Battle Of The Bellboxes

[datadiffusion]

Hi everyone,

Im new to going it alone, but have about 3 years experience just doing alarms for a local electrical contractor, (quality outfit, metal cased Gardtec 840s only fitted) and 3 years at the MOD, mostly very specialist CCTV and vehicle stuff that has little or no place in the real world, sadly.

Anyway, Im trying to choose a new bellbox;

I'm going for quality not price, but want to avoid an oblong type box, too many of them round here (Im covering Bath & Wilts) all with horrible colours and tacky graphics. From my personal research, householders dont want a yellow or red box on their lovely house! But of course, if you are the Largest National Company, you put what you want up! B)

Rant over.

Anyway, heres what I've looked at or considered so far;

Elmdene SA2000 - looks cool in the pictures, but too big and bulky, shame

CQR Multibox with Aries - Hmmm, havent seen a live unit yet, any good?

CQR Protecta - Looks nice again, but any experience out there? No samples yet.

Ventcroft Vision - 'reassuring expensive'. Also reassuringly blind to my nice letter asking for some brochures and a lid sample on sale or return, since I cant find anyone locally that will sell the things without a £10 special order charge. CQR are also guilty of this, but I can get lids and samples easily from Gardiner for them.

Everyone else locally seems to be drifting onto 'Delta' shaped boxes so I want to avoid this. It would be great to put up a really slim Elmdene Rapier style (i.e metal) box but no-one seems to make them anymore at a reasonable cost.

Ok, now Im a big Scantronic fan, but what is everyone thinking about the £** wonder, the 9651. It MUST be made in China or something, right

I'd only use it for Domestics myself, I suppose, again any opinions would be great. I've had one on the bench for a few weeks with no probs though.

Finally, is it possible to get Contract work? Ive already written to the locals several times with not even a response, so do the big boys like to cover their 'out of area' installations by sub contracting? I already have my CIS and accounts for my Electrical sub contracting work (which one day I hope to ditch entirely, fingers crossed).

Thanks for reading all this,

Stu )

[Guest RICHL]

Elmdene SA2000 - looks cool in the pictures, but too big and bulky, shame

CQR Multibox with Aries - Hmmm, havent seen a live unit yet, any good?

CQR Protecta - Looks nice again, but any experience out there? No samples yet.

Ventcroft Vision - 'reassuring expensive'. Also reassuringly blind to my nice letter asking for some brochures and a lid sample on sale or return, since I cant find anyone locally that will sell the things without a £10 special order charge. CQR are also guilty of this, but I can get lids and samples easily from Gardiner for them.

Everyone else locally seems to be drifting onto 'Delta' shaped boxes so I want to avoid this. It would be great to put up a really slim Elmdene Rapier style (i.e metal) box but no-one seems to make them anymore at a reasonable cost.

42865[/snapback]

Personally I think Gardtec make the best quality boxes available, but you may not like the appearance of these, in which case the texecom ody 4 may be the best bet - slim with good quality electronics (protected) and not too common.

[Monteey]

Gardtec are very good boxes i agree, the few i have install are well built and last pretty much forever. Also the Texecom boxes are in the same league with some useful features.

Avoid the Elmdene bells like the plague, used to fit them for a firm i worked for, very poorly built and frequently had pieces missing, not recommended.

[Brian c]

Avoid the Elmdene bells like the plague, used to fit them for a firm i worked for, very poorly built and frequently had pieces missing, not recommended.

42874[/snapback]

I thought they had a reputation for quality?

[Monteey]

Quality?????? You are joking right, elmdene dont know the meaning of the word.

[jb-eye]

Quality?????? You are joking right, elmdene dont know the meaning of the word.

42879[/snapback]

Thanks for this monteey ill box mine back up and return them immediately.

Jef

[Service Engineer]

Gardtec Nova 4 = (Smart)

Gardtec Nova4Q = (Awesome)

[ian.cant]

Finally, is it possible to get Contract work? Ive already written to the locals several times with not even a response, so do the big boys like to cover their 'out of area' installations by sub contracting? I already have my CIS and accounts for my Electrical sub contracting work (which one day I hope to ditch entirely, fingers crossed).

You should be able to get contract work but as i see it, as a contracting spark the alarm companies will maybe avoid you.

They will prefer alarms specialists, so rebranding in that direction would be a good idea. You dont have to tell lies, just tell them what they want to hear, the sparkying side will be an advantage later when you have a foot in the door.

Your only really going to get work from knowing companies and they knowing they can rely on you and your standard of work. They may not read your letters unless theyre desperate for subbies, as usual its who you know rather than what you know.

Use your local Gardiners or whoever is around to advertise yourself, theyre talking to the people you need to everyday. Find out what industry functions are happening locally and be there to get to know people. Get the names of the people who dish out the work at the bigger compnies and ring them, its good to talk rather than write to them.

Most of all be positive, promote yourself as a "do'er" rather than a "im not sure if i can" type person.

I hope this helps, it just takes time, good luck!

[Guest]

the gard tec XS3D boxes arnt bad loud if you go for the twin peizo but the stobe could be better

as for the scanny 9651 not bad fitted about 10 of these now and not a single problem so far , fitting one tomorrow morning as it hapens but wouldent recomend for anything other than bells only domestic just my opinion B)

[Chris Teague]

Agree with the Gardtec Bells. We use the Delta & they just go on & on, well made (possibly a bit on the bulky side if I'm gonna get fussy) but have hardly had any go faulty.