Answers
Straight answers about low-voltage, security and IT work in Virginia
Every question we get asked, answered in one place: pricing, permits, code, warranties, monitoring contracts, retention, licensing and scope. 55 answers, no sales pitch.
Short version: Elite Connect LLC is a Virginia Class A licensed (#2705190126) and DCJS registered (#11-20830) low-voltage, electronic security and managed IT contractor based in Virginia Beach, serving the entire Commonwealth of Virginia. We install security cameras, burglar and fire alarm, access control, structured cabling, fiber optic, networking, audio/video and managed IT. Consultations, site walks and written proposals are free. Call 804-445-9674 or book a free consult.
General
Is the consultation really free?
Yes. We come to the property, walk it with you, take the measurements a real design needs, and send a written itemized proposal at no charge and with no obligation. We would rather lose a bid honestly than sell a system over the phone that does not fit the building.
Are you licensed and insured in Virginia?
Yes. Elite Connect LLC holds Virginia Class A contractor license #2705190126 with the Electronic/Communication Service (ESC) and Fire Alarm Systems (FAS) specialties, and is registered with the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS #11-20830). Certificate of insurance is available on request.
What areas do you cover?
Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Suffolk, Portsmouth, Hampton, Newport News and Williamsburg: the seven cities and the Peninsula. Virginia Beach is our home base.
Do you work on both commercial and residential properties?
Both. Commercial and multi-family work (offices, retail, warehouses, HOAs and condominium associations) is the larger share, and we do residential cameras, alarms, network wiring and A/V as well.
Can you take over a system another company installed?
Usually. Many alarm panels, camera recorders and access systems can be taken over and re-programmed rather than replaced. We inspect what is there first and tell you plainly whether takeover or replacement is the better spend.
How fast can you get out here?
Most consults are scheduled within a few business days. Call 804-445-9674 or book a time online and you will get a confirmed appointment, not a callback queue.
Do you charge for estimates?
No. The site visit, the system design and the written proposal are free across Hampton Roads.
How do I compare your bid to another contractor's?
Look for four things on both documents: the cable category and rating, the recorder's actual retention in days, whether permits are included, and what is explicitly excluded. If a bid does not state those, it is not a comparable scope. Bring the other bid to the consult and we will walk it with you line by line.
Do you require a long monitoring contract?
We separate equipment cost from monitoring on the proposal so you can see exactly what recurs and for how long. Camera systems recording on site have no required monthly fee at all.
Can you service a system you did not install?
Yes. Alarm takeovers, camera system service, access control support and fire alarm inspections on other companies' work are all normal for us.
What payment methods do you accept?
Cash, check, credit card and ACH. Commercial and government terms are available on qualifying projects.
Do you offer emergency service?
By arrangement. Call 804-445-9674 and tell us what is down. If it is a life-safety system, say so first.
Are your technicians background checked and registered?
Yes. Virginia requires DCJS registration for electronic security personnel and we operate as a DCJS-registered business (#11-20830).
Do you provide as-built documentation?
Always. Port maps, camera maps, device schedules, Fluke-certified cable test reports and, on fire alarm, the record of completion. It is part of the job, not an add-on.
What warranty do you offer?
Manufacturer warranty on equipment, plus our own workmanship warranty on the installation. The specific terms are stated on your proposal so there is nothing to argue about later.
Do you work with our IT company or existing vendor?
Yes, routinely. We will coordinate VLANs, port assignments, firewall rules and remote access with whoever manages your network.
Video Surveillance
How much does a security camera system cost in Virginia Beach?
It depends far more on cable runs than on cameras. A straightforward 4-camera residential system with a recorder typically lands in the low thousands installed; commercial systems scale with camera count, cable difficulty and retention. We give you a written, itemized proposal after a free site walk so you are comparing real numbers, not a phone estimate.
Can you add cameras to a system I already have?
Usually yes, if the existing recorder has open channels and license capacity and the cameras are ONVIF-compliant. We will tell you honestly if the existing head end is the limiting factor rather than quietly selling around it.
How long is footage kept?
Whatever you specify and we size the storage for. Fourteen to thirty days is common for residential and small commercial; thirty to ninety days is typical where an insurer, franchisor or HOA policy sets the number.
