When people think about “Do-It-Yourself” projects, their minds often wander towards flat-pack furniture, kit cars, or other complex construction projects.
However, DIY security systems are different and are more about providing a series of security devices that all link together to make a personalised tailored system to suit the needs of you and your home.
DIY security has existed for a long time, but due to requiring wiring and some electrical knowledge, was largely confined to the backs of larger DIY stores.
However, the Internet of Things approach means that an entire security system can be connected without any wiring or specialist knowledge required. Some home security starter kits just need the user to pull a tab to connect the battery and connect to an included hub.
This allows for security cameras, sensors and smart locks to be connected as part of a scalable system that can be controlled from a hub, smart device or in some cases a smart speaker.
Depending on the system, these devices can also be connected to other smart home systems such as thermostats and lights.
The key disadvantage of doing it yourself is that you must install the devices yourself, and whilst this can be as simple as using double-sided tape or an included sticky pad to affix the camera wherever you want, you do not have any professional guidance as to where to install cameras.
Monitoring is also an issue, as whilst professional security systems often combine their installation and monitoring into a single package deal, most DIY systems require you to sign up to their proprietary monitoring system, although setting up alerts and self-monitoring are also options.