One-Time Investment
Last updated October 2026 by the Douglas Security System team, licensed and insured NYC intercom specialists with over 35 years of experience.
A no monthly fee intercom is a system you pay for once. After it’s installed, you own it. There’s no subscription to keep the door working, the app ringing, or the video running. For building owners and co-op boards, that means one clear price. It also means no surprise bills years later.
Douglas Security System (DSS) installs Comelit video intercom systems that are a one-time investment with no monthly payment. Tenants still get HD video, two-way talk, and door release from their phones. We’ve been installing and repairing intercoms in New York for over 35 years, from our office at 1541 E 46th Street in Brooklyn. Call (212) 262-2820 for a free quote.
Many newer cloud-based intercoms are sold like software. The installation price is only part of the cost. Depending on the brand and plan, you may pay:
Cloud systems can also offer useful remote-management features. For some buildings, they’re the right fit. But the fees continue for as long as you use the system. In some cases, features stop working if the subscription lapses. So before you sign, ask for the total cost over five and ten years, including every recurring fee.
A one-time system runs on equipment installed in your building instead of a paid cloud service. A typical Comelit setup includes:
The Comelit Ultra Touch VIP Kit bundles the entrance panel, power supply, gateway, power cord, and mounting rail. However, app licenses are sold separately. The Ultra Touch entrance panel includes 15 app licenses. Property management software and call-log servers are optional, but we sell them separately.
No monthly fee doesn’t mean fewer features. With a Comelit system, tenants and managers also get:
This is one of the most practical differences between system types. With a Comelit system in your building, calls from the entrance panel to wired apartment units don’t depend on an internet connection. So tenants with apartment units can still see, talk to, and buzz in visitors during an internet outage.
Phone app calls do need an internet connection at the building, because the call travels from the gateway to the tenant’s phone. Many fully cloud-based systems rely more on the internet and the vendor’s servers. If reliability during outages matters to your building, ask every vendor what still works when the internet is down.
The easiest way to compare is to add up the total cost of ownership. For a subscription system, first multiply the recurring fee by the number of doors or units. Then multiply by 12 months, and then by the number of years you plan to keep the system. Add the installation price on top.
Example, for illustration only: say a system charged $30 per door per month for a building with two entrances. The software fees alone would be $720 a year, $3,600 over five years, and $7,200 over ten years, on top of installation. Your actual numbers depend on the vendor and plan you’re quoted.
With a one-time system, the five-year and ten-year cost is the installation price plus any repairs you choose to make. That’s why many owners who plan to keep a building for years prefer a system they own outright. For typical installation prices, see our intercom system cost NYC guide.
| One-time system (Comelit) | Typical subscription system | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Equipment and installation | Equipment and installation, sometimes lower |
| Monthly or yearly fees | None required | Per door, per unit, or per user |
| Who owns the equipment | The building | The building, but key features depend on the plan |
| Phone app | Yes, licenses bought up front | Yes, usually tied to the subscription |
| Works during an internet outage | Calls to wired apartment units, yes | Depends on the system |
| Reuse existing apartment units | Often, yes | Usually no |
| Remote management | Through the app, plus optional software | Through the vendor’s portal |
| Locked into a contract | No | Often, for the length of the plan |
Every vendor and plan is different, so treat this as a starting point and ask each installer to fill in the details for your building.
A one-time system is usually a good fit if:
A cloud system may make more sense if you manage many buildings from one dashboard. It may also fit if you want features that depend on a vendor’s cloud platform. We install both, so we’ll explain the real costs of each. Then you can choose.
We’ll recommend a setup after we see the property, and we’ll explain what each part costs.
Whichever system you choose, these questions help you compare quotes fairly:
A good installer will answer all of these in writing. In fact, we include this information in every DSS quote.
In many buildings, yes. Our Comelit video intercom works alongside your existing intercom units. Tenants keep their apartment units and can also answer the door from their cellphones. That can save a large part of the cost of a full replacement, because we don’t have to replace every unit or rewire every apartment.
However, your wiring may be damaged or too old to carry the new system. If so, we’ll tell you before you commit. Then we’ll quote only the wiring that actually needs replacing. Learn more about converting an audio intercom to video.
Yes. You can combine a no monthly fee intercom with a keypad like the Aiphone AC-10S, key fob readers, and security cameras at the entrance. If we add them during the intercom project, you save a second visit. Plus, we can run all the wiring at once. We’ll give you a separate price for each item, so you only add what your building needs. See our security cameras.
On Comelit video intercom installs, we offer a 3-year guarantee on Comelit material and a 1-year guarantee on service and labor. After that, you still own the system. You can also call us for repairs whenever you need them. No contract forces you to keep paying us to keep the system running.
A one-time system doesn’t require a paid service plan. Still, like any building system, it lasts longer with a little care. Keep the entrance panel clean and dry. Make sure the door closes and latches properly. Then test a few apartments and the door release every month. When something needs attention, like a worn door strike or a damaged cable after construction, call us for a repair. There’s no contract, so you pay only for the work you need, when you need it.
Keeping a simple log of problems and repairs also helps. It shows patterns and speeds up troubleshooting. Plus, it gives your board or ownership a clear record of what’s been done.
In most NYC buildings, the owner or co-op pays for the intercom as a building improvement. With a one-time system, that’s one expense you can budget and plan for. However, a subscription system is different. The building takes on an ongoing operating cost, while some platforms charge extra for features like video storage. For rent-regulated buildings, the rules about passing costs to tenants are complicated. So owners should check with their advisors before planning to recover costs. Either way, knowing the full cost up front makes the decision easier for owners, boards, and managers.
