Protect Your Next Project With These Construction Site Security Tips

By Ring on March 10, 2023

The day you break ground on your newest home construction project is always exciting — and probably a little daunting, too. Between appliance shipments, subcontractor scheduling, and safety inspections, you also have to figure out how to keep your site secure once your crew packs up for the day.

When your project is still a frame with missing walls, doors, and windows, keeping uninvited visitors out takes more than a “No Trespassing” sign. Learn why construction site security is so important and get six helpful tips to protect your tools and materials when no one’s around.

Why Do You Need a Jobsite Security Plan?

While you’re busy getting permits, ordering materials, and preparing an empty lot for a brand new home, security probably isn’t at the top of your mind. But even if your latest project is in a quiet suburban neighborhood, you still need to take security measures to prevent theft and vandalism. That’s because construction sites are a prime target for crime — and recent material shortages and high material costs have made the problem even worse.

Losing a few two-by-fours or a package of bathroom tiles may not seem like a big deal, but those costs add up, and reordering materials and tools can delay your project. Take a few strategic steps to enhance security now and save valuable time later — so you can finish building stud walls, laying tiles, or installing drywall instead of spending hours on the phone with an insurance agent.

6 Tips To Help You Protect Your Home Construction Site

Before you officially break ground and start building, make sure your jobsite is secure with these six construction safety tips we gathered from around the web.

Surround Your Site With a Fence

It’s normal for curious people to peek around your construction site as they pass, and some may even try to step inside and scope out the layout. But unauthorized visitors wandering onto your property isn’t just dangerous — it can also lead to missing materials and vandalism.

An easy way to signal that your site is off-limits is to install a temporary fence with lockable gates. Make sure the fence is tall, sturdy, and long enough to wrap around the entire perimeter, so visitors don’t have an easy way to get in.

Monitor Your Project With Construction Site Security Cameras

A fence is a great line of defense for your new home construction site, but it can’t always keep a determined visitor from getting inside. If someone makes it past the fence, Ring’s Jobsite Security™ cameras can make them think twice about pulling out a can of spray paint or searching for scrap metal.

Ring offers construction site cameras that use batteries or solar power, so you can begin using them even before the electrician arrives. After mounting a few cameras by each entry point, you can connect them to a mobile hotspot or wifi network to get notifications when they detect motion.¹ You can watch live footage from the Ring app to see if your visitor is a human — or just the neighbor’s dog — and request help if necessary.

With Ring Jobsite Security Cameras, you can sound sirens to ward off intruders. Explore your options to see how we can help keep your site secure
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Mark Equipment and Keep Records of Serial Numbers

With so many tools on a home construction site, it’s not always easy to know when something goes missing — and you may not realize it until several days later. By that point, your missing air compressor could be several cities away, making it nearly impossible to track down.

Keep a daily inventory of all the equipment entering and exiting the jobsite to help you figure out when something is gone. If your equipment has no identifying information on it, you should mark or engrave items with serial numbers or your company name. Keep a record of all serial numbers so you can share them with law enforcement if any equipment goes missing.

Store Valuable Items in Locked Containers

Even if you mark every piece of equipment on your construction site, there’s no guarantee you’ll get a stolen item back. You should always store valuable items in a locked storage unit or shed when your construction site is empty.

While your crew is packing up expensive tools, make sure they don’t overlook that pile of lumber or stack of drywall sheets. Materials can be just as valuable as heavy machinery, and unsecured supplies can attract thieves who plan to sell them or use them on their own projects.

Keep Your Home Construction Site Well-Lit During Off Hours

Dark construction sites are easy to slip in and out of unseen — and intruders might be more likely to visit if they think they won’t get caught. Turning on lights next to equipment storage areas and around your site after your crew leaves can deter unauthorized entry.

Level Up Protection With a Ring Jobsite Security System

If you want to know what’s happening across your construction site in real time, Ring can help you level up your construction site security. We designed our Jobsite Security collection just for contractors, so you can protect your project around the clock. Plus, you can take our portable devices to the next site without even opening the toolbox.

