The Short Answer
On our estimates, a 4-camera CCTV system costs about £600 to £1,400 supplied and fitted, with a recorder and phone app. Two cameras are £400 to £700; six to eight £1,200 to £2,400. A multi-camera system takes from a few hours to a full day to fit.
Point cameras at your own property. If they capture a neighbour's house or garden, the street or shared areas, data protection law applies to you.
Home security cost calculator
An alarm, cameras, or both, supplied and fitted.
Estimated total
£600 to £1,400
| CCTV, 4 cameras, supplied and fitted | £600 to £1,400 |
CCTV prices
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| 2 cameras | £400 to £700 |
| 4 cameras | £600 to £1,400 |
| 6 to 8 cameras | £1,200 to £2,400 |
Installation only
If you've bought the cameras, you're paying for labour and cable runs. One supplier that sells installation alongside its kits, CCTV Kits, charged £238.80 for one camera, £310.80 for two, £430.80 for four and £718.80 for eight when we checked in October 2026, including VAT, with cable runs of up to 25m. An installer fitting cameras you bought elsewhere may charge more, and some won't fit kit they didn't supply, so ask before you buy.
Is CCTV worth it?
As a deterrent on its own, the evidence is modest. A 2017 study of Crime Survey for England and Wales data from 2008 to 2012 found CCTV with no other security gave some protection against break-ins but none against attempted burglary. The strongest results came from combinations: CCTV with door and window locks and security chains gave about 50 times the protection of no security.
So I'd get the locks right first, then add cameras for what they're best at: seeing who's at the door, watching the car and having footage if something happens. For the evidence on alarms, see do alarms put burglars off?
CCTV and data protection
The ICO's guidance for home CCTV (including video doorbells) is to position cameras to capture only your own property where possible. If they capture someone else's property, a public area or a shared space, data protection law applies: you need a clear reason, mustn't capture more than you need, must let people know (a sign is the usual way), should provide recordings to people captured on them if asked, delete footage regularly, and stop recording someone who objects unless you have a legitimate reason to continue. The ICO notes this guidance is under review after the Data (Use and Access) Act.
Wired or wireless?
- A wired system with a recorder (DVR) records on its own box in the house. It's the most secure option, but more work to install.
- A networked system (NVR) shares footage through your router, so you can watch from anywhere, and needs fewer wires. The trade-off is that the feed can be hacked.
- Wireless cameras send footage over wifi but still need mains power or a battery; battery cameras need recharging.
- Decide on storage: a recorder at home, or cloud storage with a monthly fee.
An alarm too?
See burglar alarms; the calculator above prices both together.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does CCTV installation cost?
On our estimates, about £600 to £1,400 for a 4-camera system, supplied and fitted.
How much does it cost to install 4 CCTV cameras?
About £600 to £1,400 supplied and fitted with a recorder, on our estimates. Networked (NVR) systems sit towards the top of the range.
How much does CCTV installation cost for labour only?
When we checked in October 2026, CCTV Kits charged £238.80 to install one camera and £430.80 for four, including VAT, with its own kits. Fitting cameras you bought elsewhere can cost more, and not every installer will do it.
Is it worth installing CCTV at home?
On its own it's a modest deterrent: a 2017 study of Crime Survey data found it gave some protection against break-ins but none against attempts. Combined with good door and window locks it did much better, so I'd sort the locks first.
Is it legal to have CCTV on my house?
Yes. If the cameras capture beyond your own property, data protection law applies, so point them at your own property where you can.
Do I need permission for a video doorbell?
No permission, but if it records the street or a neighbour's property, the same data protection rules as CCTV apply.
How we priced thisView sources (3, 2 official)
Rules come from the legislation and official guidance, read at source. Prices are our estimates: we check them against trade price data, retailer shelf prices and specialists' price lists, then build them up from their parts so the totals add up. Below are the sources behind the page; the trade price guides we only compare against aren’t listed. Where sources disagreed, we've said so. More on our method.
- OfficialHome CCTV systems, Information Commissioner's Office. Checked 15 Oct 2026.
- OfficialThe effectiveness of burglary security devices (Tseloni, Thompson, Grove, Tilley and Farrell; Crime Survey for England and Wales data 2008/09 to 2011/12), Security Journal (Springer Nature), 2017, open access. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- IndustryCCTV installation service (England and Wales), priced by number of cameras, CCTV Kits. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
