Your camera footage shouldn't live on someone else's cloud.
Subscriptions that creep up. 24-hour history caps. Apps that take ten seconds to load. There's a better way, and it lives in your home.
Security.
Knowing what's happening, whether you're in the next room or another country.
Smart locks at the gate and main door. Cameras where they actually help, not where they look impressive. Doorbell that works whether you're in the bedroom or in another country.
Singapore homes are mostly safe. That's not the point.
HDB and condo living in Singapore is genuinely safe by global standards. We design security around how the household actually uses the home.
Smart security in a Singapore household covers a handful of everyday frictions: forgotten keys (smart locks solve this), the awkwardness of multi-step entry rituals (gate-lock plus door-lock plus keys plus shoes plus bag), and the desire for awareness when you're not at home (cameras and doorbell notifications). Plus the practical realities: helpers letting themselves in, deliveries arriving when no one's home, kids coming back from school, parents visiting unannounced.
Where you put the cameras says what you think the cameras are for. Most security companies in Singapore push as many cameras as the homeowner will pay for. Our default is fewer cameras, placed thoughtfully: kitchen ceiling for safety blind spots, living room for common areas, kids' rooms low-mounted for monitoring (not surveillance), no master bedroom camera unless specifically requested.
Where you put the cameras says what you think the cameras are for.
What it could look like for your home.
- Example 1 · 4-Room HDB with helper, two kids
Aqara U400 gate lock (UWB auto-unlock for the homeowner), Aqara A100 main door lock (synced with the gate). Aqara G410 video doorbell at the gate. Reolink RLC-510A ceiling-mounted camera in the kitchen (helper visibility, hob safety). Reolink E1 low-mounted in the kids' room (baby-monitor-style). HomeKit Secure Video on iCloud+ ( build) or Reolink with 2TB local storage ( build). Cost: ~S$1,800–2,400 for the security layer.
- Example 2 · Condo, dual-income couple, no kids
Aqara U400 gate lock at the unit entrance. Aqara G410 doorbell. One ceiling camera in the living/dining area. No kitchen camera (smaller condo kitchen, less blind-spot concern). Cost: ~S$1,200–1,600.
- Example 3 · Landed home with helper, kids, frequent guests
Multiple gate-and-door locks (front gate, side gate, main door, helper's room). Reolink outdoor cameras at the front yard, side path, back yard. Indoor cameras in kitchen, living, helper's quarters (with privacy LED visible). Local NVR with 4TB storage. Cost: ~S$3,500–5,000.
Curious what this would look like in your home? Get a free estimate
Essentials or Professional: pick the depth that fits.
Security can be implemented at two depths.
for households who want core peace of mind without overbuilding.
- 1 smart lock at the main door (Aqara A100 or HomeKit-compatible equivalent)
- 1 smart doorbell at the main entry (Aqara G410 or HomeKit-compatible)
- 2 indoor cameras at strategic positions (e.g. kitchen for cooking-fire visibility, living area for general awareness)
- For Apple Home builds: HomeKit Secure Video on iCloud+
- For Home Assistant builds: Reolink cameras + small NVR for local storage
for households with more entry points, helpers, kids, or specific concerns (security-conscious families, multi-generation, frequent travel).
- 2 smart locks (main door + gate, or main + helper's room)
- Smart doorbell with face recognition / package detection
- 4–6 cameras covering all entry points and key indoor zones
- Reolink NVR with 4TB+ storage for HA builds, or comprehensive iCloud+ tier for Apple Home builds
- Leak sensors under sinks / smoke sensors in key rooms
The Consult conversation surfaces which depth fits your household. Helper-related, multi-generation, and landed-property households typically land at Professional; HDB couples and small families typically at Essentials.
Not sure which fits? Talk it through in a Consult
What we typically use.
Gate locks
Aqara U400 (UWB auto-unlock, fits most HDB and condo gates).
Main door locks
Aqara A100 (fingerprint, PIN, fob, key).
Video doorbell
Aqara G410 (Apple Home and Home Assistant compatible).
Indoor cameras (Apple Home builds)
Aqara G2H Pro, Logitech Circle View.
Indoor cameras (Home Assistant builds)
Reolink E1, RLC-510A, RLC-823A.
Outdoor cameras
Reolink RLC-823A (PoE, weatherproof).
NVR (HA builds)
Reolink NVR with 2–4TB storage.
Storage (Apple Home builds)
iCloud+ subscription (S$4.49–14.99/month).
We don't sell hardware. These are what we'd specify and what you'd source yourself or via your contractor.
Apple Home builds vs Home Assistant builds.
Apple Home builds
- HomeKit Secure Video stores camera footage in iCloud, end-to-end encrypted
- iCloud+ subscription required (S$4.49–14.99/month, depending on storage tier)
- Camera selection limited to HomeKit-compatible (Aqara, Logitech, etc.); Reolink not directly supported
- Two-way audio works through any Apple device
- Notifications include face recognition if iCloud Photos has people identified
Home Assistant builds
- Camera footage stored locally on NVR or HA server
- Reolink and other brands fully supported
- Motion detection zones, AI detection (person/animal/vehicle), camera-driven automations
- Two-way audio via HA Companion app
- More flexibility, more control, and more setup
The platform decision affects what cameras you can use. We discuss this in the Consult.