Home Security

How To Keep Your Home Secure During Renovations

By Ring on October 12, 2022

Remodeling your home requires a lot of planning, hard decisions, creative vision — and patience. But before you open your doors to a construction crew, or take a sledgehammer to the wall yourself, don't overlook how you’ll keep your home safe and secure amid the renovation chaos.

When it comes to home remodel security tips, there’s more to consider than how to avoid splinters and hammering your thumb. Here are a few ways to help protect your home (and what’s inside) during the days, weeks, or months it spends as a construction zone.

Set Up DIY Home Security Devices — Before Getting Started

Home improvement projects, no matter how big or small, can attract attention. Whether yours is large enough that it requires a dumpster parked outside your home or small with only a couple of tools and boxes delivered from the home improvement store, it can catch an eye of unwanted visitors. And while you might not think your circular saw or spare lumber would be a prime target for burglars, home job site theft is something to be mindful of.

That’s where your most important DIY task comes in: leveling up your home renovation security — before your project even starts — to help ensure everything stays safe. And with a Ring Security System, it can also be the easiest task on your list. Consider grabbing these handy devices:

Ring Indoor and Outdoor Security Cameras, so you can check in on your phone to see what’s happening on your home job site from anywhere. Whether you’re working late at the office after the construction crew leaves or are headed out to dinner on the weekend, you can turn on camera Motion Alerts. If you get one when the house is supposed to be empty, you can check in on Live View. Then, if you see uninvited visitors, you can tell them to leave via Two-Way Talk. (And if they don't, you can let them know they're on camera and you're notifying the authorities).

Ring Floodlights or Spotlights, so you can avoid tripping over cords or tools when you walk around after dark. But these motion-activated lights don't just keep things bright in the evening — they can also help scare off late-night snoops.

Ring Alarm home security system with Contact Sensors and Motion Detectors, so you get alerts if someone opens a door or window, or enters your house. These sensors help you know that people are only coming and going when they’re supposed to be on site. You can also add Glass Break Sensors, which can detect the sound of breaking glass from a door or window up to 25 feet away and notify you.

Ring Video Doorbell which can let you see every person who goes in and out of the front or back door, chat with them, and send you Motion Alerts if nearby movement is detected.

Smart locks that let you set up temporary codes for your construction crew or unlock the door from your phone (through your Ring App). That means you won’t have to worry about your spare key being passed around.

Add a Security Subscription

From appliance deliveries to your paint swatches, you have a lot to keep track of during your home renovation project. But now that you have your Ring Security System in place, you have one less thing to worry about — home remodel security. And subscribing to a Ring Protect plan can bring you peace of mind, for a small monthly fee.

Here are a few of the helpful perks you can get with a Ring Protect subscription:

24/7 Alarm Professional Monitoring with Police, Fire, and Medical Emergency Responders: Whether you’re at work finishing up a big project or spending a few days at your in-laws while your whole home gets painted, you may not have the time (or energy) to check every security notification from your Ring Alarm. Subscribing to Ring Protect Pro and enrolling in 24/7 Professional Monitoring, means that you don’t have to be glued to your phone. This team will call if they get an alert, and can request help if you need it or aren’t able to answer.

Video storage and sharing for Ring Security Cameras and Doorbells: Things don’t always go according to plan on a construction site, and you may not be tuned into Live View waiting to see it unfold. Plus, you may need footage of that two-by-four mishap with your window to file an insurance claim. Ring Protect plans lets you go back and rewatch past videos, so you can see what happened when you got a notification or quickly share a link with an insurance adjuster, your construction manager, or even a friend. Ring Protect plans lets you store footage for up to 180-days at no additional cost, and you also get an Extended Warranty¹ for all the Ring Devices at your address.

Cellular Backup² and 24/7 Backup Internet³ (only available with Ring Alarm Pro): If you are subscribed to a Ring Protect Pro plan and have a Ring Alarm Pro, you get an extra layer of security. But if the internet goes out, it can’t send you alerts if sensors get triggered. But Ring Protect Pro keeps your system up and running with Cellular Backup, which kicks in as soon as your Alarm Pro Base Station gets disconnected from Wi-Fi.

Savings of $100 a year (or more)⁴ on your home insurance: Ask your home insurance company about discounts when you enroll in professional monitoring for Ring Alarm, which is included with Ring Protect Pro. Some insurers offer up to a 15% discount for the extra layer of protection you get. You can put those savings back into your home reno project.

