Make your home more secure

A multi-weekend project upgrading your front door, windows, shed and outdoor lighting to make your whole home harder to break into.

Guides in this project

01Fit an anti-snap euro cylinder lock 02Replace a night latch 03Fit hinge bolts to a front door 04Fit a door chain or door limiter 05Fit locks to timber windows 06Fit sash window stops and locks 07Fit a key safe 08Fit a solar security light 09Fit a shed lock and hasp 10Secure a shed against break-ins

SEC-01Survey your home and plan the order of workWalk round the house and note door types (timber, UPVC, composite), window types (timber casement, sash, UPVC) and where you'd want a key safe and solar light. Buy locks and cylinders that carry a British Standard (BS 3621 or TS007 3-star) for home insurance purposes. Split the job into roughly three weekends: front door hardware, windows, then shed and lighting. Budget £250-£450 total depending on how many doors and windows you have.

1 each · Tape measure

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1 each · Notepad for survey

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SEC-02Fit an anti-snap euro cylinder lock to the front doorFollow the guide "Fit an anti-snap euro cylinder lock". Measure the door thickness carefully before ordering - the wrong cylinder length is the most common mistake. If the door has a multipoint mechanism that's stiff or misaligned, stop and call a locksmith rather than forcing it.

1 each · Anti-snap euro cylinder (3-star TS007)

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SEC-03Replace the night latchFollow the guide "Replace a night latch" to fit a British Standard rim latch above the euro cylinder. Do this straight after the cylinder so you're not drilling into the same door edge twice. Check the new latch position won't clash with the hinge bolts you'll fit next.

1 each · BS rim night latch kit

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SEC-04Fit hinge bolts to the front doorFollow the guide "Fit hinge bolts to a front door". Hinge bolts stop the door being forced open on the hinge side. Check for cables or pipes with a detector before drilling the frame, and still expect to find something - a wired doorbell or alarm sensor is often routed nearby.

RULES

2 each · Hinge bolts

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KNOW THE RULES

Always check with a cable and pipe detector before drilling into a door frame or wall, even when nothing is expected.

SEC-05Fit a door chain or limiterFollow the guide "Fit a door chain or door limiter". Fit this last on the front door, once the cylinder, night latch and hinge bolts are in place, so you can check nothing fouls when the door swings fully open.

1 each · Door chain or limiter kit

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SEC-06Fit locks to timber casement windowsMove on to the windows. Follow the guide "Fit locks to timber windows" for any timber casement windows in the house. Prioritise ground-floor windows and any upper windows reachable from a flat roof or extension - these are the most common entry points.

6 each · Window locks with keys

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SEC-07Fit sash window stops and locksIf you have sash windows, follow the guide "Fit sash window stops and locks" next. Sash stops let you lock a window slightly open for ventilation without it opening further, which is useful for upstairs rooms in warm weather.

4 each · Sash window stops

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2 each · Sash locks

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SEC-08Fit a key safeFollow the guide "Fit a key safe" to mount one near the front or back door for family, carers or tradespeople. Check for cables and pipes with a detector before drilling the wall, and still expect to find something near a door frame.

RULES

1 each · Key safe

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1 pack · Rawlplugs and screws

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KNOW THE RULES

Check for cables and pipes with a detector before drilling into any wall, and still expect something to be there.

SEC-09Fit a solar security lightFollow the guide "Fit a solar security light" for the front or back of the house. A solar light avoids any mains wiring, so no electrician is needed. If you'd rather have a mains-wired security light, get a registered electrician to fit it; if it needs a new circuit, that's notifiable under Building Regulations.

RULES

1 each · Solar security light (PIR)

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1 pack · Wall fixings

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KNOW THE RULES

Mains-wired outdoor lights are a job for a registered electrician, and a new circuit is notifiable under Building Regulations.

SEC-10Fit a shed lock and haspMove to the outbuildings. Follow the guide "Fit a shed lock and hasp". Check for cables or pipes before drilling, and if the shed has mains power run to it, leave any wiring alone and call an electrician if it needs attention.

RULES

1 each · Hasp and staple (hardened)

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1 each · Closed-shackle padlock

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KNOW THE RULES

Check for cables and pipes with a detector before drilling into any wall, floor or structure, even a shed.

SEC-11Secure the shed against break-insFinish with the guide "Secure a shed against break-ins" for ground anchors, window security film and improving visibility from the house. If this involves cutting back hedges or shrubs for sightlines, check for nesting birds first (main season roughly March to August) and check whether a Tree Preservation Order or conservation area applies before cutting anything beyond a light trim.

RULES

1 each · Ground anchor kit

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1 roll · Security window film

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KNOW THE RULES

Check for nesting birds (roughly March to August) and for a Tree Preservation Order or conservation area before cutting any tree or hedge.

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