How-to guides
How to write a camera coverage plan for a property
A coverage plan is a one-page map and a table that says what each camera is for. It stops you buying cameras that duplicate each other and missing the one doorway every incident uses.
VuePoint
Most camera systems grow one camera at a time, after one incident at a time. The result is several cameras covering the front entrance and none on the back gate everyone actually uses. A coverage plan fixes that before you spend money, and it gives boards, owners and installers a shared document to argue about instead of a vague request for more cameras.
Writing the plan
- 1
Get a site map
A satellite image, a site plan or a hand sketch is fine. Mark buildings, fences, gates, doors, parking, lighting poles, trash enclosures, package rooms and amenities such as pools and gyms.
- 2
List what actually goes wrong
Use incident reports, maintenance logs, resident complaints and staff knowledge. Write each problem with where and when it happens: packages taken from the lobby in the evening, dumping at the trash enclosure overnight, trespass at the pool after closing.
- 3
Trace the routes
Draw how people and vehicles get to each problem area: which gate, which path, which door. Choke points on those routes are where identify cameras go.
- 4
Assign each camera one job
For each location, write whether the camera must detect movement, observe what happened, recognize a known person or identify a stranger. Identify cameras go at choke points, overview cameras cover areas. The detection range guide explains the pixel density each job needs.
- 5
Check night conditions
Mark lighting on the map and walk the site after dark. Note where cameras will rely on infrared and where lighting needs to change. See how to light a property for night cameras.
- 6
Check privacy
Mark private areas: unit doors, windows, neighbors' yards, restrooms and changing areas. Cameras must not cover places where people expect privacy, and privacy masks should block anything a view clips.
- 7
Decide power, network and recording
Note where PoE cable can run, where there is no power or network, and where the recorder lives. Remote corners may need solar and cellular units, which have their own limits; see cameras on sites with no power and no network.
- 8
Set retention, access and response
Write down how long footage is kept, who can view or export it, and what happens when something is seen: recorded only, alerts to staff, or a monitored response.
The camera table
The core of the plan is one row per camera. Number each camera on the map to match.
| # | Location | Problem | Job | Mount and view | Night | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Package room door, inside | Package theft | Identify | About 8 ft, facing entry, narrow view | Lit room, color | Mask resident mail slots if needed |
| 2 | Package room shelves | Package theft | Observe | Corner, wide view | Lit room | |
| 3 | Rear vehicle gate approach | Tailgating, after-hours vehicles | Identify plates | Low, along the lane | Needs plate-capable camera | Check local plate-data rules |
| 4 | Trash enclosure | Dumping | Observe and vehicle | Pole, covers enclosure and driveway | Add light | |
| 5 | Pool gate | After-hours trespass | Detect and observe | Wall, covers gate and deck | IR | Talk-down speaker candidate |
Prioritize
- Phase 1: choke points on routes used in recent incidents.
- Phase 2: overview of the areas those routes lead to.
- Phase 3: lower-risk areas and nice-to-have views.
- Lighting and door fixes usually belong in phase 1. They are cheap and make every camera better.
Use the plan
Hand it to installers so quotes are comparable. Bring it to the board or owner with the incident list attached. Review it once a year, or after any incident the plan did not anticipate. When cameras go in, check each one against its row using how to position security cameras. If you want a second opinion on the plan, including whether some areas should be monitored live rather than just recorded, get in touch.
Common questions
- How many cameras does my property need?
- Start from the problems and routes, not a number. Each camera should have one stated job at one location. A coverage plan usually shows that a few well-placed cameras at choke points do more than many general views.
- Who should write the camera coverage plan?
- The property manager, owner or board, with staff input on where problems happen. An installer can then quote against it. Writing it yourself first means you control the scope.
- Should the coverage plan include privacy areas?
- Yes. Mark private areas on the map so installers avoid them and use privacy masks where a view clips them. It also helps when residents or tenants ask what is covered.
Still stuck?
Send us the details and we'll tell you what we'd check next — whether or not the cameras are ours.