The headline numbers — per unit pricing in 2026

For Brisbane and Gold Coast apartment buildings, current 2026 indicative per-unit pricing for full intercom replacement falls into three bands:

Tier Per-unit cost What’s included
Bronze (like-for-like replacement) $800–$950/unit 2-wire IP system, front entrance, indoor monitors, re-using existing wiring
Silver (smart upgrade) $1,050–$1,250/unit As Bronze, plus smartphone-app access, RFID/fob, cloud admin portal
Gold (premium IP) $1,350–$1,550/unit Premium 2N or Aiphone IX, lift integration, BMS handshake, 24-month warranty

What total projects cost

Building size Bronze total Silver total Gold total
20 units $17,000 $23,000 $29,000
50 units $42,500 $57,500 $72,500
100 units $85,000 $115,000 $145,000
200 units $170,000 $230,000 $290,000

Indicative only. Final pricing always depends on site survey, building age, riser condition, lift integration scope, and brand selection.

What makes pricing move

Building age and existing wiring

Buildings built before 2005 often have analog 2-wire systems. Some can be retrofitted with 2-wire IP (Akuvox R20A-2 series, 2N IP One); some require pulling new Cat6 through the riser. Re-pull adds 10–25% to project cost.

Riser cupboard condition

Old, congested riser cupboards add labour. Clean, accessible risers reduce install time. Buildings where electrical, comms, and intercom share one riser cupboard typically take longer.

Lift integration

Adding lift integration (floor restriction, visitor lift call) typically adds $4,000–$15,000 to the project depending on lift make and model. KONE and Otis modern destination control: easier. Older traction lifts: more interface engineering required.

Brand selection

Akuvox tends to be 15–20% cheaper than 2N or Aiphone IX at equivalent feature level. Strata committees on tight budgets often favour Akuvox; premium developments favour 2N or Aiphone for build quality and lifecycle support.

Number of entry points

Most apartment buildings have at least two entry points (main lobby + basement/service). Each additional entry station adds ~$3,000–$8,000.

Number of monitors per unit

Most units take a single in-unit monitor. Larger units with two front doors or two-floor apartments may need two monitors — add per-unit pricing for the second.

Hidden costs to budget for

  • Project management and supervision — typically 8–12% of total install on larger projects.
  • Resident communication and notices — small line item, $500–$2,000 depending on building size.
  • Resident app onboarding — usually included, but check.
  • Old system disposal — included in our quotes; some installers charge separately.
  • Workmanship warranty — most installers offer 12 months. Premium installers offer 24 months on Silver/Gold tiers.

Maintenance contract pricing

After install, recurring maintenance contracts are typically priced per-unit per-month:

Tier Per-unit / month SLA
Bronze $5 72 hours
Silver $9 24 hours
Gold $14 4 business hours

For a 60-unit building, that’s $300–$840/month, or $3,600–$10,080/year. For most committees, the Silver tier is the sweet spot.

Total cost of ownership over 10 years

For a 60-unit building, full lifecycle cost looks roughly like:

  • Year 0: Silver replacement install — $69,000
  • Years 1–10: Silver maintenance contract — $64,800 ($540/month × 120 months)
  • Year 5: Mid-life inspection / firmware refresh — $3,000
  • Years 1–10 tenant turnover (assumed included in contract)
  • Total 10-year TCO: ~$136,800 ($2,280/unit over 10 years, or $228/unit/year)

That’s the number to defend at AGM — not the install cost in isolation.

How to use these numbers

If you’re a committee evaluating quotes, use this guide to sanity-check what you receive. A quote significantly above these bands needs justification. A quote significantly below needs scrutiny — what’s missing, what’s a quality compromise, what’s the install crew’s track record?

See full Intercom Solutions pricing →   Request a building survey →

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