When you’re pricing up a large CCTV job, the kit list is only half the story. The difference between a smooth install and a nightmare usually comes down to the questions you ask before you order anything.

And in the UK, that matters more than ever. CCTV is everywhere  industry estimates often put the UK at 4 million to 6 million cameras in use. Customers have seen plenty of “cheap and cheerful” systems. What they want from you is confidence: good coverage, usable evidence, reliable remote viewing, and a setup that won’t cause call-backs.

Here are the most common questions you should be asking yourself (and your customer) before you commit to a big install.

What problem are you actually solving?

Start simple: why are they buying CCTV?

• Is this about theft, antisocial behaviour, health & safety, or staff safety?

• Do they want deterrence, evidence, or live monitoring?

• Are they trying to cover doors, stock areas, car parks, yards, or perimeters?

This single conversation shapes everything else: camera types, placement, retention, and whether you need specialist options like Active Deterrence Cameras or License Plate Recognition Cameras.

What areas matter most (and what can you ignore)?

On larger sites, you can’t treat every area the same. Ask:

• Where are the highest-risk points (front door, rear access, loading bay, cash area)?

• Where do incidents usually happen?

• Where do they think incidents happen (often different)?

This helps you plan a sensible mix of cameras, rather than overspending on “maximum spec everywhere”.

A common approach is higher resolution where identification matters, and standard coverage elsewhere:

• 8MP IP Cameras for entrances and key choke points

• 4MP IP Cameras for general coverage

Are you clear on lighting conditions, day and night?

Lighting kills footage quality. Before a big install, you should ask:

• What does the site look like at 2pm and 2am?

• Are there streetlights, motion lights, or pitch-black corners?

• Any headlights pointing into cameras at gates or entrances?

If it’s a yard, forecourt, or wide open area, you might need something more flexible like IP PTZ Speed Domes to track activity over distance.

What’s the cabling plan, and what are you pulling it through?

Big installs aren’t won or lost on the NVR — they’re won on cabling and containment.

You need to know:

• What’s the building construction like (brick, cladding, steel frame, suspended ceilings)?

• Are there existing cable routes or do you need new containment?

• What distances are you running (especially for external buildings)?

If you’re going IP (which most larger jobs are), make sure your switching and PoE plan is solid:

• PoE Switches

And don’t forget the “boring” bits that prevent delays on site:

• Camera & DVR Accessories

Is the network ready for CCTV traffic?

This is a big one. CCTV doesn’t politely sit on a network — it chews bandwidth.

Ask:

• Is CCTV going on the client’s network or a dedicated CCTV network?

• Who controls the router, firewall, VLANs, and remote access rules?

• Is there reliable internet, and what upload speeds do they actually get?

If the customer wants remote viewing for multiple users (owners, managers, security), you need to factor in how the system will be accessed and supported.

This is where having the right recorder spec matters, not just the channel count:

• IP CCTV NVRs

How long do they need footage for?

Retention drives storage, and storage drives cost. So ask it early:

• Do they want 7 days, 14 days, 30 days, or longer?

• Do they need continuous recording or motion-based?

• Do they need higher retention on specific cameras only?

If you’re doing a lot of cameras at higher resolution, you’ll want surveillance-grade storage that’s designed for constant writing:

• Surveillance Hard Drives

What’s the expectation around identification quality?

Customers often say “I want 4K everywhere” when what they really mean is: “I want to clearly see faces and number plates.”

So ask:

• Do they need face ID at entrances?

• Do they need to read plates at gates or car parks?

• Do they need to recognise staff uniforms, logos, or actions?

If number plates are part of the requirement, don’t guess — plan it properly from day 1:

• ANPR / LPR Cameras

Are there privacy, signage, or compliance concerns?

Large installs often cover public-facing areas: car parks, pavements, shared access roads.

You should ask:

• Will cameras capture public space or neighbouring property?

• Who will have access to recordings?

• Do they need clear signage and a basic CCTV policy?

CCTV use is common across the UK — London councils alone were reported to have spent £30.4 million on CCTV in the financial year ending April 2024. That level of rollout comes with scrutiny, so it’s worth helping your customer get the basics right.

What’s the budget, and what’s “nice to have” vs “must have”?

You don’t need to be awkward about money, but you do need clarity.

Ask:

• What’s the budget range in £?

• Are they comparing quotes, or replacing a failed system?

• What are the non-negotiables (coverage, retention, remote access)?

• What’s optional (PTZ, active deterrence, ANPR)?

When you know this, you can build sensible packages:

• 2 Camera CCTV Systems

• 4 Camera CCTV Systems

• 8 Camera CCTV Systems

• 16 Camera CCTV Systems

Even if you’re not using an off-the-shelf bundle, those categories help you structure options.

What’s your plan for spares, failure points, and support?

Large installs come with pressure: if a camera fails, someone notices.

Ask yourself:

• Are you keeping spare cameras or spare drives on hand?

• What’s the plan if a switch port fails?

• Do you have standardised camera models across the site (easier maintenance)?

Standardisation is one of the easiest ways to protect your margin on bigger jobs. It’s also why sticking to a consistent range of IP CCTV Cameras makes life easier.

What’s the install timeline and access like?

This sounds basic, but it saves you:

• Can you work during business hours or does it need out-of-hours?

• Are there access restrictions (gated sites, security checks, permits)?

• Any areas needing lifts, scaffold, or specialist access?

It’s also worth confirming who signs off placement, and how changes are approved once you’re on site.

Next steps

If you’re quoting a large CCTV install, the right questions upfront will save you days of hassle and protect your profit. Once you’ve got the site requirements clear, you can build a proper kit list with confidence: cameras, recording, storage, PoE, and the accessories that stop delays.

Explore the trade ranges at FVS CCTV  from IP CCTV Cameras and NVRs to PoE switches and surveillance hard drives. If you want help matching the right equipment to your job spec, get in touch with FVS CCTV and sort the bundle before you place the order.