Guides · 2026-10-08 · 5 min
Choosing an intercom for a small Brooklyn building
Audio, video or phone-linked: what to ask before you spend money on an entry system for a few apartments.
Start with the wires, not the screen
The biggest cost in an intercom job is often not the panel but the cable between the street door and each apartment. Before choosing a model, find out what is already in the walls. Intact wiring can sometimes be reused, which keeps the project small. Cut or painted-over wiring may mean new runs.
Ask whoever quotes the job to test the existing lines first. A quote written without looking at the wiring is a guess.
Audio or video
Audio is plain and tends to be cheaper. Tenants hear who is at the door and press a button to release it. Video adds a camera and a screen, so tenants see who they are letting in. For buildings where visitors and deliveries come all day, video is useful. For a small two-family house, audio may be all you need.
Think about who will use it. Tenants who are home rarely may prefer a system that connects to a phone, though that depends on the model and the building.
Questions to ask before you say yes
How many apartments does the panel support, and can more be added later? What happens to the door release during a power cut? Who repairs it when a part fails, and is the price written down before they start?
A good installer will also tell you what the system will not do. That honesty is a better sign than a long list of features.
From Montrose Locksmith, a mobile locksmith and intercom company based in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Questions about your door or entry system? (929) 249-5806.