Buying a brand new home in Pakenham, Officer, or Cardinia Lakes feels like it should come with modern security. It usually does not. Builders work to minimum code which is well below what most people would consider secure. Here is what they typically skip.
Door cylinder grade
The cylinder is the keyed part of the lock. Builder-grade cylinders are usually basic - 5 pins, no anti-pick features, often with keys that can be copied at any hardware shop. An upgrade to a restricted keyway high-security cylinder is around $200 to $350 fitted per door and a significant security improvement.
Deadbolts on internal access doors
Garage internal doors often have just a latch from the builder. A burglar in your garage can walk straight in. A simple deadbolt on the garage to laundry door costs about $150 fitted and adds real security.
Window locks
Most new builds have window latches only. These work to keep windows closed but they are easy to defeat from outside with steady pressure. Keyed window locks on ground floor windows cost about $25 per window for parts plus installation. Worth doing for the whole ground floor.
Sliding door security
Sliding glass doors at the back of new homes are often the weakest entry point. The standard hooked latch is easy to defeat. The fix is an anti-lift pin (stops the door being lifted out of the track) and a key-operated bolt securing the panel to the frame. Total cost about $150 to $250 fitted.
Garage door
Roller garage doors with remote openers can usually be opened with a coathanger through the rubber seal at the top. The fix is a small additional bolt or pin. Some garage door installers do this for free if you ask at install time.
Alarm wiring
Builders sometimes pre-wire for alarms but the system is not installed. If you want monitored security, get the alarm system installed during the lock upgrade. Combining the work saves about 30% versus two separate jobs.
The realistic budget
For a typical 4 bedroom new build in the Pakenham growth corridor, $800 to $1,500 covers a proper security upgrade across all the items above. Cheap insurance compared to the cost of a break-in.