What measures have you taken to protect your home?

What measures have you taken to protect your home?

  • Electric Fence

    Votes: 67 38.1%

  • Cameras

    Votes: 96 54.5%

  • Alarm

    Votes: 112 63.6%

  • Neighbourhood Watch

    Votes: 78 44.3%

  • Guard Dog

    Votes: 59 33.5%

  • Other Smart Home Security Devices

    Votes: 27 15.3%

  • Spikes on Wall / Fence / Gate

    Votes: 44 25.0%

  • Weapon for Self Defence

    Votes: 47 26.7%

  • Beams / Outdoor Motion Sensors

    Votes: 75 42.6%

  • Other

    Votes: 39 22.2%
  • Total voters
    176
Jean Claude Vaaldamme said:
Why? Just as cold as outside. You can dress warm.
Click to expand...


You sure it's the security estate keeping you safe and not the fact that burglars don't want to freeze their balls off at your place?

63039bc14cc6ef001cb60d35.png
 
The_MAC said:
Indeed.

I don't live in an estate but a very tight-security suburb i.e. patrol vehicle, booms, cameras etc.

It's not 100%, but that is my measure i.e. pay through my @ss to live in a secure suburb
Click to expand...

Has anybody done the math on this option yet?

I rent in a secure estate, so my rent is a lot more than what I would have paid for a similar rental outside of an estate, but man..... the security is top notch, I sleep with doors and windows open and my kids don't know what a burglar bar or house alarm system is.

Setting aside the other arguments around "estate life" how much would you need to spend to get the same level of security and peace of mind?
 
I have a toy pom.


The estate thing makes me laugh. You don't think the criminals have had the idea to move into one of the houses for rent on the inside?
 
die_koos said:
Has anybody done the math on this option yet?

I rent in a secure estate, so my rent is a lot more than what I would have paid for a similar rental outside of an estate, but man..... the security is top notch, I sleep with doors and windows open and my kids don't know what a burglar bar or house alarm system is.

Setting aside the other arguments around "estate life" how much would you need to spend to get the same level of security and peace of mind?
Click to expand...
The challenge is that the levies in an Estate are for security and all the other amenities, in a stand-alone home any levy incurred would probably be 90% assigned to security, and maybe 10% to beautification (our suburb is like that).

Without doing the math, it is much cheaper for me to live in our home, pay the R550 suburb levy and enjoy a pretty safe environment e.g. my wife jogs in the morning/evening, my kids ride their bikes on the road, many people park cars on the street, our local park is always full of residents etc. Sure, it's not an estate, but the cost is considerably lower I'm sure.
 
Sinbad said:
The estate thing makes me laugh. You don't think the criminals have had the idea to move into one of the houses for rent on the inside?
Click to expand...
Another urban legend.
Yes it might have happened once or twice, but you really think someone will first of all rent a place with all the hassle of leaving no traceable paper trail, then actually paying huge amounts of rent just to rob a house or two and then scramble out before they get caught?
I know of one place this happened years ago. It is not really a real estate. It is these "estates" that only consist of townhouse complexes and blocks of flats. Then the criminals rent the cheap flats.
No proper estate will have a block of flats, maybe one or two small townhouse complexes, but mostly freestanding houses.
 
The_MAC said:
The challenge is that the levies in an Estate are for security and all the other amenities, in a stand-alone home any levy incurred would probably be 90% assigned to security, and maybe 10% to beautification (our suburb is like that).

Without doing the math, it is much cheaper for me to live in our home, pay the R550 suburb levy and enjoy a pretty safe environment e.g. my wife jogs in the morning/evening, my kids ride their bikes on the road, many people park cars on the street, our local park is always full of residents etc. Sure, it's not an estate, but the cost is considerably lower I'm sure.
Click to expand...
Well that depends from estate to estate. Sure an estate with a golf course would have big levies but others are much less. Ours is R850 a month
 
Alarm (doesn't get set unless we're out) and Armed response. Insurance pretty much insists on it these days... and that's about it. Living in a good neighbourhood I can't see the need for more.
 
Changed my electric fence transformer to one from a microwave. More kick and ampage :whistling:
 
bwana said:
Alarm (doesn't get set unless we're out) and Armed response. Insurance pretty much insists on it these days... and that's about it. Living in a good neighbourhood I can't see the need for more.
Click to expand...

