Camera System Estimator
Build a full CCTV system and get a real bill of materials down to the line item. Add cameras by type and count, set retention, and it sizes the storage array, allocates the PoE budget, picks the switch and recorder, adds mounts, cabling, and labor, and totals it. Storage and PoE are computed by the same engines as the storage and PoE tools, and every price is yours to edit.
Avg home-run
Avg home-run
100 = continuous
Camera resolution (which sets the bitrate) comes from each camera type. Reference bitrates: 8 MP / 4K ≈ 16 Mbps at 15 fps, H.264.
Service loops, waste
Blank = catalogue
Auto picks the smallest that fits
Mount, aim, focus
Pull, terminate, test
Config, flat
| Item | Qty | Unit | Extended |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 MP Turretturret · 4MP | 8 | $130.00 | $1,040.00 |
| 8 MP / 4K Domedome · 4K | 2 | $220.00 | $440.00 |
| Cameras subtotal | $1,480.00 | ||
| Camera mount / housing | 10 | $15.00 | $150.00 |
| Mounts & housings subtotal | $150.00 | ||
| Cat6 (riser/CMR)1140 ft + 15% spare | 1311 | $0.28 | $367.08 |
| Drop termination (keystone + patch) | 10 | $6.00 | $60.00 |
| Cabling subtotal | $427.08 | ||
| 16-channel NVR, built-in PoE16 channels | 1 | $460.00 | $460.00 |
| Recorder subtotal | $460.00 | ||
| 8 TB surveillance HDD20.1 TB usable needed · RAID5 | 4 | $150.00 | $600.00 |
| Storage subtotal | $600.00 | ||
| Surge protection | 1 | $45.00 | $45.00 |
| 1500 VA UPS | 1 | $190.00 | $190.00 |
| Power subtotal | $235.00 | ||
| 24-port patch panel | 1 | $35.00 | $35.00 |
| Wall-mount rack / enclosure | 1 | $120.00 | $120.00 |
| Cable management & misc | 1 | $60.00 | $60.00 |
| Accessories subtotal | $215.00 | ||
| Camera install (mount, aim, focus) | 10 | $85.00 | $850.00 |
| Cable drop (pull, terminate, test) | 10 | $65.00 | $650.00 |
| System config & commissioning | 1 | $200.00 | $200.00 |
| Labor subtotal | $1,700.00 | ||
| Equipment | $3,567.08 | ||
| Labor | $1,700.00 | ||
| Contingency | $526.71 | ||
| Tax | $0.00 | ||
| Total installed | $5,793.79 | ||
- Storage is sized by the same engine as the Camera Storage Calculator: bitrate from resolution, codec, and frame rate, then retention, duty cycle, headroom, and RAID.
- PoE budget is allocated by class the way a switch actually reserves it, so the recommended switch has real headroom — not just enough on paper.
- Every price is a seeded default you can edit; changes are saved in this browser. Tune them once to your own supplier and labor costs and the estimate is yours.
- Labor is priced as units of work — per camera, per drop, plus commissioning — not by the hour.
- Treat the total as a planning budget; a firm quote still needs a site survey. Everything runs in your browser, and nothing you enter is sent anywhere.
More on the bench
- 01Switch Config AuditorPaste a running-config, get the findings.
- 02Drive Health ReaderPaste smartctl output, get a straight answer.
- 03Traceroute ReaderPaste a trace, find out whose problem it is.
- 04Subnet CalculatorCIDR in, everything else out.
- 05PoE Budget PlannerWill the switch actually carry the load?
- 06Camera Storage CalculatorHow many terabytes for how many days.
- 07Transfer Time CalculatorHow long the migration window really needs to be.
- 08Site Plan DesignerPlot devices on a plan, measure, export.
We do the survey
and the install
Anyone quoting or budgeting a surveillance system and needing a defensible number, line by line.