- Why do national provider quotes cost so much more for one store?
- Does your franchise agreement require a specific security provider?
- What's the real price difference for a single store?
- Six questions to ask before you sign any security quote
- If you own two or three territories
- What matters to your franchisor and your insurer
- FAQ
- Sources
If a franchise security quote from a national provider has come back much bigger than you expected, you’re not imagining the gap. I’ve reviewed real quotes for Melbourne franchise owners (cafés, gyms, retail stores), and the pattern is consistent: a big provider’s price for one 200-square-metre store often reflects the size of their company, not the size of your shop. Here’s what actually drives that number, what your franchise agreement does and doesn’t require, and what to check before you sign anything.
Why do national provider quotes cost so much more for one store?
A national security provider carries costs an independent installer doesn’t: account management teams, tender and compliance departments, national logistics, layers of administration. Installation itself is sometimes subcontracted to a local team rather than done by the company that quoted you. None of that is wrong. For a 300-store rollout, it’s exactly the structure you’d want. Priced onto a single shop, though, the quote reflects the size of the company more than the size of your site.
The hardware is often the same. Most national providers install commercial-grade cameras and monitored alarm panels from the same handful of manufacturer families as any licensed installer, from the 8MP AI camera class to the monitored alarm panel. Ask for the quote itemised with model numbers. It’s the fastest way to see whether you’re paying for hardware or for someone else’s head office.
Does your franchise agreement require a specific security provider?
Read your agreement. Every one is different, and if anything is unclear, confirm it in writing with your franchisor or a franchise adviser before engaging anyone. In the agreements franchisees have shown me, security clauses usually set a standard: CCTV coverage of tills and entries, a footage retention period (30 days is common), a monitored alarm, rather than naming one supplier.
Under the Franchising Code of Conduct, a franchisor can legally require you to buy from a named approved supplier. If your agreement does that, you have to follow it even if it costs more. It’s called a supply restriction, and the ACCC’s guidance on franchise supply arrangements explains how it works and what franchisors must disclose about it.
If your agreement names a provider, follow it, and ask your franchise manager in writing whether approved alternatives exist. If it sets a standard instead, any licensed installer who meets and documents that standard is worth a quote, and I provide a written compliance summary with every franchise install so head office can see the standard is met.
You don’t need a 300-store compliance department to run camera coverage and a monitored alarm in one 200-square-metre shop. You need the same standard your franchisor requires, documented in writing, at a price that actually fits the size of your store.
This article is general information, not legal advice.
What’s the real price difference for a single store?
In every franchise quote a client has shown me, a single store (4 to 6 commercial cameras plus a monitored alarm) has cost noticeably more with a national provider than the same scope costs with us, usually tied to a 24–36 month monitoring agreement.
The CCTV side alone, current as of September 2026, starts from $3,990 installed incl. GST for a 4-camera shopfront: cameras, an 8-channel NVR, a 4TB surveillance drive, cabling and app set-up, installed personally by a licensed installer rather than a subcontractor. That figure and the full breakdown for bigger sites are on our commercial CCTV pricing page. A monitored alarm is quoted alongside it at the walk-through, since it depends on your floor plan; monitoring itself runs $49–99 a month on month-to-month terms, no lock-in.
Your exact numbers depend on your site: ceiling heights, store layout, cabling paths. That’s why we quote fixed prices only after a free walk-through.
| What you’re comparing | National provider (typical) | Sipko Security |
|---|---|---|
| Who installs | Often a local subcontractor | Serhii, licensed, in person |
| Contract length | Often 24–36 months | Month-to-month, no lock-in |
| Pricing | Quote on request | Published from-prices, fixed after a walk-through |
| Documentation for head office | Varies by provider | Written compliance summary included |
Six questions to ask before you sign any security quote
- Is installation done by the provider’s own licensed staff, or subcontracted?
- What’s the monitoring term, the monthly fee, and the exit conditions?
- Is the hardware itemised with model numbers you can verify?
- Who owns the equipment and the footage at the end of the term?
- If you refit or relocate, what moves with you?
- Will they provide written documentation for your franchisor and insurer?
These are fair questions for any installer, including me. I answer all six in writing in every quote.
If you own two or three territories
An independent installer can standardise one design across your stores: identical hardware, one contact who knows each site’s quirks. With Ajax’s system, one account can manage every hub across multiple sites from the same app, so a multi-territory owner sees every store’s cameras and alarm status without extra software. It’s part of the Ajax range we set up as standard for owners with more than one site.
What matters to your franchisor and your insurer
Your franchisor cares that the standard is met and documented. Your insurer typically cares that installation is licensed and monitoring is professional, rather than which brand did the work, though policies differ, so check your PDS. Victoria requires anyone installing, repairing or monitoring security equipment to hold a private security licence, and Victoria Police keeps a public register you can check any installer against, national or independent.
If you’ve received a quote you’re unsure about, bring it in. I’ll go through it with you line by line, including the parts that are perfectly fair, and give you a fixed alternative to compare against our business security and retail security pricing. The walk-through is free, and the compliance summary for head office is included.
FAQ
Can my franchisor require a specific security provider?
Some agreements do, and if yours does, you’re required to follow it even if it costs more. That’s a supply restriction under the Franchising Code of Conduct. Many agreements set a standard instead, which any licensed installer can meet and document. Check yours, and confirm anything unclear with your franchisor in writing.
Will an independent system satisfy my insurer?
In most cases insurers want licensed installation and professional monitoring rather than a specific brand, but policies differ, so check your PDS. We provide written documentation of licensing, installation and monitoring to support your policy.
Can head office access footage if my agreement requires it?
Yes. Viewer access can be configured to match your agreement without transferring ownership of the system to head office.
I’m already in a monitoring contract. What are my options?
Check your end date and notice period first. Switching at expiry is straightforward, and we regularly schedule the takeover for the week a contract ends so there’s no gap in cover. A recorder takeover on an existing system starts from $890 installed incl. GST if you want to move providers before your term is up.
Do installers legally need a security licence in Victoria?
Yes. Installing, repairing or monitoring security equipment in Victoria requires a private security licence, and businesses need a separate business licence. Recent reforms moved installers from a registration system to a full individual operator licence. Ask any installer, national or independent, for their current licence number and check it on Victoria Police’s public register.
Want a fixed quote? Book a free site walk-through.
Serhii Sipko is the founder of Sipko Security, a licensed Victorian security business (Business Licence Z93-206-80S · Installer Licence Z47-808-30S) installing and supporting retail and franchise security systems across Melbourne. General information only. Always review your franchise agreement and insurance policy, and seek professional advice for contractual questions.
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