Do I need internet for the cameras to record?
No. An on-premise recorder keeps recording with the internet down. You lose remote viewing and alerts until the connection returns, but the footage is still there.
Will the cameras work at night?
Yes. Infrared or low-light color, chosen per location. We set night exposure on site, after dark, because a camera tuned only in daylight is the single most common reason footage is unusable when it matters.
Burglar & Intrusion Alarms
Who actually monitors the alarm?
CMS, or Criticom Monitoring Services. It is a wholesale central station that runs 24/7 and handles signals for a large number of independent alarm companies. We are the dealer you call; CMS is the station that receives the signal and dispatches on the call list you set. It is worth asking any alarm company this question. Plenty will not name theirs, and the answer tells you whether your signal reaches a staffed operation or somebody's phone.
Do I need a monitoring contract?
For central-station dispatch, yes. That service is a monthly subscription. We will show you what the plan covers before you commit, and we do not bury equipment cost in a long contract you cannot see the end of.
Can you take over the alarm system already in my building?
Often, yes. Many existing panels can be taken over and re-programmed to our monitoring rather than replaced. We check the panel, sensors and communicator first and tell you plainly whether takeover or replacement is the better spend.
Do I need an alarm permit in Virginia Beach?
Yes. Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk and most Hampton Roads cities require an alarm user permit and charge fees for repeated false alarms. We tell you which permit applies and how to file it as part of the handoff.
What happens if the power and internet both go out?
The panel runs on its battery and reports over cellular. That is the whole reason we build systems that way.
Fire Alarm Systems
Are you licensed to install fire alarm systems in Virginia?
Yes. Elite Connect LLC holds Virginia Class A contractor license #2705190126 with both the Electronic/Communication Service (ESC) and Fire Alarm Systems (FAS) specialties, and is registered with Virginia DCJS (#11-20830).
Do you pull the fire alarm permit?
Yes. We prepare the drawings and calculations, submit for permit, and coordinate the acceptance test with the local fire marshal. A permitted, inspected and documented system is the deliverable, not just working devices.
Can you inspect a system another company installed?
Yes. We perform NFPA 72 annual inspections and testing on existing systems, and we will give you a written deficiency list rather than a vague recommendation to replace everything.
How long does a commercial fire alarm project take?
Permit review is usually the long pole, not the install. We give you a schedule that separates permit time, rough-in, trim and inspection so you can plan the rest of the job around it.
Access Control & Entry
Can you put access control on our pool gate and clubhouse?
Yes. That is one of the most common HOA and condominium requests we take. Pool enclosures, fitness rooms, mail rooms and clubhouse doors can all run on one credential per resident, with scheduled hours and a record of every entry.
Do residents need a card, or can they use their phone?
Either. Most systems we install support cards, fobs and phone-based credentials at the same time, so you can issue whichever fits the resident without changing the hardware.
Is it safe to lock an exit door?
Only when it is done to code. Any opening on an egress path is built for free egress, so a person inside always gets out without a credential, and magnetic locks release on fire alarm and on loss of power. We design to NFPA 101 and the Virginia USBC and note the egress strategy on the proposal.
What happens if the internet goes down?
Credentials and schedules are cached at the controller, so doors keep working. You lose remote administration and live events until the connection returns.
Structured Cabling
Cat6 or Cat6A: which do I need?
Cat6 carries 1 Gbps to 100 meters and 10 Gbps over short runs, and it is the right call for most offices and homes today. Cat6A carries 10 Gbps the full 100 meters and supports the higher PoE classes with less heat, which makes it the better choice for Wi-Fi 6E access points, dense camera runs and any building you expect to keep for fifteen years. We will tell you which one the job actually justifies.
Do you provide test results?
Yes. Every drop is certified on a Fluke Networks DSX-5000 against the ANSI/TIA-568 permanent-link or channel limits, and you get the report, pass/fail per drop with the margin figures, not just a tick. Ask any contractor which certifier they use and to see a sample report. If they cannot name the instrument, they are not certifying, and you have no way to know what you bought.
Can you cable an occupied office without shutting us down?
