Intercom for a Two-Floor House: Lift and Talk vs Small EPABX
Short answer: for a two-floor house, a lift-and-talk intercom is enough if you only need to connect two points, say the kitchen downstairs and the master bedroom upstairs; it costs ₹2,648 to ₹3,199 with two phones. If you want three or four rooms to call each other, or want the landline on every phone, a small 4-extension EPABX is the better buy at ₹4,350 to ₹5,849 as a ready kit, or ₹7,147 with cable and wall sockets. Prices include GST and delivery across India is free.
What problem are you solving?
In most Indian two-floor homes the need is simple: someone downstairs wants to call someone upstairs without shouting up the stairwell or ringing a mobile. Elderly parents on the ground floor, children studying upstairs, a cook in the kitchen, a guard at the gate. Before choosing hardware, count the points:
- Two points only (for example kitchen and one bedroom): lift-and-talk.
- Three or four points (kitchen, parents' room, children's room, drawing room): a 4-extension intercom or EPABX.
- Landline on every phone: an EPABX with an outside line port, such as a 104.
- No wiring possible (rented house, finished walls): a radio intercom.
How does lift-and-talk work?
The Diplomat DP-002 is a small box that joins exactly two telephones. Its listing explains it plainly: pick up the handset at one end and the other phone rings. No number to dial, no menu, nothing to learn, which is why it suits elderly family members. It takes two plain phones without caller ID, and you run 2-core telephone cable from each phone back to the unit. It cannot take a landline and cannot grow beyond two phones.
How does a small EPABX work in a house?
A 4-extension EPABX gives each phone its own short number. Anyone can call any room by dialling it. On a model with a line port, such as the CCL 104B or Diplomat 104, your landline also connects, so all four phones can take and make outside calls. The Diplomat 104 listing describes this as 1 main line and 4 intercoms, usable as an office EPABX or as a simple intercom with no line connected.
If you never use a landline, the Diplomat 004 links 4 phones for internal calls only, and its listing says plain or caller ID phones can be used.
Lift-and-talk vs small EPABX at a glance
| Point | Lift-and-talk (DP-002) | Small EPABX (104 / 004) |
|---|---|---|
| Phones | 2, fixed | Up to 4 |
| How you call | Lift the handset, other end rings | Dial a short extension number |
| Landline on the phones | No | Yes on 104 models; no on the 004 |
| Phones it takes | Two plain non-caller-ID phones | Plain or caller ID phones |
| Unit price | ₹1,450 | ₹2,050 to ₹2,399 |
What you need and why
- The unit (DP-002 or a 4-extension EPABX). It decides how many phones and whether a landline connects.
- Phones. Plain corded phones are fine for a house. The Beetel C11 at ₹599 is the usual choice. See the landline phone price guide for others.
- Telephone cable. One run from each phone back to the unit. In a two-floor house, runs are usually 8 to 20 m, so one 90 m roll covers four phones.
- Rosettes. A neat wall socket at each phone, so the phone can be unplugged and moved.
- A power point near the unit. Put it on the inverter if you want the intercom to work in power cuts.
Shopping list 1: two-point lift-and-talk
| Item | Qty assumed | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Diplomat DP-002 lift-and-talk unit | 1 | ₹1,450 |
| Beetel C11 phone | 2 | ₹1,198 |
| Total, unit and phones | ₹2,648 | |
| TW-2P telephone wire, 90 m (if you have no cable in the walls) | 1 roll | ₹1,799 |
| Total with cable | ₹4,447 |
The same unit and phones also come as a ready kit, Combo-CN29 (DP-002 + 2 Beetel C11), at ₹3,199. At today's prices, buying the three items separately works out ₹551 cheaper; the kit simply arrives as one box.
Shopping list 2: four rooms on a small EPABX
Assumed: kitchen and parents' room on the ground floor, two bedrooms upstairs, landline connected, average cable run about 15 m.
| Item | Qty assumed | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Combo-CN95 (CCL 104B + 4 Beetel C11) | 1 | ₹4,999 |
| TW-2P telephone wire, 90 m | 1 roll | ₹1,799 |
| ROS-11 rosettes, pack of 10 | 1 pack | ₹349 |
| Total | ₹7,147 |
Other ready 4-point kits
| Kit | What is in the box | Landline | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combo-CN92 | Diplomat 104 + 3 Beetel phones | Yes | ₹4,350 |
| Combo-CN43 | Diplomat 004 + 4 Beetel phones | No, intercom only | ₹4,399 |
| Combo-CN95 | CCL 104B + 4 Beetel C11 | Yes | ₹4,999 |
| Combo-CN128 | Diplomat 104 + 4 Beetel C11 | Yes | ₹5,064 |
| Combo-CN62 | Diplomat 004 + 4 Beetel C51 caller ID | No, intercom only | ₹5,849 |
Optional upgrades
- A cordless phone for the person who moves between floors: the Beetel X-90 (₹1,990) works on any EPABX extension. See using a cordless phone with an EPABX.
- Caller ID at one phone: swap one C11 for a Beetel C51 (₹999) where the landline is answered most.
- No wiring at all: the FM wireless intercom, 2 units (₹7,999) plugs into power sockets and talks by radio.
- Talk to the gate too: that is a door phone job. Read the video door phone buying guide, or use the security system builder to plan the whole house.
Browse all options in EPABX and intercom systems and intercom and telephone combos. For cable routing and sockets, see how an EPABX is wired.
FAQ
Which intercom is best for a two-floor house?
For two points, a lift-and-talk unit like the Diplomat DP-002 is simplest. For three or four rooms, or to share the landline, a 4-extension EPABX such as the CCL 104B or Diplomat 104 is better.
How much does a home intercom cost in India?
On our store a two-point lift-and-talk setup costs ₹2,648 with phones, and ready 4-point kits cost ₹4,350 to ₹5,849. A roll of cable and a pack of rosettes add ₹2,148.
Can I connect my landline to a lift-and-talk intercom?
No. The DP-002 is internal only. For landline calls on every phone, choose an EPABX with a line port such as a 104 model.
Does a home intercom need internet or Wi-Fi?
No. Lift-and-talk and EPABX intercoms run on their own telephone cable and need only a power point for the unit.
Can I add a fifth phone later?
Not on a 4-extension model. If you might add rooms, start with an 8-extension EPABX such as the CCL 108B.
Prices are NavKar Systems website prices on 27 October 2026, inclusive of GST, and may change.
