Ask three security companies for a quote and you’ll often get three very different numbers. That spread confuses a lot of property managers — and it’s exactly where costly mistakes get made. Here’s what actually drives the price of security, and how to read a quote for what it’s really telling you.
What goes into the hourly rate
Security is priced by the hour, but that number is carrying a lot of weight. A responsible rate has to cover:
- The guard’s wage — and wages that attract reliable, professional people cost more than minimum
- Payroll taxes and workers’ compensation insurance
- General liability insurance to protect you if something goes wrong
- Training, licensing, and background checks
- Supervision — a field supervisor checking on posts and covering call-outs
- Uniforms, equipment, scheduling, and reporting systems
When one bid comes in dramatically lower than the others, something on this list is usually being shortchanged. The most common casualty is guard wages — which quietly becomes your problem in the form of turnover, no-shows, and guards who don’t care.
Why the cheapest bid often costs more
A rock-bottom rate typically means underpaid guards, and underpaid guards don’t stay. High turnover means a rotating cast of unfamiliar faces who don’t know your property, your rules, or your people. It can also mean thin insurance coverage — a real risk if an incident lands on your property and the company can’t cover it. You may save a dollar an hour and lose far more the first time coverage fails.
What changes your price
Beyond the base rate, your total depends on the specifics:
- Hours and coverage — a single overnight shift costs far less than 24/7 staffing
- On-site vs. patrol — a stationed guard is more than a mobile patrol route, which spreads cost across scheduled visits
- Risk and skill level — a quiet lobby differs from a high-traffic event or a theft-prone construction site
- Number of guards and locations
This is why a good company won’t quote you blind — the right coverage for your property is the only honest basis for a price.
How to compare quotes fairly
Put the bids side by side and ask what’s inside each rate:
- What wage are the guards actually paid?
- Is the company licensed (PPO), and what are their insurance limits?
- Is supervision included, or extra?
- Who covers a shift if a guard calls out?
- Is reporting included?
When you normalize for those, the “expensive” bid and the “cheap” bid often turn out to be selling completely different things.
The goal isn’t cheapest — it’s right-sized
The smartest security spend isn’t the lowest number; it’s coverage matched to your actual risk, with no waste. Sometimes that means combining a guard during peak hours with patrols overnight. Sometimes it means fewer hours than you expected. We’re happy to walk your property and build a quote around what you genuinely need — no padding, no scare tactics. Get a free assessment and see the real math for your property.