How many CCTV cameras do you need? A simple guide for homes, shops and offices

"How many CCTV cameras do I need?" is the first question most customers ask us, and the honest answer is that it depends on what you want to see, not on the size of the building. A small shop with a busy counter can need more cameras than a large, quiet warehouse. This guide gives you a simple way to work out a sensible number before you ask for a quote.

Step 1: List what you need to protect

Walk around your property and write down every place where something could go wrong. Most lists include:

• Entrances and exits, including back doors and gates
• Cash counters, reception desks, server rooms and stores
• Car parks, driveways and the street side of the building
• Corridors, stairs and lifts that people must pass through
• Blind corners and any area that is hard to see from where staff sit

Every item on your list is a spot that needs a clear view. Two items that can be seen by one well-placed camera count as one.

Step 2: Use a typical starting point

These are common starting points, not rules. A site survey always decides the final number.

• Small house: around 4 cameras: front door and gate, back door, driveway or garage, and one covering the main passage or lounge.
• Shop: 4 to 8 cameras: entrance, cash counter, the main shop floor, the stock room and the back door.
• Office: 8 to 16 cameras depending on rooms and floors: reception, entrances, corridors, meeting areas, the server room and the car park.
• School, factory or warehouse: more cameras, often a mix of fixed cameras and pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras for large open areas and the perimeter.

Step 3: Match the camera to the job

Different places need different cameras:

• Dome cameras are discreet and work well indoors, in lobbies, shops and corridors.
• Turret and bullet cameras suit entrances, car parks and outside walls, and show visitors that the area is watched.
• PTZ cameras cover a wide area from one spot and can zoom in on something that matters.

Also check night vision range, weather protection for outdoor cameras, and the resolution you need. If you want to read a number plate or recognise a face at a gate, tell your installer so the right lens and position are chosen.

Step 4: Choose a recorder with room to grow

Recorders come in fixed sizes, commonly 4, 8, 16 and 32 channels. Pick a size one step above what you need today so you can add a camera later without replacing the recorder. The hard disk matters too: the more cameras and the more days of recording you want, the more storage you need. Not sure which type of recorder suits you? Read our guide to NVR and DVR recorders.

Step 5: Plan power, cabling and backup

• Cabling: good quality cable, neatly run and protected from sun, rain and dust, keeps the picture stable for years.
• Power cuts: a small UPS keeps the recorder and key cameras running through short outages, so you do not lose footage at the worst moment.
• Remote viewing: ask for viewing on your phone, and use a strong password on the recorder.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Pointing cameras straight at bright windows or lights, which blacks out the picture
• Mounting cameras so low that they can be knocked or covered
• Covering only the front door and forgetting the back door and side gate
• Choosing a recorder with no spare channels and too little storage
• Leaving the default password on the recorder

Next step: get a site survey

The quickest way to get the number right is to let an engineer look at the site. We survey homes, shops and offices in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Read more about our CCTV camera installation and IP camera installation services, or contact us to arrange a visit and a clear, no-obligation quote.