Security & surveillance consultation
Know what protects you before you buy it.
Carlton Tech Consulting helps homes and small businesses make clear, vendor-neutral decisions about cameras, recording, access, and monitoring. Design first, hardware second — so the system you install actually covers what matters.
Serving residential & small-business clients · Independent guidance, no product sales · This site serves both carltontechconsulting.com and carltontc.com
What we do
Consultation, not installation sales
An independent second set of eyes on your security plan — whether you are starting from scratch or wondering if the quote you got makes sense.
Security assessment
Walkthrough of your property, entry points, lighting, and routines. You get a plain-language list of risks in priority order — what to fix first, what can wait.
Camera & surveillance design
Camera placement, fields of view, day/night performance, recording and retention. A layout matched to what you actually need to see — faces, plates, perimeters — not camera counts.
Access control & intrusion
Locks, alarms, sensors, and alerts reviewed as one system. Guidance on what to integrate, what to keep simple, and where monitored vs. self-monitored makes sense.
Network & storage hardening
Cameras are network devices. Reviews of wiring, PoE, VLANs, remote access, passwords, and video storage so footage is there when you need it — and not exposed when you don't.
Existing system & quote review
Already have cameras or a bid in hand? Get an unbiased read: coverage gaps, over-spec'd gear, recurring fees, and the questions worth asking the installer.
Project oversight
Help writing a clear scope of work, comparing bids apples-to-apples, and checking the finished install against the plan — aim, focus, recording, and remote viewing verified.
How it works
A short engagement, a usable plan
Most work follows three steps. You keep the paperwork either way — it is yours to bid out or build on.
Understand
Conversation plus site review: what you are protecting, what has happened before, what you want to be able to prove or see after an event.
Design
A right-sized plan: device placement, wiring and network needs, storage and retention, and budget tiers — good, better, best — with trade-offs stated honestly.
Verify
Bid comparison or install check against the design. Confirm coverage, image quality day and night, recording schedules, and that you can pull footage yourself.
- Written findings and prioritized recommendations
- Camera placement sketch with fields of view
- Equipment and wiring specification for bidding
- Retention, storage, and remote-access checklist
Also: fabrication
CNC, laser & 3D printing live elsewhere
Separate from consulting: hands-on making — custom parts, enclosures, mounts, signage, and one-off prototypes. That work lives on its own sites.
What the shop covers
Small-batch and one-off fabrication, including camera mounts and equipment enclosures designed around the security plan when a project needs them.
- CNC routing & milling
- Laser cutting & engraving
- 3D printing & design
- Custom mounts & enclosures
- Signage & small-batch parts
Visit the maker sites
Fabrication inquiries, galleries, and project notes are handled there — not through the consulting inbox.
carltoncrafted.comCustom-made goods & fabrication carltoncreation.comDesign, print & project workTools we build
Small apps from field work
Beyond advice: focused iOS utilities born from real consulting and shop jobs. More are on the way — each one ships here first.
BoxLocator
Locate and track marked assets in surveillance and inventory scenarios — built from field work where knowing exactly which box matters. Contact us for availability and pilot access.
CNC toolpath helper
A shop-side companion for CNC toolpath design — checking cuts before committing material. Currently in development; future iOS apps will join this lineup as they ship.
About
Independent by design
Carlton Tech Consulting is a consultation practice, not a reseller or installer. No hardware quotas, no brand to push — recommendations are based on your site, your budget, and what the equipment can actually do. When a job needs an installer, integrator, or fabricator, the plan is written so you can hire competitively.
Contact
Start with an email
Briefly describe the property and what prompted you — new build, break-in, quote in hand, cameras that disappoint. Photos and an address for map review help if you have them.