Cable choice for CCTV installs: where you lose money and how to tighten the spec
If you’ve been installing CCTV for any length of time, you’ll know this pain: the kit’s fine, the cameras are fine, the recorder’s fine… and you still end up back on site because of the cabling.
Cable is one of the easiest places to accidentally bleed profit. It’s rarely the most expensive line on the quote, but it can be the most expensive line on the job once you factor in labour, snagging, and call-backs. And with UK labour rates often sitting in the “every hour matters” zone (fire/security specialists are commonly quoted around £70/hour), one return visit can wipe out the margin on a whole small install.
Below is a practical framework you can use on every quote to tighten your cable spec, reduce risk, and keep your installs predictable.
Where installers lose money on cabling
1) Buying “cheap” cable that becomes expensive later
The most common trap is treating cable like a commodity. A reel is a reel… until it isn’t.
What “cheap cable” usually costs you:
Extra time pulling because it kinks, stretches, or snaps easier
Signal issues over distance (especially on coax when corners, joints, and poor terminations stack up)
Power drop that shows up as night-mode failures, random reboots, or IR issues
More joints because you underestimated run lengths or used the wrong type
If you’re supplying cable, you’re also supplying the liability. That £20 saving becomes a £200 problem very quickly.
Tighten the spec: Put the cable type and grade in writing (e.g., “RG59 shotgun, 100m reel, high grade” rather than “coax cable”).
Start with your core categories so you’re always quoting from known stock:
2) Choosing the wrong cable type for the system (or future upgrades)
This is where jobs get messy: a site wants a “simple 8 camera system” today, but you can see the upgrade coming.
A quick rule:
IP / PoE → you’re living in Cat5e/Cat6 land
HD hybrid / analogue → you’re usually on coax (often RG59)
Existing coax but new IP cameras planned → you need a bridge plan
Useful “spec anchors” to stop scope creep:
For IP pulls, quote Cat6 where it makes sense, and make the environment (internal/external) explicit:
For hybrid/analogue, choose quality coax and be clear on length + power requirements:
Tighten the spec: Add 1 line on the quote that states the upgrade path (e.g., “cabling supports IP migration” or “coax retained; IP upgrade will require converter/extender”).
If you’re retaining coax but need IP reach, quote the correct bridging kit up front:
3) Under-speccing power (and paying for it in faults)
A lot of “camera issues” are really power issues.
Typical money leaks:
Running 12V too far and getting voltage drop at night (IR kicks in, draw increases, camera becomes unstable)
Using small plug-top PSUs where a proper distribution box would be cleaner and more reliable
Not accounting for heater/blower loads, IR, or deterrent lights
Tighten the spec: Always quote power as a designed element, not an afterthought:
And if you’re going IP, don’t forget the PoE budget side (see next section).
4) PoE installs that ignore switch quality, budget, and distance
With IP CCTV, it’s tempting to think: “Cat6 + PoE switch = done.” But the switch is part of your cabling spec, because it controls power delivery, stability, and sometimes distance.
How you lose money:
Cameras brown out because the switch can’t handle peak load
Long runs push you into marginal performance
Cheap switching introduces instability that looks like “random camera dropouts”
Tighten the spec: Quote PoE properly:
State PoE budget and spare capacity
Define whether you need long-distance mode
Choose the right switching for CCTV loads:
If you’re injecting power on a single run: POE INJECTOR
5) Terminations that aren’t standardised (and turn into snagging)
Connectors are where good cable can still fail.
What costs you time:
Mixed connector types across jobs
Wrong crimps for the cable grade
Rushed terminations because you didn’t spec the right tools/consumables
Tighten the spec: Standardise your termination approach and keep it consistent:
If you’re on RG59, don’t wing it—use the correct BNCs:
A simple decision framework you can use on every quote
Step 1: Start with distance and environment
Ask yourself:
What’s the real longest run (including routes, risers, and “we had to go the long way”)?
Is it internal, external, or mixed?
Any high-interference areas (plant rooms, lifts, heavy machinery)?
If distance is pushing limits, don’t “hope” it’ll be fine—spec the solution:
For coax signal management and longer runs:
For structured solutions over UTP:
For hybrid HD over UTP, consider: HD Baluns
Step 2: Lock the system type and the upgrade story
Be explicit:
IP today? Great—spec the data cable and PoE properly.
Hybrid today? Fine—spec coax grade and power strategy.
Upgrade likely? Write it down so you’re not eating it later.
Useful system anchors for your quoting:
Step 3: Add a “compliance line” for commercial sites
If you’re working in commercial buildings, schools, HMOs, or anywhere with stricter requirements, cable fire performance may matter. UK guidance around CPR/Euroclass exists, but the key point for you is simple: if the client/consultant specifies a CPR class, you must match it (or you’re exposed contractually).
Tighten the spec: Add a line like:
“Cabling supplied to meet site fire performance / CPR requirements where specified.”
That 1 sentence can save you from a painful “rip it out and redo it” conversation later.
A quick “tight spec” checklist you can paste into your quotes
Cable type + grade (Cat6 / RG59 / shotgun) and internal vs external
Longest run assumptions (and what happens if it’s exceeded)
Power design (12V distribution vs local PSU vs PoE budget)
Termination standard (connector type + method)
Upgrade path note (especially where coax/IP conversions might be needed)
CPR/fire performance note where applicable
Next steps
If you want to tighten up your next job’s spec (and stop cabling eating your margin), build your quote around known-good categories: start with Cable, match the system with the right transmission method, and standardise your connectors and power.
If you need help choosing the right cable type for the run lengths, camera load, or upgrade path, give FVS CCTV a call and get it specced properly the first time.