1st Choice Protection Systems LLC

Great Job!
Jul 17th, 2020

Dec 7th, 2019

They are quick to respond when needed and for that they get a few stars. However, to be honest, the level of service and overall cost leave something to be desired. They don't tell you when you sign a 3 year contract that every time you need help, there is an automatic $75 service charge. And very few things you can do yourself remotely like with other systems (so you have to use their tech for even the smallest of issues). For instance, when your power flickers or you reset your internet modem....they have to come out to reset/relearn your devices....that's $75 just to show up. And really all they do is delete the device from the network and reconnect it (which other companies allow you to do this yourself). But then they charge you $85 per hour for labor on top of the service call. So what is the $75 for? Gas? That's a heck of a lot of gas for a 10 mile drive. And $85 per hour for labor? I know Doctors that don't make $85 an hour. That seems a bit high for pushing a reset button. Essentially, you can count on a $160 total charge minimum every time they show up. But again, these are the things you discover after entering into the contract. For me, not trying to give them a bad name as response time is pretty good....but there are better options for your money. I recommend shopping around. My contract will certainly not be renewed. I prefer to push my own reset button.
Jun 8th, 2021

Company is not very forthcoming about the fact that you are required to sign a 3 year contract up front and you cannot break this without paying in full. Monthly cost is around $50. Two additional sensors will run you $180. Meanwhile, you can purchase an entire alarm system like Ring or Simpli Safe for around $200 and receive the same professional monitoring for roughly $10 per month. I have also had issues with false alarms. In one case, a sensor indicated a door was open at 2am even though it was not and the police showed up. 1st Choice also called me recently and wanted to charge me for someone to come out and look at a faulty sensor that I purchased mere months ago. 1st Choice's business model is very antiquated and there are simply many better options put there. Unfortunately I didn't do enough research before signing their ridiculous binding contract.
Jul 1st, 2020

After 3 months of service, I noticed all the "pre-wired" CAT 6 outlets did not work (tried to connect wired internet throughout my home). They charged a $68 service call fee, $100 per hour labor, and $10 per line....to simply come out and place new end caps on the ethernet lines that I was told they "pre-wired" before I bought the home. A week later, the garage module to my security system failed. The app shows the incorrect door status and the garage can't be controlled remotely any longer. I've tried for 3 days to contact their support and did not received a returned call. I have left messages for the owner twice...And didn’t get a response. However, the receptionist was able to call me back and schedule another $68 service call with $100 per hour labor for someone to come take a look at the system again. So, beyond the monthly service charge, the homeowner is also responsible for quite a few unforeseen expenses that can add up. UPDATE/EDIT: upon further discussion with the company owner, who I had a conversation with a few months after the above incident concerning another issue: I was made aware that 1st choice pre-wiring work was only completed up to the junction box. Whoever installed internet prior to me buying the home incorrectly installed the connectors. 1st Choice had to correct the provider’s mistakes and therefore had to charge for that (understandably). They also followed up with the garage door manufacture to ensure issues outside their control were corrected while resolving that issue as well. I feel compelled to increase the overall rating as the owner did follow through with a full explanation when approached. And their serviceman (once scheduled) is quick to arrive and very thorough with finding the root cause of the problem.
Feb 13th, 2020