This is the system map. Find the guide or tool that fits where you are right now.
SecurityCompassHQ has seven pre-sign guides and two tools — each built for a specific stage of the buying process. This page organizes them into a stage-by-stage workflow so you can get to the right resource without reading everything. Already signed or researching what happens after the contract starts? See the full after-signing options system →
Key takeaways
Jump to your stage:
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Each stage card below identifies the primary guide or tool, when to use it, what it does, and the most common mistake buyers make at that stage. Jump to any stage using the links above.
Stage 1
No formal documents yet — you're in the sales conversation
When you're here: You're talking to a rep. The system, price, and terms have been described verbally — but you have nothing in writing yet.
Primary guide: Pre-sign checklist →
12 questions to ask any home security rep before agreeing to anything. Covers contract term, ETF formula, rate escalation, auto-renewal notice window, equipment ownership, and whether you can see the full contract before signing. Each question includes what a complete answer looks like and what a vague answer signals.
Common mistake at this stage
Asking none of these questions verbally and signing during or immediately after the pitch. Legitimate providers expect pre-sign questions — a rep who discourages them is signaling something.
Stage 2
You received a written quote, proposal, or summary sheet
When you're here: The provider sent you something in writing — a quote summary, a one-pager, a proposal PDF, or a terms sheet. This is not the full binding contract yet, but it's written text you can analyze.
Primary guide: Quote red flags →
7 warning patterns in written proposals and quote summaries. Manual scan for the most common signs of hidden costs, financing traps, and vague commitment terms before you run a more detailed analysis.
Also at this stage: Quote Decoder (tool) →
Paste any written text — a quote, proposal, or contract excerpt — and get automatic risk-flag detection across 7 categories: financing traps, ETF terms, cancellation risk, hidden fees, upsell pressure, monitoring gaps, and positive signals. Free, browser-based, nothing stored.
Also at this stage: How to decode a home security quote →
The companion guide to the decoder. Explains what each risk category means, what each score level signals, and exactly what to do next for each outcome — including when a 'low risk' result still requires additional verification.
Common mistake at this stage
Using a clean decoder result as final clearance. The decoder analyzes the written text you paste — not the full binding agreement. A low-risk quote score does not mean the full service agreement is clean.
Stage 3
The rep made specific verbal claims you want to verify
When you're here: The rep said something specific about rate locks, ETF waivers, moving guarantees, or 'no contract' monitoring — and you want to verify whether the written documents reflect what was said.
Primary guide: Validate a sales rep claim →
A structured three-way comparison framework: rep said / quote shows / contract says. Covers the 8 verbal promises reps most commonly make that are inconsistent with the written agreement — rate locks, moving guarantees, ETF waivers, 'no contract' claims, equipment ownership, and dealer vs. brand identity. Step-by-step sequence for documenting and resolving each discrepancy.
Common mistake at this stage
Signing on the assumption that verbal promises will be honored after installation. The written contract is what governs your legal obligations in virtually every jurisdiction. A verbal promise that isn't in the contract isn't part of your agreement.
Stage 4
You have the full service agreement / contract in hand
When you're here: You're holding the actual binding contract — not the quote summary or proposal, but the full service agreement with all terms, clauses, and signature pages.
Primary guide: Contract red flags →
Use this first. Covers the 9 terms most dangerous to buyers — categorized as STOP SIGN (negotiate or walk away) or NEEDS CLARIFICATION (get written answers). A 5-to-10-minute triage before full verification. Covers ADT and Vivint-specific patterns where relevant.
Also at this stage: How to read a home security contract →
Use this after the triage. Comprehensive clause-by-clause verification covering all 8 clauses that determine your real financial exposure: ETF formula, monitoring rate escalation, auto-renewal, equipment ownership, financing exhibit, dealer vs. brand entity, cancellation procedures, and early notice rights.
Common mistake at this stage
Confusing the quote summary or proposal PDF with the full service agreement. These are different documents. The full contract is the only document that contains the complete ETF formula, escalation clause, and cancellation terms. If you haven't received a document with those clauses, you don't have the full contract yet.
Stage 5
You found a bad or unclear clause — and need it corrected before signing
When you're here: The contract triage or full verification revealed a STOP SIGN or NEEDS CLARIFICATION term. The rep has made a verbal promise to resolve it. You need to get the correction in writing before signing.
Primary guide: How to get home security contract changes in writing →
The full action guide for buyers who found a problematic clause. Covers the documentation hierarchy (what actually modifies a contract vs. what doesn't), the 6 most common changes buyers need with exact request language, what an enforceable addendum must include, the escalation sequence when a rep refuses (rep → dealer manager → brand customer service → pause the deal), and when to walk away.
Common mistake at this stage
Proceeding on a verbal assurance that the clause will be 'handled' or 'taken care of' after signing. A verbal promise to correct a contract term is not a contract modification. If it isn't in writing before you sign, it isn't part of your agreement.
Stage 6
Before final signature — the six-point verification
When you're here: The contract has cleared triage and full verification. You're ready to sign — but these six checks should be completed before you do.
Common mistake at this stage
Not noting the auto-renewal deadline at signing. The notice window (typically 60–90 days before contract end) passes quietly — and missing it commits you to another full term automatically. Put it in your calendar before you close the app.
The six-stage system applies to any provider. These two brands have patterns specific enough to warrant their own guides.
ADT buyers
ADT contracts are typically 36 months through authorized dealers. The ETF formula is 75% of remaining monthly payments — the most important figure to calculate before signing. Key topics for ADT buyers:
Dealer vs. direct matters for ADT. Your contract may be with an authorized dealer, not ADT Corporate — which affects who handles disputes and what terms apply.
Vivint buyers
Vivint typically bundles equipment financing (Citizens Pay) with monitoring. These are two separate contracts with two separate payoff amounts. The most common buyer mistake with Vivint: believing the monitoring contract ending means the equipment loan ends too.
If your contract includes a financing exhibit, use the contract red flags and full contract guides to review that exhibit separately from the monitoring agreement.
Related reading: After signing — the full stage-by-stage options system (what to use if the contract is already active) · Pre-sign checklist — 12 questions to ask any rep before you have anything in writing (Stage 1) · Home security quote red flags — 7 warning signs in written proposals and summaries (Stage 2) · How to decode a home security quote — interpreting Quote Decoder results by risk category (Stage 2) · Validate a sales rep claim — three-way comparison for verbal vs. written discrepancies (Stage 3) · Contract red flags — 9 dangerous terms to triage before full verification (Stage 4) · How to read a home security contract — comprehensive 8-clause verification (Stage 4) · How to get contract changes in writing — action guide for correcting bad clauses before signing (Stage 5) · Quote Decoder — paste any written terms for automatic risk-flag detection (Stage 2 tool) · ETF Calculator — model your exact exit cost at any month of the contract (Stage 6 tool) · 2026 Contract Risk Index — lock-in risk score for every major brand · ADT contract length — what the 36-month commitment means financially · Vivint financing explained — Citizens Pay, equipment loan, and the monitoring separation · Before signing Ring Alarm — plan structure, cellular backup, and ecosystem dependency for Ring buyers · Before signing Cove — monitoring quality, camera limitations, and no-contract terms for Cove buyers · Before signing a Vivint contract — Citizens Pay loan vs monitoring separation, 60-day buyout, and what to verify before signing · Before signing an ADT contract — ETF formula, dealer vs corporate, and what to verify before committing to 36 months
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