Yes. Most commercial cabling we do is in occupied space, worked around business hours or after them. We agree the schedule and the access plan before we start.
Do you do the low-voltage rough-in on new construction?
Yes. Prewire, sleeves, backing, box placement and stub-outs during framing, then trim-out at finish. See our builders and general contractors page.
Fiber Optic Cabling
Single-mode or multimode?
Single-mode (OS2) for anything between buildings or over about 300 meters, and increasingly as the default because the optics have gotten cheap. Multimode (OM3 or OM4) still makes sense for short, dense in-building runs, especially where the existing plant is already multimode.
Do you still work with OM1?
Yes. We install, terminate, splice and test OM1 (62.5/125 µm) as well as OM2, OM3, OM4 and OM5. Plenty of Virginia buildings still have an OM1 backbone, and matching the existing plant is usually cheaper and cleaner than a partial replacement. We will tell you honestly when OM1 has run out of headroom for what you are trying to do. It carries 1 Gb to about 275 meters but only 10 Gb to about 33 meters, and we will tell you what upgrading would actually cost.
What connectors do you terminate?
LC, SC, ST, FC and MTP/MPO, in both UPC and APC polish. Patch cords in whatever pairing the equipment needs: LC-LC, LC-SC, SC-SC, LC-ST, ST-ST, or MPO-LC breakout, simplex, duplex or armored. If your switch takes one connector and your panel takes another, that is a normal day, not a change order.
Can you run fiber between two buildings on our property?
Yes. We survey the route, handle conduit or direct burial, install the entrance protection and grounding, splice and terminate both ends, and test the link end to end.
Do you provide OTDR results?
Yes, on request for any run where it is warranted, and always on outside-plant and spliced links. You get the trace, not just a pass/fail.
Networking & Wi-Fi
Why does my Wi-Fi drop in half the building?
Almost always placement and construction, not the router. Block walls, foil-backed insulation and metal studs absorb signal; one access point in a central closet cannot fix that. A wired access point in the dead zone can.
Can you work with the internet provider we already have?
Yes. We build behind whatever circuit you have, and we can tell you whether the circuit or the internal network is actually your bottleneck. Usually it is the network.
Do cameras need their own network?
They should have their own VLAN. It keeps camera traffic off your business network, contains any firmware vulnerability, and makes the whole system easier to troubleshoot.
Audio / Video & TV Mounting
Can you hide the wires in the wall?
Yes. That is the standard way we do it. Power goes to an in-wall rated recessed receptacle and the signal cable runs inside the wall in a rated pathway. Running a standard TV power cord inside a wall is a code violation and a fire risk, so we do not do it.
Can you mount a TV over a fireplace or on brick?
Yes. Brick, block, stone and tile are all normal for us. Above a fireplace we will tell you honestly whether the heat and the viewing angle make it a good idea for that specific room.
Do you do commercial conference rooms?
Yes. Display, camera, ceiling microphones, speakers and a control system, cabled and commissioned. We also do multi-room distributed audio for restaurants, retail and offices.
Can you install a TV outside on a covered patio?
Yes, using a weather-rated outdoor display. A standard indoor TV outdoors in coastal Virginia humidity will fail, and its warranty will not cover it.
Managed IT & MSP
Do I have to switch everything at once?
No. We usually start with monitoring and backup on what you already have, then bring the rest under management as hardware refreshes. A rip-and-replace on day one is how MSP relationships start badly.
What size business is this for?
Roughly ten to a hundred users. Below ten we are often better value as hourly support; above a hundred you likely want a dedicated internal person and us alongside them.
Do you support Macs?
Yes. Monitoring, patching, backup and endpoint protection cover both Windows and macOS.
Is this a long contract?
Managed service is a monthly agreement with a stated term, and we will show you the term and the exit before you sign. We do not use contract length to keep customers who want to leave.
Can you take over from our current IT company?
Yes. We document what exists, get credentials and licensing transferred properly, and run parallel until the handover is clean. We will also tell you honestly if your current provider is doing fine and you do not need us.
Get a free on-site consult
Tell us what you need. We walk the property, scope it honestly, and send a written proposal. No charge and no obligation.