Our Jobsite Security Kit comes with devices to help safeguard your new home construction project, including:

Alarm Pro Base Station: The Base Station connects you to your jobsite by sending real-time notifications when a device gets triggered. It can also act as a mobile hotspot if you don’t have an existing internet connection.²

Stick Up Cam Battery: You can put our wireless construction security camera nearly anywhere to see what’s going on around your site. It comes with color night vision, so you can get a clear picture around the clock.

Spotlight Battery: Our Spotlight keeps the most important areas on your jobsite lit with 400 Lumens of brightness.

Smart Lighting Motion Sensor: If your Motion Sensor detects movement, you’ll get a notification in the Ring App — and you can even program your lights or cameras to turn on at the same time.³

With a Ring Protect Pro subscription, you can unlock even more features from your Jobsite Security Kit, such as:

24/7 Professional Monitoring: Our team monitors notifications from connected Alarm Motion Sensors and other optional add-ons, like Outdoor Contact Sensors, Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Listeners, Glass Break Sensors, and Flood & Freeze Sensors (all sold separately). We’ll give you a call and send help if you request it or don’t answer the phone.⁴

Video Storage and Sharing: If you need footage to submit with a police report or insurance claim, a Ring Protect Pro subscription lets you search and save videos for 180 days.⁵

24/7 Internet With LTE: When Wi-Fi isn’t an option, your Base Station can act as a mobile hotspot to connect your Jobsite Security devices.⁶

Person Alerts: If you’re tired of getting notifications whenever the neighborhood cat sneaks onto your job site, you can switch to Person Alerts. You’ll only get notified if your Security Camera spots a person.

One-Touch Emergency Response: You can request emergency assistance from your Ring App if you notice an intruder on Live View or get a Person Alert when no one’s supposed to be onsite.

Browse our Jobsite Security products or chat with a Ring Security Expert to see which security solutions are right for your site.

¹ This device’s motion sensor does not trigger an automated professional monitoring response. See Jobsite Security Frequently Asked Questions for details.

² Compatible Ring Protect subscription required (sold separately). Extra data charges may apply. Cellular data is provided by a third party carrier. Coverage, uptime, technology, and speeds will vary. Will require backup power if the power goes out. Visit ring.com/alarm-pro for more details. Ring Alarm Pro is designed to be used as a router, and using your Alarm Pro as an extender will prevent you from accessing many of the Protect Pro subscription features, including 24/7 Backup Internet.

³ This device’s motion sensor does not trigger an automated professional monitoring response.

⁴ Compatible Alarm sensors (separate purchase) are required for an automated professional monitoring response. If you are using an Alarm or Alarm Pro Base Station without compatible Alarm sensors, use the SOS button in the Ring app to request emergency dispatch. Smoke and carbon monoxide monitoring is not available for a business or commercially zoned address. See Jobsite Security Frequently Asked Questions for details. Ring Alarm Pro and Ring Alarm professional monitoring service are available within the U.S. (all 50 states, but not U.S territories). Ring does not own its own professional monitoring center. Additional charges may apply in areas that require permits or guard response service for alarm verification. Tax not included. Ring Pro Pro subscription (sold separately) and enrollment in professional monitoring are required. See Ring Alarm licensing for more details.

⁵ Your Ring videos in the cloud are stored temporarily, up to 180 days. Changing your video storage time will only affect videos that are recorded after you adjust your storage time setting. Check Ring Protect Subscription Plans for more information.
⁶Compatible Ring Protect subscription required (sold separately). Extra data charges may apply. Cellular data is provided by a third party carrier. Coverage, uptime, technology, and speeds will vary. Will require backup power if the power goes out. Visit ring.com/alarm-pro for more details. Ring Alarm Pro is designed to be used as a router, and using your Alarm Pro as an extender will prevent you from accessing many of the Protect Pro subscription features, including 24/7 Backup Internet.