If you don’t need all these features for your renovation site, you can pick from Ring Protect Basic or Plus plans to get video storage and sharing for one or several devices. That way, you’ll never have to wonder what triggered that Motion Alert in the middle of the night. The benefits of Ring Protect Pro don’t end here — you get over $600 worth of features for only $20 a month or $200 a year. Explore more Ring Protect Pro features here.

Research Your Construction Crew

Whether you consider yourself a construction pro that could star in your own HGTV show or you need a video tutorial to use a power drill, there’s a good chance you’ll need some outside help during your home renovation project. But with so many “top-rated contractors” in your area, it’s hard to know who you can actually trust — and who might leave you with more issues than you started with.

If you want to make sure you end up with a crew that never skimps on security measures, you need to do some research. Here are a few ways to help you decide which contractor is right for your project:

Look at online reviews: See what other homeowners liked about a contractor and take note of any issues they had.

Ask for recommendations: If any family members, friends, or neighbors had work done on their home recently, ask them who they’d recommend (or who you should avoid).

Ask the hard questions face to face: Bring in your top choices and ask them a few questions to see how they communicate. You can also ask to see images of past projects as well as a sample contract, and if you can hold the last payment until all work is complete.

Get several bids: Ask the top contenders for estimates and compare them. If one is suspiciously lower than the others, you may want to stay away. This could be a sign that they cut corners.

Loop In Your Neighbors

Unless you’re doing everything yourself, you probably won’t be home during the entire renovation project. And with flying debris, wood dust, and paint fumes in the air, you may not want to be. But that doesn’t mean your neighbors can’t help keep an eye on things.

If you’re close to your next-door neighbors, you can ask them to send you a quick text if they notice anything out of the ordinary. You can also see if anyone else has had security issues recently by checking your Neighbors App. The App allows you to get updates from those nearby in your community and see valuable information about local safety incidents. Get the free Neighbors App below.

Store ALL Valuables Safely

If you’re doing extensive renovations to your house, there’s a good chance you’ll end up with a few missing walls or windows at some point, potentially giving easy access into your home. And if, like many homeowners, you plan to move out for a few weeks during reno, your house can become a prime target for uninvited visitors.

If someone wanders onto your home construction site, having your valuables — including tools — put away makes it harder for them to find something that’s worth taking. A locked room far away from the construction zone may be enough, but you can use a lockable security box or rent a safety deposit box for extra protection.

And while you might not include that new light fixture, tile cutter, or a pile of lumber in your list of valuable items, they can be just as inviting to thieves as your fine jewelry. At the end of each workday, make sure your construction crew locks up your supplies at home or takes them to a secure location. If you’re acting as your own contractor, you should move your supplies into a room with a deadbolt or a locked storage box or shed and make sure nothing is visible from the outside.

¹ A compatible Ring Protect subscription is required to enroll in the Ring Alarm professional monitoring service. The professional monitoring service is available only within the U.S. (all 50 states, but not U.S. territories) and in Canada (excluding Quebec). Ring does not own its own professional monitoring center. Smoke and carbon monoxide monitoring is not available for commercial properties. See Ring alarm licenses. Additional permit or false alarm fees may apply depending on your local jurisdiction. Additional charges may apply in areas that require permits or guard response service for alarm verification.

² Virtual Security Guard is available only within the U.S. (all 50 states, but not U.S. territories). It is an add-on service that requires enrollment and the following: a subscription fee per enrolled location, in addition to a compatible Ring Protect plan and a Ring Alarm system (all sold separately), and Ring Alarm professional monitoring. Rapid Response is the seller and provider of the camera motion monitoring service and agents. Ring bills your Ring account for this service. Virtual Security Guard subscription fee includes 175 monitored motion events per month. Opt into Extra Events for an additional cost. Virtual Guard services are only available with eligible outdoor doorbells and cameras. Learn more.

³ ONVIF-compatible cameras are not made by Ring. Not all ONVIF-compatible cameras have been tested for interoperability by ONVIF, and not all ONVIF-compatible cameras may be supported in the Ring app. Only ONVIF Conformant products are verified to be interoperable by ONVIF. Learn more about ONVIF and its ONVIF standard and compatibility information.

⁴ 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. Learn more about Ring Alarm Pro. 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.

⁵ Compatible Alarm sensors (separate purchase) are required for an automated professional monitoring response. Learn more about Ring Jobsite Security.