VIDEO INTERCOM INSTALLATION NYC
The old buzzer told you someone was there. It didn't tell you who. A video intercom shows residents the visitor's face, lets them talk, and unlocks the door — from an indoor monitor, a smartphone app, or both. No more guessing, no more running down four flights to check, no more buzzing in a stranger who said "delivery."
Impera Security Systems designs and installs video intercom systems for apartment buildings, co-ops, condos, brownstones, townhouses, and commercial properties across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. Whether you're replacing a decades-old audio system or building a new entry from scratch, we'll match the platform to your building.
Why Buildings Are Switching to Video
A video intercom does the same job as an audio intercom — and then a lot more.
Residents see who's there. A face on a screen is a different level of security than a voice through a speaker. Residents can turn away someone they don't recognize without opening the door or revealing that anyone's home.
Answer from anywhere. With a mobile app, a resident at work can see the delivery driver, talk to them, and open the door — then the package is waiting inside instead of on the stoop.
Every visitor is logged. Most video platforms keep a snapshot or clip of each call, so if a package goes missing or someone was let in who shouldn't have been, there's a record.
Fewer calls to the super. Contractors, cleaners, and guests can be let in remotely by the resident or manager who invited them, without pulling staff away from other work.
Easier building management. Cloud-based systems let property managers update the directory, add a new tenant, or remove a departed one from a laptop — no site visit, no reprogramming at the panel.
How Residents Answer: Monitor, App, or Both
This is the first decision we work through with every building, because it shapes the equipment, the wiring, and the cost.
Indoor video monitor
A wall-mounted screen in each apartment. Residents see and talk to the visitor and release the door with a tap. Familiar, reliable, and works without a smartphone — which matters for older residents and for buildings where not everyone wants an app. Requires wiring or a network connection to each unit.
Smartphone app only
No in-unit hardware. Every call goes to the resident's phone as a video call, wherever they are. The fastest and least disruptive installation for larger buildings, since nothing has to be mounted inside apartments. Residents need a smartphone and an app.
Monitor plus app
The best of both. A monitor in the apartment for daily use, with the app as backup when the resident is out. Most current platforms support this, and it's the configuration we recommend for co-ops and condos with a mix of resident ages and preferences.
We'll walk through the trade-offs during the assessment and recommend one approach — with a clear explanation of why.
Which Video Intercom Platform Fits Your Building
Not every system suits every building. Here's how we think about the platforms we install most.
ButterflyMX — App-based, cloud-managed, and the most widely installed video intercom in NYC apartment buildings. No in-unit hardware, easy tenant turnover, and strong property-management integrations. Ideal for multi-tenant buildings that want the simplest install and the least hardware to maintain.
Comelit — Indoor monitors plus app, with a 2-wire option that often reuses existing intercom wiring. A strong choice for co-ops and prewar buildings where running new cable to every apartment isn't practical.
2N — IP-based, highly configurable, and built for larger residential buildings, commercial properties, and anywhere deep integration with access control and cameras is required.
DoorBird — Compact, high-quality video door stations for brownstones, townhouses, single-family homes, and small multi-unit buildings, with app and optional indoor station.
Akuvox — Smart IP intercoms with touchscreen panels and indoor monitors, well suited to mid-size residential and mixed-use buildings.
Aiphone — Long-proven audio and video intercoms, popular for commercial entrances, offices, and buildings that want dependable hardware without a cloud subscription.
Swiftlane — Video intercom and cloud access control in one platform, popular in newer construction and buildings that want a single system for visitors and residents.
Siedle — Premium video entry systems for high-end residential and luxury properties where design matters as much as function.
We're not tied to any one manufacturer. We recommend the platform that fits your building's size, wiring, budget, and residents — not the one with the biggest margin.
Video Intercoms for Every NYC Property
Apartment buildings and co-ops. Multi-tenant video entry panels with directory search, per-unit calling, and either monitors, app, or both. We design for the front entrance and, where needed, side, service, and garage doors.
Condo boards and property managers. Cloud-managed platforms that make tenant turnover a two-minute task from a laptop, with logs and remote door release for management.
Brownstones and townhouses. Discreet video door stations that fit a historic entrance, with app answering and optional indoor screen — protection without cluttering the facade.
Offices and commercial buildings. Video entry for reception, suite doors, and after-hours access, integrated with fob or mobile credentials for staff.
Mixed-use and new construction. IP-based systems designed alongside the building's network and access control from day one.
Replacing an Old Intercom With Video
Most video intercom work in NYC is replacement — a building with a buzzer-only system from the 1980s or a video system from the early 2000s that no longer gets parts or software updates.
Before recommending anything, we evaluate what's already there: the entry panel, apartment stations, wiring, door-release hardware, and network. Many older buildings already have wiring from the entrance to every unit, and if it's in good condition, platforms like Comelit 2-wire can reuse it. App-based platforms like ButterflyMX sidestep in-unit wiring entirely. Either way, existing door strikes, conduit, and panel locations frequently carry over.
We test the wiring before we promise anything. Then we give you a clear plan: what stays, what goes, and what it costs.
Works With Your Access Control and Cameras
A video intercom handles visitors. Access control handles residents and staff with fobs or phones. Security cameras record everything else. When the three are integrated — which we configure as part of the installation — building management sees visitor calls, credentialed entries, and video in one coordinated picture.
One entry system, one dashboard, one team to call.
What Working With Impera Looks Like
No surprises, no pressure. Here's the whole process.
1
Free on-site assessment
We visit the property, review the existing intercom, wiring, door hardware, and network, and talk through how residents want to answer the door.
2
Written proposal
You get a detailed proposal with the recommended platform, equipment, wiring plan, labor, and scope — with clear pricing. You decide from there.
3
Clean installation.
Our technicians install the entry panel, mount any indoor monitors, connect door release, and configure the directory and app. We work around residents to keep disruption minimal.
4
Testing, training, and handoff
We test every unit and every entrance, then show your building contact how to manage the directory, add tenants, and use the app.
Recent Video Intercom Installations in NYC
Every job meets the same standard: clean cable management, properly configured hardware, and a system that works reliably from day one. Here's a selection of recent work across Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Call (646) 450-8588 or Contact Us for Video Intercom installation, replacement, or repair in Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Queens.
What Our Clients Say
Trusted by property owners, managers, and businesses across NYC.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Most NYC installations fall between $1,500 and $6,500, depending on the platform, number of units, whether indoor monitors are included, the condition of existing wiring, and door hardware. Cloud-based platforms may also carry a monthly or annual subscription. After the free assessment, you receive a written proposal with clear pricing.
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Not necessarily. App-only platforms do require one, but systems with indoor monitors work without a phone, and most platforms support both. We'll recommend a configuration that fits your residents.
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Yes. Every video intercom platform we install supports remote door release from a mobile app, where configured.
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Often. If the wiring is in good condition, 2-wire platforms like Comelit can typically use it, and app-based platforms avoid in-unit wiring altogether. We inspect and test before recommending an approach.
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It depends on the building. App-based systems like ButterflyMX suit large multi-tenant buildings with regular turnover; monitor-based systems like Comelit suit co-ops and prewar buildings with existing wiring. We'll recommend one during the assessment and explain why.
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Yes. We train your building contact at handoff and remain available for service, adjustments, and questions afterward.
Looking for a Video Intercom System?
Tell us about your property or project. We’ll recommend the right video intercom solution and provide a clear, itemized quote.
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