150 to £300 on top. You save significantly compared to an all-in package.
Use local NVR storage instead of cloud
Cloud storage plans cost £3 to £10 per camera per month - that is £144 to £480 per year for a 4-camera system. A local NVR (network video recorder) stores footage on a hard drive with no monthly fees. A 2TB drive holds 2 to 4 weeks of footage from 4 cameras. The upfront cost is higher, but you break even within a year.
Start with 2 cameras and add more later
Most NVR recorders support 4 to 8 cameras but come configured for fewer. Start with two cameras covering the most important areas (front door and rear garden), and add extra cameras later as your budget allows. This spreads the cost and lets you learn which angles are most useful before committing to a full system.
Skip professional monitoring
Monthly monitoring services cost £15 to £30 and alert a control centre if your cameras detect activity. But most modern cameras send instant smartphone notifications for free. Unless you are away from your phone for long stretches, you can monitor your own system at no cost. Save the monitoring fee for properties where a rapid response matters - businesses, holiday homes, or high-risk areas.
What to Expect: The Installation Process
- 1
Site survey and planning
A good installer starts by walking around your property to identify the best camera positions, potential blind spots, and where cables will run. They check WiFi coverage for wireless systems or plan cable routes for wired setups. This takes 30 to 60 minutes and is often free if you go ahead with the installation.
- 2
Mount the cameras
Cameras are fixed to walls, soffits, or fascia boards using brackets and screws. The ideal height is 2.5 to 3 metres - high enough to avoid tampering but low enough for useful footage. Each camera is angled to cover the required area with minimal overlap.
- 3
Run cables or connect wirelessly
For wired systems, the installer runs cables from each camera back to the recorder location - through the loft, along walls, or externally with UV-resistant clips. For wireless systems, each camera is paired with the WiFi network via an app. Power cables still need to reach each camera unless they are battery-powered.
- 4
Configure the recorder and app
The installer sets up the DVR or NVR, configures motion detection zones, recording schedules, and smartphone notifications. They walk you through the app so you know how to view live footage, replay recordings, and download clips. A 4-camera wired system typically takes half a day to install from start to finish.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to install CCTV at home?
A 2-camera CCTV system costs £300 to £600 including equipment and professional installation. A 4-camera system costs £500 to £1,000, and a full 8-camera system costs £800 to £2,000. These prices include the cameras, recorder, cabling (for wired systems), and labour. Wireless systems are at the lower end because there is no cabling work.
Is wired or wireless CCTV better for homes?
Wired CCTV is more reliable - it does not drop out when WiFi is weak, and the cameras have constant power so there are no batteries to charge. Wireless is easier and cheaper to install because there is no cabling, and you can reposition cameras more easily. For a permanent home system, wired is the better choice. For renters or anyone who wants a quick setup without drilling, wireless works well.
Do I need to tell my neighbours about CCTV?
If your cameras only cover your own property, you do not need to inform anyone. However, if any camera captures images beyond your boundary - a neighbour's garden, a shared driveway, or a public footpath - the ICO (Information Commissioner's Office) says you should put up visible signs saying CCTV is in use. You should also be prepared to share footage if someone makes a subject access request. Pointing cameras directly at a neighbour's property is likely to cause a dispute and could be considered harassment.
How long does CCTV footage need to be kept?
There is no legal requirement for how long domestic CCTV footage must be kept. Most home systems overwrite the oldest footage automatically when the storage is full - typically every 7 to 30 days depending on the number of cameras, resolution, and hard drive size. If you are recording for security purposes, 14 to 30 days is a sensible retention period. If you capture an incident, save the relevant footage immediately before it is overwritten.
Can I install CCTV myself?
Yes, especially wireless systems - most are designed for DIY installation and come with mounting brackets, instructions, and a smartphone app. Wired systems are harder because you need to run cables through walls, lofts, or along guttering, and connect them to a recorder. If you are comfortable with basic DIY, a wired system is still manageable. Professional installation adds £150 to £400 but saves time and ensures the cameras are positioned and angled correctly.
Reviewed by Chris Ward, Less.co.uk Home Improvement Costs Specialist
Last updated: April 2026 · Pricing based on industry data and verified contractor submissions · Methodology
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