DIYitAll

I live in the SF Bay Area and work in aerospace (commercial satellites) on the Peninsula. As my username implies, I'm an avid DIY'er who refuses to hire anyone for all but the most challenging jobs (i.e., roofing, serious concrete work that must look good, and DWV work below-grade (I have a whole new respect for plumbers). <br /><br />I'm accomplished at framing, drywall, plumbing and electrical (I repiped my entire house (3-2, 1400 sq.ft.), re-paneled and rewired (many more circuits), major reframing to remodel and open the kitchen, etc. It's very difficult (next to impossible) to find good help, and the end-result should be nearly perfect (I can live with my own finishing flaws, but not somebody's whom I paid for). <br /><br />To that end, I recently installed an M1G to replace a 5-year-old Brinks panel (thank God I insisted they hardwire every zone...yes, I paid extra for that). Of course, ADT acquired Brinks, and the support wasn't the same. Additionally, the city of San Jose's police department instituted a new policy: &quot;no police response until secondary verification.&quot; So when I had a door popped open on the side of the house, ADT sent a 90-pound security guard out to check the premises; the catch - they may not leave their vehicle, so if they can spot anything worthy of concern from the street, they'll notify the police. Needless to say, this little gal couldn't see the side of the house over the gate. I had my uncle drive over to discover the door opened, while I was enroute home. Thankfully, nobody entered after the siren blasted, but you get my point...security monitoring &quot;while away&quot; is all but useless in San Jose.<br /><br />At this point, my M1G serves me by enabling self-monitoring (specific zone reporting via cell phone, so I can call neighbors and also decide from which side to approach the house), and I would like to add XEP and cctv capabilities in the not-too-distant future.<br /><br />DIY security and automation are completely new to me, so I'm looking forward to gaining substantial knowledge from this forum.<br /><br />Cheers!