Install
Mount PoE cameras, run Cat6 along surface paths or accessible voids, connect to PoE switch or PoE-capable NVR.
Home/Cameras
Install cameras you can manage.
I install PoE cameras with Reolink or Frigate recording. You receive a storage and remote-access plan, the privileged account, and written handoff notes.
Service boundary
This service covers camera, network, and NVR setup. Licensed alarm services, monitoring, and permitted low-voltage work are outside the scope. I refer work that requires a licensed contractor and quote it separately.
Private footage stays private
Public examples may show hardware and sanitized network diagrams. Customer footage stays private. Faces, addresses, license plates, credentials, and account screens also stay private.
In scope
Get a camera system you know how to use.
Configure
Resolution, frame rate, detection zones, schedules. Connect cameras to NVR or to Frigate on owner-controlled hardware.
Manage footage
Set retention windows and storage rotation. Export or delete footage when the owner asks.
Remote access
Use a vendor app or a private mesh such as Tailscale, ZeroTier, or WireGuard. I recommend private access with closed recorder ports.
Storage planning
Size local disks for the required retention period. Recommend RAID or a single disk and document expected storage behavior.
Documentation
Written summary of how the system works, where cameras are mounted, how to view footage, and how to export clips.
Ownership transfer
All credentials, accounts, hardware ownership, and configuration handed to the customer at the end of the engagement.
Privacy-conscious handoff
Remove installer accounts and rotate default passwords. The owner verifies that no third party has access.
Owner & staff training
Show staff how to use the system and export footage. Explain what to do when a camera goes offline.
Retention reference
Conservative storage estimates
Final sizing depends on motion-only vs. continuous recording, codec (H.264 vs. H.265), bitrate, and how often cameras are triggered. The numbers below are conservative.
Storage sizing reference
4 cameras · 4MP · 15fps · 14 days
1 – 2 TB
Single-disk OK
4 cameras · 4MP · 15fps · 30 days
2 – 4 TB
Single-disk OK
8 cameras · 4MP · 15fps · 14 days
2 – 4 TB
RAID recommended
8 cameras · 4MP · 15fps · 30 days
4 – 8 TB
RAID recommended
Remote viewing
Four ways to see your cameras from elsewhere
Vendor cloud (Reolink, etc.)
Vendor cloud is the simplest option for most small operators, though vendor terms and subscription fees may apply.
Frigate + Home Assistant
Frigate gives the owner control of recording and analytics, with remote access managed separately.
Tailscale or WireGuard mesh
Tailscale or WireGuard keeps the recorder off the public internet and is my default privacy recommendation.
Direct port forward
I avoid this option because it exposes the recorder. I use it only when the owner accepts that risk.
Handoff
Owner handoff checklist
Provided to the owner in writing on the last day of the engagement.
Owner has received written summary
Camera positions, naming, retention plan, and remote-access plan documented.
Owner has logged in and viewed live footage
Confirmed in person before the engagement closes.
Owner has exported a test clip
Confirms the owner can pull footage on their own.
Owner has rotated their account password
Default credentials are gone. Owner-set credentials are the only ones remaining.
Installer account has been removed
No third party retains access. Verified by the owner.
Owner can add or remove a user
Walkthrough completed. Owner can manage the system without us.
Get a camera plan for your property.
Walkthroughs in Bucks County are typically a one-hour visit and a written estimate.