Security Suggestions For Self Build

barry75

Hi All

Anyone have any suggestions on whats the best way to look after the site during a selfbuild.Will be having materials delivered to the site during the build,and dont want to come back the next day and find that its been taken.:( Is it worth hiring one of those containers for a couple of months to store stuff in?

Any Ideas

eddiej

Hi, dont know if materials are a real big attraction as in blocks and timber etc. Cabbling and coper piping might be dif though. Usually power tools and the like that our visiting friends are looking for with these it really is best to tkae them away as if the site is on its own then they have all night to cut through your locks or even the container

Eddie

PS 15 rotwillers (like the spelling) might help

Goll Mac Morna

If you can believe it, I know of a fella who had an ENVIROCARE Biocycle system stolen from his site the day after it was delivered. This is true.
It's a big frigger of a thing (about 7 or 8 ft tall at least and about 4 feet in diameter) God knows how they stole it, so you are warned.

Our own site has had nothing stolen yet,so far so good- the builder keeps his mixer round the back of the house out of view-- we fenced the front and put on a field gate (tied with rope!!! ) not exactly high security, but it discourages those that would fancy driving in off the road for a sneaky look around.

Soon when we are closer to completion, with more valuable items on site, I am going to put chains on the gate and a combination lock so that deliveries can be made and people can come and go without a key).

Once kitchen etc. is being installed I want to be able to lock and poss alarm the building.

I have heard of a good few robberies from sites recently so it's worth having some fencing or gates in place at least so as not to have it totally open.

paulocon

Just to re-iterate what the other posters have said - be sure to put a gate of some sort at the entrance to the site and if you can put a decent lock (preferably combination), then do so.

Houses areound the area have had Velux Windows, Radiators etc taken and it seems to happen quite often so don't leave anything to chance..

Living on-site is a big deterrent, also saves on rent.

De_man

from what i've heard and my own experience so far is you're pretty safe when building the shell, the problems i've heard is when the 1 & 2nd fix electrics and plumbing are carried out.

i'm intending to put up 6 X 6 security fencing at a cost of 50euro per panel
which are available at any builders providers, i have also seen them for sale on buy & sell, maybe it might be worth to keep a look out for them and pick them up secondhand.


i assume you've already taken out building insurance? if not, try wright insurance based in kilkenny, they're about the cheapest around, the only other company insurancing self builds are hibernian, which imho were fleecing me:(


a pint of plain is yer only man

Soledad

We used one of those shipping containers, they hold a lot and at least expensive stuff can be stored out of sight of opportunistic thieves.
Of course a lock can be taken off the conatiner if the thief is determined enough.
We were lucky in that we have new neighbours living directly across from our new build and they were great about keeping an eye on the place for us.

During the early stages of our build, we stored all the tools in a neighbours shed. We were living in England at the time and just came over for a couple of weeks at a time.
All was fine until the neighbour hired a gardener who "borrowed" two spades, I eventually got them back (well one was different).
We now live on site in a mobile home, and have a locked shed as well.


BTW While digging the foundations I was visited by a man in a van, he was selling. He offered me a fireplace and a generator, almost certainly stolen! I refused.

barry75

Thanks for the ideas,

I think i will look into getting those 6 by 6 fences for the entrance to the site.And mabey hire a shipping container to store materials like insulation etc.

Salmon

Soledad, I was recommended one of those containers too. I hear they can be got from some company down by the docks for around €1500. Is this the case?

Fingalian

Salmon, You can rent a 20' ex shipping container for 12 months for a grand. That works out at about 20 euro a week. I could have bought one for about 1600 but then I would have the hassle of selling it when the work is finished.
Check out Buy and Sell

Salmon

Cheers Fingalian!! Will look into this further!

Salmon

Sorry forgot to ask, Do they deliver the container for this price?

yop

Am in the process of buying a 20ft container from NI for 1800 euro delivered

Salmon

Yop,

Are you goin to use this as a shed, I thought your build was pretty much finished? If you were to use it as a permanent shed, how long do you reckon it'd last with rust etc?

Soledad

I got our from brother in law, not sure where it came from.

Smiley101

If you buy a container you can sell it on again when you are finished and get your money back. These things are in demand from people like yourself.

My brothers recently built a house in the country and had some granite window sills delivered to the site. One of our neighbours came to our door that night to tell us that he saw some people in a Hiace van acting suspicously outside my brothers site.
So we went up to the site to find some dodgy characters walking greyhounds at 11 O clock at night!!!!! All very innocent...NOT!! We new what they were up to...had to ask a another neighbour with forklift to move the sills in the middle of the night.

My other brother had velox windows stolen. These fellas go around scanning building sites. Country sites are easy targets.

Fingalian

Salmon,
Delivery was included.
Smiley101 you are right you could sell it on but either you or the buyer will need a truck with a crane to shift it. Agree with you about country sites being easiest , neighbour of mine went out one night at about 10.30 to find three gentlemen in his front yard inquiring as to whether he was interested in selling 'that mixer Boss' they are a feckin plague.

On my container I have a sign that says ' Attention thieves, please carry identification so as I can notify your next of kin.'

yop

Aye, for a shed, keep it for year or so and then sell it off again. As said I should not lose much on it

roofer

hi yall
unfortunately if they want they will get it,i have heard of big himac diggers being stolen. i have been the victim of slates being stolen. a whole feckin pallet at LUNCH TIME. my advice, get a container lock it tight and surround it with fencing, a compound if you like. the more deterrants the better. like some one else said.. a filthy big rottweiller who will only take food from you, maybe a snake in the container would be good too.
but seriously its arisk we run when building.try not to get the materials till they are needed.

roofer:D