What's included
We can bring the common devices, or install the ones you already bought. Either way, we fasten into studs or block, not just drywall.
- Furniture anchoring: dressers, bookcases, tall cabinets and armoires strapped to the wall
- TV anchoring: straps for TVs on stands and consoles, and a check that wall-mounted TVs are secure
- Baby gates: hardware-mounted gates at the top and bottom of stairs, screwed into the wall or banister
- Cabinet and drawer locks, including magnetic locks that don't show from the outside
- Plug-in outlet covers on every reachable outlet
- Window cord safety: cord cleats up high, tension devices, or cordless blinds in place of corded ones
- Battery-powered alarms on doors and sliders that lead to the pool or a balcony
- Toilet locks, door knob covers and finger pinch guards
Common South Florida problems
Pools are the first thing we ask about. Many homes here have a pool right off the back door or patio slider. A battery-powered alarm on each of those doors sounds when it opens. It is one layer of protection, not a replacement for an adult watching the water.
Walls take the right anchors. Many South Florida homes are concrete block, and exterior walls have drywall on furring strips over the block. A gate or furniture strap on one of those walls needs masonry anchors into the block, or it can pull loose.
Condos bring their own list. Balcony sliders need an alarm or a lock mounted high, and glass tables and tile or marble floors make sharp corners and tip-overs more serious. Some buildings also set work hours or ask for vendor paperwork, so we check with management before the visit.
Grandparents' homes are usually set up for adults. Low cabinets hold cleaning supplies, and dressers have never been anchored. That is fine until a toddler is staying for two weeks.
How a visit works
We start with a walk-through at a kid's eye level. You show us where the kids will sleep, eat and play, and we mark what needs anchoring, latching or gating.
Then we install, starting with the items that can do the most harm: furniture and TVs that could tip, and the stairs. Cabinets, outlets and cords come next.
Before we leave, we show you how each latch and gate opens, so nobody gets locked out of the kitchen cabinets on the first night.
If the kids arrive on a set date, book a week or two ahead. That leaves time to order a specific gate if your stairs or banister need one.
What affects the price
The $299 package covers up to two hours of work, which handles a good amount of latches, outlet covers and anchors in one visit. Time past two hours is $85 an hour.
- How many gates you need, at $69 each, and whether the banister needs a mounting kit
- How many pieces of furniture and TVs need anchoring
- Concrete block walls, which take longer to anchor into than wood studs
- Devices: we bill ours at cost, or we install the ones you bought
- Saturday visits add $50
What we don't do
We don't do electrical work, so no tamper-resistant outlet swaps and no hardwired alarms. For that, we'll point you to a licensed contractor. We also don't install pool fences, because a pool fence needs a permit.
Questions we get about childproofing
Can you childproof a house for visiting grandkids?
Yes. We set up gates, latches and anchors before the visit. Gates and latches can come out afterward, and we can patch the small screw holes, billed by time. Furniture anchors are worth leaving in place.
Do you install baby gates at the top of stairs?
Yes, and at the top of stairs we only use hardware-mounted gates screwed into the wall or banister. Pressure gates are made for doorways, not stair tops, because a child leaning on one can push it out. Each gate is $69 to install.
Can you anchor a dresser or TV to a concrete wall?
Yes. We drill through the drywall into the block and use masonry anchors with the strap kit. On interior walls we find a stud.
Do you install pool fences?
No. A pool fence needs a permit, so it goes to a fence company. We do install battery-powered alarms on the doors and sliders that open to the pool.
Do you replace outlets with tamper-resistant ones?
No, that is electrical work and we don't do it. We install plug-in outlet covers, which need no wiring.
How long does childproofing take?
The package covers up to two hours. A condo with no stairs often fits inside that. A two-story house with several gates and a lot of furniture can run longer, and we'll tell you before we go past two hours.
Where we do this most
We do childproofing across Palm Beach and Broward. These are some of the cities where we get asked for it most.