Nothing can be more frustrating when you lose money on a flip. There are many reasons that can happen. The experienced ones on here have probably experienced some of these; such as fire, mold, water leaks, moving beams around, furnaces, etc. But the one many don't consider is theft, whether it's from contractors stealing materials, or someone breaking in and stealing tools, materials, or just simply vandalizing the place, causing delays. Many think this won't happen to them, so they don't prepare for that. This post is to help you prepare in what to do, and tips to where to place sensors, cameras, etc.
I'm an Air Force Veteran, with service in Iraq and Afghanistan. I worked alongside security forces (police) and learned a lot about best security practices. Since I got out of the military, I had various positions, to include selling security systems with ADT. With that, I learned a lot about in-home security.
One of the most trying times is when your place is broken into, especially during a flip. Tools and materials could be gone, and the place destroyed. But how do you prevent it from happening, or at least catch the person? You install a home security system. The next question is: what is needed? Glass break sensors? Motion detectors? Cameras? Door and window contacts? Smoke detectors? Another question is: Where do you place them? The last question is: what type of monitoring do you need/want?
At a minimum, you will need to address all potential points of entry, such as egress and ground level windows. Doors and those types of windows will need to be protected. Inside, you'll want a motion detector or two, depending on the size and layout of the house. Cameras are a must too. They can be standalone, but you'd want to have something that communicates through the internet to your mobile device. Some cameras record 24/7, while others are turned on when a door is opened. A tip when you set up the system is to have 2-3 different codes (a master code you only know, and a separate code for each of your contractors).
If you go through ADT, keep in mind of contracts for 2-3 years. Services such as Simpli Safe have month to month monitoring, and you can install the system on your own.
Having a security system is vital to saving costs, though it may sound like you're spending hundreds of dollars up front. You save money on insurance, and it can be used as a selling point if your exit strategy is to sell, or BRRR.
This is just general advice, as each scenario is different. I'd be happy to answer questions on this, as I'm an expert in security.
