For homes and buildings

Intercom and video doorbell installation

An intercom answers a question that comes up every day: who is at the door? You see and talk to the visitor on a screen or on your phone and open the gate if you want, without anyone coming down from upstairs or opening the door to a stranger. That is a real comfort for families, especially when women and children are home on their own.

Whether you want an intercom for a villa gate, a system for a building entrance with several flats, or a simple video doorbell for your apartment, send one request and installers serving your city send you quotes.

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An intercom panel with a keypad mounted on a post at the gate of a residential building

What intercom installation includes

A system has an outdoor station at the door, one or more indoor units, and a way to open the door. Installation usually covers:

Outdoor station
A panel with a call button, speaker and camera at the gate, at a sensible height, with a hood against sun and rain and enough light to see a face at night.
Indoor monitors
A screen where the family usually sits, plus others in the kitchen, upstairs or the annex as needed — all answering the same call.
Door or gate release
Linking the release button to an electric lock on the pedestrian door or to the car gate motor, so you can open from the screen or app.
Cabling and setup
Two wires or a network cable between the gate and the house, tuning sound and picture, and pairing the app with your phone if supported.

Options: 2-wire or IP? Doorbell or full system?

2-wire intercom. Runs on just two wires between gate and monitor — useful if you have an old audio intercom and want to upgrade to video over the same cabling without breaking walls. Simple and dependable, with fewer phone features.

IP intercom. Runs over network cable or your home network, forwards calls to your phone when you are out, saves a snapshot of every visitor, and integrates more easily with smart locks and cameras. It needs a good network and more careful setup.

Video doorbell. A small unit in place of the ordinary bell, with a camera and speaker, that alerts your phone when pressed or when it detects motion. It suits apartments and homes that don’t need indoor screens. It comes battery-powered or hard-wired; wired copes better with summer heat. Choose wireless devices approved for sale in Saudi Arabia.

A wider comparison is in our intercom and video doorbell guide.

Which system suits whom?

Villas
An audio-video intercom at the main gate with two or more screens inside, an electric release on the door and perhaps the car gate. Especially useful when the gate is far from the front door.
Apartment buildings
An outdoor panel with a button or keypad for each flat, a screen or app for each resident, and release for the main entrance. Building management topics are covered under residential buildings and compounds.
Apartments
A video doorbell on the flat door, or an indoor screen linked to the building’s system if there is one.
Istirahas
An IP intercom or video doorbell on your phone, so you know who has arrived and can let in staff or guests while you are away.

Offices needing cards, permissions and attendance reports are better served by access control systems.

What affects the price of an intercom?

We don’t publish prices, but these are the main factors:

Type of system: A standalone video doorbell, a 2-wire intercom or an IP system connected to your phone.
Number of screens and flats: Each extra indoor screen and each flat in a building adds equipment and cabling.
Distance and cabling: A gate far from the house, or a multi-storey building without ready conduit, means more work.
Gate release: An electric lock or a link to the gate motor is a separate item.

For the general picture on costs, see our cost guide.

Installation steps

1. Photos and details: A photo of the gate and current bell, the number of floors or flats, and where you want screens.
2. Survey and quote: The installer checks existing cabling, then writes the quote with equipment, release method and warranty.
3. Installation: A doorbell or villa intercom is usually done in a day; building systems may take longer depending on flats and cabling.
4. Testing: Calling every screen from the gate, testing the release, the app and night vision.

Maintenance after installation

The outdoor station faces sun and dust every day, so wipe the camera and speaker gently and check the hood is intact. Weak sound or a flickering picture usually points to a connection or moisture inside the unit — best checked by the technician. In buildings, update resident names on the panel whenever a tenant changes, and remove their app access.

Privacy at the door

Intercom and doorbell cameras face the street or corridor by nature, so set the angle on whoever stands at your door — not the neighbour’s door opposite or the whole pavement. Limit motion zones to your entrance and use privacy masking if available.

Some doorbells record video and sound automatically on motion. Audio may be treated differently from video, so check before enabling it. Don’t post clips of visitors or delivery riders on social media, and protect the account with a strong password. In buildings, the system should be installed with the owners’ or management’s approval and residents informed. More in our home cameras and privacy guide.

Questions to ask the installer

Can I reuse the old cabling?: If you have an audio intercom, ask whether you can upgrade over the same two wires.
Does it forward calls to my phone?: And does recording or forwarding need a monthly subscription?
How does the gate open?: Electric lock or motor link? And can the door still be opened by hand from inside during a power cut?
What is the warranty, and is the company registered?: See what to check in our guide to choosing a licensed installer.

Available in these cities

Intercoms and video doorbells: common questions

What is the difference between an intercom and a video doorbell?

An intercom has an outdoor station and indoor screens and suits villas and buildings. A video doorbell is a single unit that talks to your phone and suits apartments and smaller homes.