Taking Over a Security System Another Company Installed
A Takeover Is Not a Replacement
A system takeover means Tulsa Surveillance Technologies becomes the company responsible for a security system it did not install. It starts with a free site walk where every camera, cable run, recorder, reader, and panel is tested, and it ends with a camera map that marks each device as kept, repaired, or replaced, with the reason beside it. We take over existing systems across the Tulsa metro all the time, and most of them keep most of their hardware.
The usual story is familiar. Half the cameras went dark, the installer stopped returning calls, and the next integrator quoted a full replacement. In our experience the failure is usually in one place, a recorder, a power supply, or a damaged run feeding a group of cameras, and the cameras themselves are fine. We would rather repair and upgrade than sell you a system you do not need, and the map is how you can see that for yourself.
Send Photos First
Start With a Picture of What You Have
Before the walk, email photos of the cameras, the recorder, and any labels you can find to contact@tulsasurvtech.com. Knowing the brand and the recorder model lets the technician bring the right parts and passwords the first time.
- Every device tested on the walk
- Kept, repaired, or replaced, with the reason
- Analog and IP systems both supported
- Mobile access restored and tested
How a Takeover Runs
On the walk we test each camera for power, signal, and image, trace the cable runs, check the recorder for drive health and recording status, and try to log in to everything. If the previous company left no passwords, most equipment can be reset and reconfigured, though the recorder’s old footage is lost in that case and we say so before touching it. Readers and alarm panels are tested the same way.
The quote that follows is a drawing. Each existing device is numbered and marked, the repairs are itemized, and any new positions are shown with coverage cones so you can see why they are there. Common takeover work includes replacing a failed recorder with one that supports the existing cameras, repairing or rerunning damaged cable, adding a camera or two at blind spots nobody flagged, restoring remote viewing, and setting retention properly. After that the system is ours to support like any other; the service and repair page explains what that means.
When Replacement Is the Honest Answer
Sometimes it is. Analog cameras that cannot read a face at the distance you care about, a recorder with no spare parts, or cabling that was never rated for outdoor use are not worth saving, and we tell you so. Even then, the takeover map shows what a replacement adds position by position, so the decision is yours and it is made on evidence rather than a sales pitch. The page on inherited systems covers the questions owners ask most at this point.
What You Should Have in Hand Afterward
A finished takeover leaves you with four things: a camera map that matches what is on the wall, the equipment list with model numbers and the date each device was installed or kept, every login in your own name rather than the previous installer’s, and a Tulsa number that reaches the crew that now knows the system. That is the documentation the previous company should have given you, and it is what makes the next service call a short one.
Questions
Takeover Questions
Is there a charge to look at my existing system?
No. The site walk and the test of every camera, run, and recorder are free, and the camera map that comes out of it is yours whether or not you hire us.
Will you keep my existing cameras?
Wherever they work and can do what you need. A takeover quote marks every existing camera as kept, repaired, or replaced, and explains why for each one.
What if the old company will not give me the passwords?
It happens. Most recorders and cameras can be reset to factory defaults and reconfigured, and we have done it many times. You lose the old footage on the recorder in that case, so we discuss it first.
Can you take over an analog system?
Yes. A hybrid recorder keeps the analog cameras running while new IP cameras are added where they are needed, so a takeover does not have to be a replacement.
Client Testimonials
What Clients Say About Working With Us
★★★★★
Let’s Walk Your Property
Free site walk, a camera map you keep either way, and a straight answer about what actually needs replacing.