How Many CCTV Cameras Do I Need for My Home?

The honest answer: it depends on your property

I get asked this question on almost every survey I do across South Wales, and the honest answer is: it depends. But after 847+ installations, I can give you a very reliable framework.

For a typical semi-detached home, you're usually looking at 4 cameras:

• 1 front door / driveway
• 1 rear garden
• 1 side gate (if accessible)
• 1 wide-angle covering the street approach

For a detached property with a larger plot, that rises to 6–8 cameras to eliminate blind spots properly.

Why blind spots matter more than camera count

Most burglars are opportunistic. They'll spend 30–60 seconds assessing a property before committing. A visible camera at the front door is a good deterrent — but if your side passage is uncovered, that's where they'll go.

When I do a free survey (which I do for every customer before installation), I walk the perimeter with fresh eyes and identify every angle an intruder could use to approach without being seen.

The goal is overlapping coverage — where one camera's field of view begins before the adjacent camera's ends. This eliminates gaps entirely.

4K vs 1080p: does resolution affect how many you need?

Yes — higher resolution cameras (we install UNV Uniview 4K) can cover a wider area with enough detail to identify faces and number plates. This sometimes means you can achieve the same coverage with fewer cameras.

A 1080p camera might need to be positioned closer to capture a driveable approach. A 4K camera with a varifocal lens can pull back and still give you court-admissible facial identification at 15 metres.

The four zones every home should cover

Zone 1 — Points of entry: Front door, back door, garage. Cameras here should be angled down at 10–15°, approximately 2.5–3m high.

Zone 2 — Perimeter approaches: Driveway entrance, side passages, garden gates. Wide-angle lenses work well here.

Zone 3 — Deterrence positions: High, visible cameras that signal the property is protected. Even before a camera records anything, its visibility changes behaviour.

Zone 4 — Evidence capture: Tighter cameras angled at where a face would be during approach — letterbox height, gate height. These are your insurance and prosecution cameras.

What about AJAX alarm integration?

All our CCTV systems can integrate with AJAX alarm panels. When motion is detected by a camera, it can trigger the alarm, flash external sirens, and send you an instant phone notification with a live clip — all before a door is even opened.

This layered approach is what we recommend for every installation.

Our recommendation

Book a free survey. I'll walk your property and give you an honest camera count with exact positions — not the maximum we can sell you, but the minimum that gives you complete coverage. Most South Wales homes need between 4 and 8 cameras.

Prices start from £399 for a complete system including installation.