Access Control Systems prices

Remember when door readers were connected to the central control panel and how difficult it was to run all the connections? Oh wait, people are still doing that. The new IP connected readers have been available for a number of years and it’s surprising that they haven’t made more of an impact in the market. I talked to a number of people about this and the conclusion is that security dealers like to do what they know and find it difficult to work with computers and networks. Are the IP door readers actually better, or as some people say, too expensive?

In this article we reviewed the cost of the two technologies for an 8 door system.

System that Uses the Classic Central Panel Type Access Control

There are a number of manufacturers that sell this technology. In general there are one or more central control panels that connect to a central panel or to a computer. All the readers are connected to this central panel. Usually the readers use Wiegand protocol for communication. The cable also includes power and a number of door control signals such as Request to Exit and Door contact sensors

Here is an estimate of an 8 door control system.

Equipment Cost

Equipment cost includes the readers and the central box with power supply.

Each door requires a door controller and a prox card reader.

8 – Door controllers = $500 x 8 = $4, 000

8 – Prox readers = 195 x 8 = $1560

The central control box and power supply are required:

1- Site Controller 0

1- Software 5 (This can be a lot higher depending on company)

1- Power supply 5

Wiring

Traditional 18-2 or composite wiring from the panel to the reader can range from The central control box and power supply are required:

1- Site Controller $570

1- Software $775 (This can be a lot higher depending on company)

1- Power supply $495

Traditional 18-2 or composite wiring from the panel to the reader can range from $0.90 to $1.30 per foot. Assuming the 6 readers average 50 feet from the panel at minimum, wiring cost will be $270

Installation Labor Cost

Installation is a variable because it depends on the prep work for mounting panel enclosure, distance from the central box, the type of walls and ceilings, and other physical considerations in the building. It goes without saying that multi-building installati.90 to .30 per foot. Assuming the 6 readers average 50 feet from the panel at minimum, wiring cost will be 0

Installation is a variable because it depends on the prep work for mounting panel enclosure, distance from the central box, the type of walls and ceilings, and other physical considerations in the building. It goes without saying that multi-building installation adds to the complexity. We used the labor costs at one installation which required about 5 days at about $1000 per day = $5000

Total cost for the system is $12, 670

System That Uses IP Door Readers

The new IP door control readers are actually more than just readers, they also include all the intelligence that was in the central door panels. The readers connect directly to the network and use PoE for power. Technology continues to make these readers smaller and smarter. The latest readers from Isonas are small enough to fit on the door mullion, and can read the classic RFID cards as well as the latest Smart cards. Since all the smarts are in the reader, you can start with just a single reader and grow incrementally. There is no initial expensive panel to purchase when you just need a single door reader.

There are a number of other great advantages when using this type of system. Not only do these readers get their power from the network, they also can provide power to the lock. Now you don’t need to run separate power to each door. Each reader holds the complete database of people enrolled in the system, so even if the computer fails or is not available, the doors are still safely controlled. For more about this type of system take a look at our web page about network attached door control systems.

Here are the details about the cost of this type of system:

Equipment cost

Door access control reader-controller $700 x 8 = $5, 600

Software is free

8 port network switch with PoE support = $200

Total equipment is $4900

Cat 5/6 wiring from the network switch to the reader-controller is about 0.30 per foot. Assuming the 6 doors average 50 feet from the network switch the wiring cost will be $90.00

Labor cost is again somewhat variable but since there are fewer devices to configure and install at the door, physical installation is simplified. As for electrical work, since wiring of the reader-controller to the door strike is contained at the door and PoE supplies power to the lock, we have cut out the need for wiring back to one central point. Thus labor costs are much less. Typically an install requires ½ the time and resources to install so 3 days at $1000 per day is $3000 for labor.