01Calgary · Security and low-voltage
Security and low-voltage cost in Calgary, AB
Access control, cameras, intrusion detection, structured cabling and audio-visual. Almost always excluded from a general contractor's price, and almost always needed on day one. In Calgary, the band moves with the curated local cost factor of 0.92× the national baseline.
02The local rate
Commercial hourly
$87 – $147
Calgary adjusted
General hourly
$78 – $133
House-scale work
Commercial $/sf
$3 – $7
4% of hard cost
General $/sf
$11 – $17
From the residential band
The per-square-foot figures come straight from the curated Calgary hard-cost bands, taken at 1% for a new build and 4% for a fit-out. Nothing on this page is a separate estimate — it is the same market data, sliced by trade.
Local context: Alberta has no provincial sales tax on materials and levies off-site charges rather than full development charges, so soft cost lands lower than Ontario.
03General versus commercial
The two segments in Calgary
| Segment | Hourly | New build $/sf | Fit-out $/sf |
|---|---|---|---|
| General / residential | $78 – $133 | $3 – $4 | $11 – $17 |
| Commercial | $87 – $147 | $2 – $3 | $3 – $7 |
What the quoted rate covers
Normally: Device supply and installation; Structured cabling and terminations; Programming and commissioning. Normally not: Network hardware, servers and licensing; Monitoring subscriptions; Door hardware and electric strikes; Integration with an existing base-building system.
What moves security and low-voltage pricing here
Device count and cable pathway length are the entire quantity. Door count for access control drives both hardware and door modification cost. Integration with a base-building system usually means the incumbent vendor sets the price. Recurring licensing and monitoring are operating cost, not capital, and are routinely missed.
Buildlor facts
- Calgary runs at 0.92× the national construction cost baseline.
- Security and low-voltage is 1% of new-build hard cost.
- Security and low-voltage is 4% of fit-out hard cost.
04Questions
How much does security and low-voltage cost in Calgary?
Security and low-voltage in Calgary is billed in a band. The hourly and per-square-foot figures on this page are the national bands adjusted by the curated Calgary cost factor, which is the same factor the Calgary market page uses.
Is commercial security and low-voltage priced differently in Calgary?
Commercial systems are networked, integrated with access control and fire alarm, and commissioned to an IT standard. Residential systems are self-contained consumer devices.
Does Buildlor do the work?
No. Buildlor publishes cost data. Use these bands to sanity-check a quote before you tender, then price the full project in the Cost Stack Builder.
Buildlor Construction Cost Index · Last updated 2026-01-15 · Maintained by Buildlor Cost Desk
Scope: Security and low-voltage, Calgary, AB
Not advice — Buildlor is a data publisher. We do not bid, price, estimate, or build work, and nothing here is a quote, a tender price, or construction advice. Figures are indicative order-of-magnitude benchmarks for early budgeting and must be confirmed by a qualified cost consultant, quantity surveyor, or general contractor before you rely on them. About Buildlor