Ring Doorbell Installation Cost

How Much is Ring Doorbell Installation?

Ring doorbells are smart technology doorbells designed to enhance home security and the resident’s convenience. They work via two-way communication between the doorbell device and your smartphone, allowing you to "answer" the door through your smartphone to speak to the person on the other side of your door, even when you’re not home.

A built-in HD camera assists security efforts further, allowing for night-vision capture to keep an eye on any unwanted visitors, no matter the hour.

First things first, let’s take a look at some representative Ring doorbell installation prices. Standard costs for Ring doorbell installation can be as little as £90 for battery-powered models and up to £160 for two to three hours of work with wired installations.

Most installations can be done as a DIY project if you have the right tools and know-how. Installation costs can vary based on the type of Ring doorbell you choose and the complexity of your installation–for instance, if you need new wiring to install your Ring doorbell, expect your installation costs to be higher.

Adding on additional components to the doorbell itself can also increase your installation costs, as well as your baseline supply costs:

• Ring Chime - £29.99 supply: Ring Chimes are smart devices that plug into regular wall sockets. They have been designed to allow you to hear the doorbell wherever you have plugged them in in your home, so that you can hear if you’ve got a visitor, whether you’re close to or far away from your front door.
• Solar charger for battery doorbells - £39.99 supply: Using three to four hours of sunlight, the solar charger will be able to charge battery-powered Ring doorbells to extend their life between charges.
• Solar panel for doorbells - £49.00 supply: The Ring doorbell solar panel has a weather-resistant design to extend the life of your compatible battery-powered Ring doorbell.
• Ring transformer - £20.99 supply: The DIN Rail Transformer lets you hardwire compatible Ring doorbells to your mains using your existing doorbell wiring, saving you on re-wiring fees.

Subscriptions are another extra cost that can increase your overall project fee—we’ll cover them in the additional costs section later.

Ring Doorbell Installation Prices

Let’s look at the different installation costs for fitting a Ring doorbell, considering both DIY and professional installations:

Starting with professional installations, you can expect costs of around £90 for a standard battery-powered Ring doorbell installation. For wired units, the cost rises to £110 for a simple installation and £120 with a wired Ring doorbell and transformer.

For more specialist installations concerning re-wiring, the cost can rise to £160 for installation costs alone.

The cost of DIY installation will typically be low, covering only the cost of any tools or equipment you may need to carry out the job–but most tools are likely already in your possession. That being said, some installations, especially those concerning wired units and transformers, are recommended to be carried out by electrical professionals due to their specialist nature.

Additional Costs

We’ve briefly mentioned a few additional costs that may crop up during your installation, but let’s take a look at them in more detail. Here are the areas to be aware of that may add to your overall Ring doorbell project price:

DIY Installation Costs

Although DIY installation will not cost you anything in labour fees, you may incur extra costs if you need to buy tools to carry out the work. You’ll typically need a screwdriver, drill, spirit level, and hammer.

Ring Doorbell Subscription

Ring Protect is an additional service that provides more security benefits. The basic plan costs £4.99 a month, and the plus plan costs £8 a month.

Basic gives you video storage for up to 180 days, up to 50 videos at once downloads, package and person alerts, and rich notifications (including a photo to show you exactly what triggered the event). Plus gives you all of Basic, but with additional advanced video features and enhanced notifications, as well as extended warranties for all Ring devices.

Smart Home Add-ons

Installing a Ring doorbell is the first step in achieving a smart home, and it can just be the start of a slippery slope of smart home add-ons. These additions can include lights, thermostats, appliances, TVs–even curtains and blinds!

Take a look at our smart home building article for full information on what’s possible and what may benefit you the most.

Outside Security Lights

Continuing the security theme, you may want to install outside security lights at the same time as your Ring doorbell. Floodlights typically cost between £80 and £180 to supply and install, while motion-sensor lights cost between £90 and £500.

External Door Painting

If you’re giving your home a security overhaul, you might want to spruce up the exterior, too. Painting a door can cost between £150 to £300, depending on the original state of the fixture.

Labour Costs and Time Frames

As we’ve already mentioned, labour costs can range from £90 to £160 for wired and battery-operated Ring doorbell units. Battery-operated units cost less to be professionally installed as there is no wiring involved, meaning that the process is a lot more straightforward and, therefore, takes far less time than a wired installation.

If you already have doorbell wiring and a compatible chime system, you’ll likely encounter lower labour costs. Less work will go into your installation as the professional can tap into the existing infrastructure.

It’s important to note that labour charges can vary depending on location. Costs are typically higher in the capital and southeast, while prices in the north of the country are generally lower.

The labour charges may also vary due to on-the-job discoveries–this could be the state of your existing wiring or if you find out that your existing doorbell system isn’t compatible. Both scenarios require extra work or new hardware to correct.

Simple installations–with existing doorbell setups and wiring–can take as little as one to two hours. More complex installations–those needing new wiring or re-wiring, or additional feature configurations, such as integration with other smart home features–can take up to four hours to complete.

Types of Ring Doorbell

Now that we understand more about the installation costs associated with Ring doorbells, let’s examine the different types of Ring doorbells to help you choose the best model for your needs.