You must either live in a neighbourhood that's not as good as you thought or are with an insurance company that is not good.

Never told my insurance about my alarm/armed response nor did they insist on anything (Outsurance).
Don't need the tiny monthly fee reduction that comes with a possible loophole for trying to get out of paying if something was stolen, and this goes for any insurance company IMO.
 
Sinbad said:
I have a toy pom.


The estate thing makes me laugh. You don't think the criminals have had the idea to move into one of the houses for rent on the inside?
Click to expand...

The statistics are overwhelmingly in favour of estates. That being said, there is that one case that happens every few years somewhere in a super secure place just to remind everyone that it's still South Africa.
 
NR7 said:
You must either live in a neighbourhood that's not as good as you thought or are with an insurance company that is not good.

Never told my insurance about my alarm/armed response nor did they insist on anything (Outsurance).
Don't need the tiny monthly fee reduction that comes with a possible loophole for trying to get out of paying if something was stolen, and this goes for any insurance company IMO.
Click to expand...
It's specified in my policy so I'm really not sure how you can infer the quality of my neighbourhood. I wouldn't expect much from Outsurance either.
 
Alarm, Cameras and a Safe Room. It’s a very safe neighborhood (4 murders (2 incidents) in the town since inception over 100 years ago). We don’t have weapons or even a fence/gate, and don’t think we will do it, but I say, rather have it and don’t need it (with the safe room). Have been thinking about applying the same logic to a gun and perhaps getting one.
 
bwana said:
It's specified in my policy so I'm really not sure how you can infer the quality of my neighbourhood. I wouldn't expect much from Outsurance either.
Click to expand...

Did you specify it or did your insurance company "pretty much insist on it"?

I'm just wondering how you got to the conclusion "Insurance pretty much insists on it these days" when, from the sounds of it, neither mine nor your insurance insisted on it. They merely noted it in your policy in your case.
 
NR7 said:
Did you specify it or did your insurance company "pretty much insist on it"?

I'm just wondering how you got to the conclusion "Insurance pretty much insists on it these days" when, from the sounds of it, neither mine nor your insurance insisted on it. They merely noted it in your policy in your case.
Click to expand...
A previous insurance company insisted on it and it now forms a part of our current policy coverage. While I could find out what the change in premium would be if I had it removed from the conditions I'm really not that vested in doing so.

Besides, the alarm company comes in to feed the cat when we're away so I like having them around.
 
Sinbad said:
I have a toy pom.


The estate thing makes me laugh. You don't think the criminals have had the idea to move into one of the houses for rent on the inside?
Click to expand...
That's too true. Happened in the estate where I have a unit. Fortunately one of the older residents has a very inquisitive streak and when a moving van came in after only six months, she called the cops. An amazing haul of items from residents of our estate and elsewhere was discovered.
 
Jean Claude Vaaldamme said:
Well that depends from estate to estate. Sure an estate with a golf course would have big levies but others are much less. Ours is R850 a month
Click to expand...
Define estate? Sounds like a complex.

When I say estate I am referring to Club-House, sport facilities etc. Sure you can remove the golf-coarse, not all estates have them.
 
Boomed Area
Electric Fence to ADT (separate infrastructure so they can't disable the radio on the one)
Alarm to ADT
Outdoor Beams
Cameras/CCTV
Floodlights on demand (smart switches)
Main gate has the motor set to auto-close as soon as any object passes the beams.


My only concern now is my cameras only give me full internal visibility, not the road outside so i want to get some more so i can see whats happening outside the property.

I also want to get two high cameras to watch the roof of the house, i have this (odd i know) fear they'll some how use neighbors trees to abseil over on my roof and then come in through the tiles...
 
The_MAC said:
Define estate? Sounds like a complex.

When I say estate I am referring to Club-House, sport facilities etc. Sure you can remove the golf-coarse, not all estates have them.
Click to expand...
Complexes does not have R850 levies, they are much more. We don't have a clubhouse. I work at many estates and only know of two with a clubhouse, and both have golf courses. Most estates these days will have a small park or two. Some will have a swimming pool or tennis court, rarely a soccer field or something. Thats about it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter