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Are you building a brand new home? Or are you about to move into a new construction? Then you'll probably want to take a look at our list of best home security systems for newly constructed homes.
Updated February 1, 2024
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ADT is the original home security company. It’s come a long way from its humble beginnings in 1874 to include options for wired systems and wireless systems as well as dedicated ADT monitoring.
Although ADT’s prices aren’t the lowest as we mentioned in our ADT package and cost breakdown, it’s hard to compete with a brand that’s been providing reliable home security to millions of people for almost 150 years. ADT offers a wide range of security options, such as monitoring security systems from other alarm companies. If you want an established leader in the home-security field, then ADT may be the best answer for you. Here’s a look at some of the pros and cons with ADT:
ADT allows you to protect your home your way. Every ADT home alarm system is customized with your home’s unique security needs in mind. An ADT security expert will provide a free in-home consultation to help you find the right security solution. Then a certified professional technician will install your home security system to ensure that it is placed in the most appropriate locations and with your family in mind. ADT is there for you any time of day or night with 24/7 professional monitoring and 24/7 customer support. You can lease a home security system from ADT or buy monitoring for an existing system. You can choose from basic home security monitoring, home automation, video monitoring, and environmental disaster protection.
ADT is all about letting professionals do the work they were trained to do while you sit back and enjoy the added peace of mind that their alarm system provides. Additionally, ADT has taken the smart home to the next level with their concierge-level protection. You can’t get any more secure than a professionally installed and monitored ADT system with integrated home automation.
Learn everything you need to know about this classic brand in our full ADT security review.
| Monitoring Options | Professional only |
|---|---|
| Installation | Professional or DIY |
| Smart Platform Integration | Alexa and Google Home |
| Equipment Cost | From $499.99 |
| Monthly Monitoring Cost | From $24.99 |
| Contract Length | Three years |
If you want your new home to be a smart home, Vivint is a great place to start. Vivint’s home automation features let you control all the connected devices in your home, like your thermostat, lights, door locks, garage door, and more. These systems use top-tier technology, give you a wide range of options for automation, and provide access to the best app on the market for home security. Here’s a look at some of the pros and cons with Vivint:
Vivint is a smart home security company, so if you want high-tech home automation, this might be the company for you. If there’s something in your new home that you want to automate, chances are that Vivint has a way to incorporate it into your home system so that there are no gaps in coverage or control. We tested the full line of products, including Vivint’s doorbell camera, Vivint’s indoor and outdoor cameras, a smart thermostat, smart locks, a garage door control, and smart plugs in our full Vivint Smart Home review.
You can control a Vivint system from the physical control panel on the wall of your home, from the Amazon Echo with your voice, or from the Vivint app. The Vivint app is the cutting-edge technology that pushes this security system over the other home-automation options on the market. The Vivint App can use sensors, geolocation, and history to make decisions for your home. For example, the smart thermostat can learn your preferred temperature settings. The app uses the geolocation feature on your phone to auto-adjust the thermostat when you arrive home. Then when your house is empty, the thermostat readjusts in order to save energy.
Home automation from Vivint is easy to use. The security system links all the security products together seamlessly and allows you to control the devices from home or from afar. Installation is a cinch, because Vivint only allows their trained professionals to install the systems. Vivint’s professional installation ensures that all of your security components are properly installed in ideal locations around your home. Learn more about the brand — and how much its equipment and monitoring will cost you — in our rundown of Vivint pricing. The Vivint app allows you to access and control every device in your system from a straightforward interface. For more information on our full experience testing the system, head over to our Vivint alarm review.
| Monitoring Options | Professional only |
|---|---|
| Installation | Professional |
| Smart Platform Integration | Alexa and Google Home |
| Equipment Cost | From $599.99 |
| Monthly Monitoring Cost | From $39 |
| Contract Length | 48 to 60 months |
SimpliSafe’s award-winning security equipment is made in-house with easy peel-and-stick backings. SimpliSafe’s monitoring costs are among the lowest in the market, too. These systems are high quality and high tech, but that doesn’t mean that they are complicated. SimpliSafe bypasses most of the fees other security companies charge to give you the best equipment that is also easy to install and maintain yourself. Here’s a look at some of the pros and cons with SimpliSafe:
If you want an intuitive security system with absolutely no strings attached, SimpliSafe is your best bet. The systems are completely wireless with easy DIY installation and setup. You can place security sensors exactly where you want and then move them if you find a better location. You can set up the entire system in less than 15 minutes, which is unheard of even with DIY systems.
These systems make cutting-edge technology easy to use, but the selling point is the total freedom you get with SimpliSafe systems. If you want a monitored home security system, SimpliSafe can give you that. If you want an unmonitored security system, they can give you that too. We rated SimpliSafe tops in several categories in addition to best system for new construction, including best self-monitored security system and highest-rated no-contract security system.
>> Related: Monitored vs Unmonitored Security Systems
You won’t pay an installation fee, a setup fee, or an activation fee with SimpliSafe. You will only pay for the equipment you want and the services that are right for you. If you decide that you want professional monitoring, there is never an obligation to continue monitoring the next month, because SimpliSafe simply does not have contracts. They keep their prices low by designing every system in-house and by giving you only the security you want. Learn more about the brand and how the system works in our complete SimpliSafe review, and stick around for a deep dive into SimpliSafe’s packages and prices.
| Monitoring Options | Self or professional |
|---|---|
| Installation | DIY or professional |
| Smart Platform Integration | Alexa and Google Home |
| Equipment Cost | From $249.96 |
| Monthly Monitoring Cost | From $19.99 |
| Contract Length | Month-to-month |
Cove makes things easy — from ordering online through to installation and everyday use — and this makes it a popular DIY home security choice for households in the middle of hectic builds or renovations. Monthly monitoring fees and wireless equipment are on the cheap end without compromising on safety features like RapidSOS for quicker, more accurate communication with first responders.
If you’re building or renovating a home, you’ve got your hands full. But this is actually the best time to install a new home security system because the money you can save on home insurance bills with protective devices like flood and leak sensors, alarms, deadbolt locks, and smart automations could be substantial. Cove can help you out here.
For one, Cove systems benefit from cellular monitoring (more reliable than Wi-Fi) and a direct pipeline to emergency services via Cove’s partnership with RapidSOS. This is exactly the kind of set-up home insurance providers reward you for.
It’s true, extra expenses are the last thing you want to think about when your building budget is already stretched thin. But even if you’re securing a large home, we found Cove’s costs were reasonable, if not downright cheap. When we reviewed Cove, for instance, we estimated we could outfit a 3,000 sq. ft. home for under $400. For the full scoop on Cove’s costs and features, visit our complete Cove home security cost guide.
The one place Cove can’t help you is shaving your electricity bills with smart thermostats, plugs, and lights. Another add-on we’d really like to see among Cove’s offerings in the near future is smart door locks. If Cove’s recent 1080p HD camera upgrades are any indication, however, that smart tech should be coming soon.
| Monitoring Options | Professional or DIY |
|---|---|
| Installation | DIY |
| Smart Platform Integration | Alexa and Google Home |
| Equipment Cost | From $87 |
| Monthly Monitoring Cost | From $17.99 |
| Contract Length | 1 month |
Frontpoint offers the best customer service on the market at an unbeatable price. Frontpoint’s DIY systems and packages can be customized according to the size and layout of your home. Learn more in our full Frontpoint review. Here’s a look at some of the pros and cons with Frontpoint:
Constructing a new home is the perfect time to find a home security system to ensure that your family is secured from day one. Frontpoint offers all the security you want without the hassle and complications of other systems. From designing your customized system to setting it up and controlling your home’s security, Frontpoint puts you in control. You design your customized security system with the help of a customer service representative, and then the system that is configured just for you shows up as soon as tomorrow.
Once you have the system in hand, Frontpoint makes it simple to install and activate your home security with online step-by-step installation and activation that can be completed in 30 minutes or less. All Frontpoint systems are wireless, so no tools or handyman skills are required. Getting help is easy too. Frontpoint is also known for their customer support. In fact, we ranked it at the top of our list of the best systems for customer service.
When you secure your newly constructed home with Frontpoint, you will get peace of mind that your professionally monitored system is one of the safest, most reliable security on the market. All Frontpoint security systems are 100% wireless and cellular with 24/7 professional monitoring, and to guarantee that there are no lapses in your home’s coverage, the system performs automated system checks every hour to make sure that your sensors and system are active and online.
Frontpoint systems have crash-and-smash protection that keeps your security system working even if the control panel is destroyed. You can monitor and control your system through the Frontpoint app, giving you additional peace of mind that your system is working to keep your home safe.
You can add home awareness tools and home control devices to your Frontpoint security system for an additional cost. These include a video doorbell, indoor cameras, and outdoor cameras. Home control takes the video capabilities of the home awareness package to the next level by incorporating tools to automate your security. Automation devices can transform your new house into a cutting-edge smart home. Frontpoint’s automations allow you to monitor and control your lights, thermostat, and cameras from anywhere in the world. Want to learn more? Take a look at how Frontpoint’s costs stack up, and stick around for our full breakdown of Frontpoint’s monitoring plans.
| Monitoring Options | Professional only |
|---|---|
| Installation | DIY |
| Smart Platform Integration | Alexa and Google Home |
| Equipment Cost | From $219.99 |
| Monthly Monitoring Cost | $50 |
| Contract Length | 1-36 months |
Chances are that you spent a lot of time designing or choosing your newly built home, so it’s important to protect that home with a security system. Homeowners have more ways to save money than non-homeowners. You can sign a longer contract, which saves you money in the long run. A monitored home security system likely qualifies you for a discount on your homeowner’s insurance. For more savings, look around for the best home security sales, deals, and discounts before making your choice.
In many ways, new homes need a home security system more than an established home, because new homes are prime targets for intruders. You don't yet know your neighbors and the lay of the land, but you can keep your home and family protected by using a security system from day one.
What features should you look for in a home security system? That depends on your family and your home. The convenient thing about securing a new home is that you can build a customized system to fit the exact needs of your house because no two homes are the same. Most homeowners want reliable, quality home security that is easy to use, but the other features may or may not be important to you. Security systems can be self-monitored or professionally monitored. They can be wireless or wired and can connect through landline, cellular, or broadband. Some systems offer multiple ways to interact with the system. If you’re a first-time security customer, head over to our complete home alarm system buyers guide and see below for some of the more common features of home security systems.
For a monthly fee, you can buy 24/7 professional monitoring for any security system, as opposed to monitoring the system by yourself. There are also systems with no monthly fee, too. With 24/7 monitoring, professional home security experts watch over your system from remote monitoring centers. The company is aware when a device on your system gets triggered, which could lead to a faster response in case of an emergency. If you aren't home or aren't aware of your system being triggered, then the monitoring professional can respond and dispatch the authorities. Many homeowner's insurance plans will provide a discount for customers with professionally monitored security systems.
Security equipment can be wireless or hardwired. Wireless equipment is easy to set up and allows flexible placing around your home, since you won't have to take wall plugs into consideration. Wireless equipment can be installed in the best locations for you, and there are no wires to hide. Most wireless systems are also cheaper than hardwired, because they offer do-it-yourself installation. Many hardwired systems will be out of commission in the event of a power outage, but not so with a wireless system.
The classic way to arm and disarm a security system is by way of a mounted control panel, usually found just inside the front door. New security systems offer more ways than ever to arm and disarm the system. You can control most systems from an app that you can download onto your phone, computer, or tablet, and newer systems with home automation allow you to arm/disarm security with your voice.
With remote access, you can control your home security system from anywhere in the world. Security apps and home automation features allow you to monitor activity and control devices in the system. You can also remotely arm and disarm an unmonitored system with a keychain remote. Remote access adds another level of protection to your new home's security.
Motion detectors use infrared technology to sense movement when your security system is armed. Some motion detectors are designed with pets in mind to minimize false alarms, and they will ignore movement of anything under 25 pounds. Detectors come in a variety of capabilities, such as short or long-range sensing and night vision.
The system’s control panel is the center of your home's security. Often the control panel is mounted on the wall inside the main entrance or placed on an accessible table. The control panel allows you to arm and disarm your home security, communicate with emergency professionals at the monitoring center, program equipment on your system, and more. You can typically perform most of the same activities from your security app on the control panel.
As the owner of a new construction, it's important to allow yourself room to expand the security system if you need to in the future. Many security companies will allow you to add security devices and services at any time, though you may have to sign a new contract.
Entryway sensors protect your entryway with motion detectors. When these sensors detect motion, you and the monitoring center will know.
Glass break sensors are an important part of home security. They are designed to detect breaking glass and can help secure the windows of your new home.