Here are a range of different ring doorbells and their different features:

Wired Standard Video Doorbell

• 1080p HD video
• Two-way talk
• Motion detection and alerts
• Hardwired installation for stability

Battery Video Doorbell Plus

• 1536p HD head-to-toe video with coloured night vision
• Motion detection and alerts
• Two-way talk and quick replies (with additional Ring Protect subscription)
• Quick-release battery pack

Wired Video Doorbell Pro

• 1536p HD head-to-toe video with coloured night vision
• 3D motion detection and bird’s eye view with motion alerts
• Two-way talk
• Hardwired installation for stability

Wired Video Doorbell Elite

• Professional-grade solution
• 1080p HD video, infrared night vision
• Built-in microphone and speakers with motion-activated notifications
• Live view, two-way talk and quick replies (choice of six pre-set responses)
• Hardwired power over Ethernet

Let’s put those features into a table for easy comparison:

Installation Steps

While the process will differ depending on the type of Ring doorbell you’ve chosen, if your contractor is installing your Ring doorbell using a drill, these are the steps they’re likely to take:

1. Your contractor will position the Ring doorbell around 48” from the ground
2. Using the levelling tool, they’ll then line your Ring doorbell up with the door frame to make sure it’s straight, marking this with a pencil
3. They will then mark the mounting holes
4. Next, they’ll drill the holes, insert the plastic anchors, then secure the cable into the back of the Ring doorbell
5. The Ring doorbell will then be secured using the screws from the box
6. Lastly, the faceplate will be added and secured with the included screw

Your contractor will then test everything works as it should, before leaving you with the instruction manual in the event of any issues.

DIY Installation

What does installing a Ring doorbell entail? Thankfully, the setup for battery-operated units is easy and can be done as a DIY task if you are willing and have the tools to hand.

You’ll need:

• Ring doorbell
• Screwdriver
• Drill
• Hammer
• Spirit level
• Pencil

The steps will largely be the same as we’ve discussed above. For installations where you aren’t drilling into the wall, you can use the no-drill mount that’s provided in the Ring doorbell box instead and follow the in-box instructions to affix it.

If you have a wired Ring doorbell, it’s recommended that you hire a qualified electrician to fit it for you to ensure everything is done correctly and efficiently. This is important to ensure the electrical work complies with Part P of building regulations to ensure electrical safety.

Professional installation is especially important if you have a wired unit with a transformer, or if you know that you will need sections re-wired as this will need the assistance of a qualified electrician to ensure compliance and safety.

Compliance and Regulations

As we’ve just mentioned, if you’re having a wired installation, you will need the assistance of a qualified electrician to ensure the electrical work complies with Part P of the building regulations–this ensures that electrical work is carried out safely.

When fitting a Ring doorbell, be aware of privacy concerns. The Homeowner Association (HOA) rules that the placement of the Ring doorbell must not infringe on the privacy of neighbours and comply with the HOA guidelines–to find these, search for your county and homeowners association on Google.

To that end, the ICO details that CCTV should be pointed away from neighbours’ homes and gardens, shared spaces or public streets to ensure the domestic CCTV system doesn’t breach data protection laws.

They continue to say that anyone with a CCTV camera or video-recording smart doorbell should:

1. “Tell people that they are using recording equipment;
2. In most circumstances, provide some of the recording if asked by a person whose images have been captured;
3. Regularly or automatically delete footage;
4. In most circumstances, delete recordings of people if they ask; and
5. Stop recording a person if they object to being recorded, but only if it is possible to do so. For example, if they can point the camera in a different direction but still use it for the same purposes, eg keeping their property safe.”

On top of privacy concerns, there may also be visual appearance considerations to bear in mind. If you are part of a restrictive covenant, you may be unable to make changes to the facade of your home–similarly, if you live in a listed property, you are unlikely to get permission to have smart home technology installed.

If your installation requires “extensive electrical work”, you may need to obtain a permit from your local council. These can cost between £100 and £200 for minor electrical work, but it’s best to check with your council to get the exact figures for your area.

It’s best to check everything individually to ensure you’re aware of the rules in your specific area, as they can change depending on individual circumstances.

FAQs

Finding and Hiring a Professional

When the time comes to get your Ring doorbell installed, you want to know what to look for in a trader. This is especially important if you’re having a wired installation, as this includes your home’s electrics and should only be attempted by a qualified electrician.

Considering wired units first, you will want to find a reputable electrician in your area. Gather at least three quotes to compare the labour fees with each other, being wary of any exceptionally high or low quotes as they usually denote rogue traders that are best avoided.

Make sure you understand each line of your quote, asking for an itemised cost breakdown where possible. This will help you see everything clearly and give you a great opportunity to question anything you don’t want to be included–it’s far better to do this at this stage than when you’re trying to settle the bill once the job is done.

If you know your home will need re-wiring or brand new wiring to fit the wired Ring doorbell, make sure you find an electrician with experience in this exact field to ensure you get a good result. Take a look at their customer reviews, paying close attention to any comments on their work ethic and timekeeping.

Take a look at any photos or videos of their past projects to get a feel for their work standard and the kind of quality you can expect.

It’s important to look at the electrician’s credentials and qualifications to ensure they’re suitable for the job. Having an Electrotechnical Certification Scheme (ECS) card helps to prove their qualifications and experience in electrical fields, as well as apprenticeships such as:

• Installation and Maintenance Electrician Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
• Domestic Electrician Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship

If the trader has worked as an electrician without a level 3 qualification, they can have their work recognised through the Experienced Worker Assessment (EWA) to become an Installation Electrician or Domestic Electrician.

Lastly, pay attention to how the trader is talking to you during the quotation process. If they are taking ages to reply to you or give you short responses instead of answering your queries, it might be best to find an alternative trader, as these communication issues may continue into the job itself, leading to issues further down the line.

Sources

https://en-uk.ring.com/collections/?category=doorbells
https://www.belvoir.co.uk/articles/how-to-stay-on-the-right-side-of-privacy-laws-with-your-doorbell-camera
https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/domestic-cctv-systems
https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/electrician
https://www.electrical-ewa.org.uk