We also install and repair DNAKE, Akuvox, ButterflyMX, Aiphone, and DoorKing systems. Some of these include cloud features, and some plans come with ongoing fees. If you’re considering one of them, we’ll tell you up front which features need a subscription and what it costs. That way, you can compare fairly. Learn more about the Comelit systems we install, or browse our intercom products.
We install no monthly fee intercom systems in apartment buildings, co-ops, condos, offices, storefronts, and private houses. We work across Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, the Bronx, Staten Island, and Long Island. Whether you manage one walk-up or a large complex, you still get the same DSS technicians and a free quote. Also, see all of our intercom and security services.
We can only give you an exact price after we inspect the work. Every building is different. The price depends on the number of apartments and entrances, the age and condition of the wiring, the door hardware, and the equipment you choose. Two buildings with the same number of apartments can need very different work. So a price given over the phone would be a guess.
That’s why every job starts the same way:
The price ranges on this site are average NYC prices from published installer pricing. They give you a starting point, but they are not a DSS price list. Call (212) 262-2820 to schedule an inspection.
Yes, because our Comelit systems are a one-time investment with no monthly payment. Property management software and call-log servers are optional and sold separately. What you pay for is the equipment and the installation, and the building owns the result. Nothing in the standard setup bills you per door, per apartment, or for cloud features, so the figure on your approved quote is the number to plan around.
Yes, with the Comelit app tenants see visitors in HD video, talk to them, and open the door from anywhere. App licenses are purchased up front, so there is no per-phone charge each month. A call placed at the entrance panel rings the tenant’s phone, which means they can answer from work or while traveling. The phone does need a data or Wi-Fi connection to receive the call.
The Comelit Ultra Touch entrance panel includes 15 app licenses. Additional licenses can be purchased if you need more. A license is what lets a resident’s phone connect to the building system, so 15 covers a fair share of residents in a small building. Larger buildings often need more, which is worth working out early by counting apartments and how many people in each want phone access.
Many cloud-based intercoms are sold like software, with ongoing fees per door, per unit, or for cloud features. The fees continue for as long as you use the system. The vendor hosts call routing and video on its own servers, so it bills for that service the way a phone carrier would. Stop paying and some features, or the whole system, may stop working. That is the main thing to compare against a one-time purchase.
Sometimes. If you manage many buildings from one dashboard and want features that depend on a vendor’s cloud platform, a subscription system can make sense. We’ll explain the costs of both. Ask what happens to the equipment if you stop paying, and how long the vendor commits to supporting it. Over ten years, per-door fees can add up past a one-time system, so total both before choosing.
In many buildings, yes. Our Comelit video intercom works alongside your existing intercom units, so you don’t have to replace every unit or rewire the building. Older NYC buildings often have cable running through plaster walls and risers that is costly to open up. Whether the old cable is still sound is something we can only judge on site, so that gets checked at the inspection.
On Comelit video intercom installs, we offer a 3-year guarantee on Comelit material and a 1-year guarantee on service and labor. Think of it as two parts: the hardware you can see and touch, and the work of mounting and connecting it. If a Comelit part fails, the material guarantee is the one that applies. If a connection we made gives trouble, the service and labor guarantee applies instead.
No. You own the system. If you need a repair later, you can call us, but you’re not locked into a contract. Many buyers worry about a multi-year service agreement tied to the equipment, and a one-time Comelit system does not work that way. Repairs are handled when something needs fixing, and a repair visit is priced after an inspection, like any other job.
Calls from the entrance panel to wired apartment units don’t depend on the internet. Phone app calls need an internet connection at the building. So when the building’s internet drops, residents can still answer the panel on their in-apartment units and release the door. Only the phone feature pauses until the connection returns. Check the building router first if app calls stop while calls to the apartment units still work.
You do. With a one-time system, the equipment belongs to the building once it’s installed and paid for. That means no vendor holds the panel or software over you. If you later change property managers or sell the building, the intercom stays with the property. Keep the invoice and the warranty details with the building records so the next manager knows what is installed and who installed it.
No service plan is required. We recommend simple monthly checks by your super, and you can call us for repairs whenever you need them. A monthly check can be as basic as pressing each apartment’s call button, listening for clear audio, and confirming the door release clicks. Catching a weak speaker or a sticky strike early is usually cheaper than waiting for a tenant to report a dead entrance.
Yes. We can replace a subscription system with a Comelit system and reuse wiring where it’s in good shape. Check your current contract for any cancellation terms first. Some subscription agreements run for a fixed term or renew automatically, so the timing of the swap can affect what you owe. Look for notice periods, and ask the vendor what happens to the old panel and any stored resident data.
Yes. We install video door stations and indoor monitors for private houses as well as apartment buildings, offices, and storefronts. A house setup is simpler than a lobby system: usually one door station at the front and one or more monitors inside. The average NYC price for a video door station for a house is $700-$1,600, which is an average and not a fixed price. We confirm the exact cost after inspecting the door and the cable path.
Call (212) 262-2820 or use the form on this page. We inspect your building and give you one clear price with no monthly fees built in. That lets you compare a single number instead of guessing at extras later. Inspecting first matters in New York, where wiring age, riser condition, and door hardware vary from one building to the next. The quote arrives in writing after the visit, at no charge.
We can share average NYC price ranges over the phone, but we can only quote an exact price after we inspect the work. The price depends on the number of apartments and entrances, the condition of the wiring, the door hardware, and the equipment you choose. Once we have inspected, the quote comes in writing, free of charge, and work begins only after you approve it.