Peter,
Thanks very much for the advice - I'll take that on board. What would you suggest for a reliable wireless system (but with the option to hard wire stuff, like distant sensors, control panel, bell) that can easily be tinkered with by the layman?
Money isn't really a concern - not because I'm rich, but because I want the system to last 20 years or so - if I can get a reliable system that lasts that long, the price per year won't be that much, and I hopefully won't need expensive fault finding visits.