Apartment building doorbells
A faulty doorbell is a minor issue until half of them are out of order. Then the committee must decide between another repair and replacing the entire system, and it is good to know when each option pays off.
Repair or replace
Repair makes sensewhen the fault is isolated to one spot: a cracked button, a corroded contact in the distribution board, or a faulty power supply. This usually requires just one visit and costs incomparably less than a new system.
Replacement makes sensewhen faults recur, the system dates from the 1980s and spare parts are sourced via second-hand markets, or when the building is already planning another construction project. New cabling is significantly cheaper to install in a building that has been dug up than in a finished one.
Timing is the greatest saving for the entire project. When doorbells, cameras and data cabling are installed as part of another renovation, you pay for scaffolding, chasing and plastering only once. Doing them separately costs tens of percent more.
What can fail in a doorbell system
- Button and nameplate - mechanical wear, moisture, vandalism
- Power source and transformer - most common cause of "nothing works
- Wiring - oxidised connections in terminal blocks, interrupted wiring following other renovations
- Electric lock - doors do not close properly, latch does not reset automatically, coil fails
If you're going to do it anyway
A new intercom panel is nowadays typically an IP system, and it can also handle video, chip cards instead of keys and calls to mobile phones. The price difference for the equipment compared to the construction part of the order is small, so it pays to consider the full scope right away.
We will come and take a look.
We will advise whether a repair is sufficient or if replacement is needed. No pressure for the more expensive option.
Schedule an inspection