Security Services in London and Across the UK
Compare close protection, secure chauffeur, event, door supervision, residential, retail, warehouse and construction security services.
View this pageSecurity buying guide
What Affects the Price of Security Services?
Understand the risk, staffing, schedule, location, equipment and reporting factors behind a professional security quotation.
- Compare equivalent scopes
- Identify exclusions before appointment
- Buy on quality and value as well as price
Why there is no responsible universal rate
A useful quote starts with the required outcome and operating conditions. A headline hourly rate without an agreed scope does not show whether the service includes the correct licence, supervision, travel, equipment, reporting or contingency arrangements.
Main pricing factors
- The people, property or premises being protected
- Risk level, known incidents and existing controls
- Exact duties and required SIA licence
- Number of posts, operating areas and supervisory structure
- Shift length, overnight work, weekends and public holidays
- Assignment duration and mobilisation time
- Location, travel, parking and accommodation
- Venue, site or estate complexity
- Entrances, patrol routes and restricted areas
- Radios, reporting systems and other agreed equipment
- Vehicles or specialist transport
- Required reports, meetings and review frequency
- Client-specific competence beyond the licensing baseline
- Subcontracting arrangements
- Cancellation, extension and schedule-change terms
What improves quote accuracy
Provide the location, dates, hours, duties, expected people or vehicles, existing controls, known concerns, responsible contacts and required reporting. For events, include venue plans and licensable areas. For transport, include the itinerary and vehicle needs. For sites, identify access points and out-of-hours arrangements.
What a clear quote should state
- Service scope and exclusions
- Role and licence assumptions
- Number of posts and hours
- Supervision
- Included equipment and vehicles
- Travel and accommodation
- Minimum engagement or shift assumptions
- Premium-period treatment
- Cancellation and change terms
- VAT treatment
- Subcontracting
- Review and incident-reporting arrangements
Do not compare on price alone
The SIA advises buyers to begin with a risk and threat assessment, define duties and consider required qualifications. It also warns that unusually low rates can indicate legal or employment-practice problems. The Approved Contractor Scheme is voluntary, so do not treat the absence or presence of a single badge as the whole procurement decision.
The SIA buyer guidance recommends checking the proposed supplier, licences, insurance, employment arrangements and any subcontracting rather than buying on cost alone.
Frequently asked questions
Why do two security quotes differ so much?
Check whether they use the same duties, hours, licence type, supervision, travel, equipment, reporting and tax assumptions.
Can I get a quote without a site visit?
An initial estimate may be possible from accurate information, but a responsible final scope may require a site, venue or itinerary review.
What can change a quote after it is issued?
Changed hours, additional posts, new locations, extra duties, specialist vehicles, shortened mobilisation and newly identified risks can change the scope.
Should I choose the lowest quote?
Not without confirming legal compliance, licence checks, management arrangements, insurance, assignment instructions and what is excluded.
Why are no generic prices published here?
The same service name can represent materially different duties and risk. Publishing an unqualified rate can be more misleading than useful.
Request a clearly scoped quotation
Send the location, dates, operating hours, duties and known concerns so the assumptions can be made explicit.