When it comes to baby proofing, house size and contents will ultimately determine how much you’ll pay. If you have a small home and want to do all the proofing yourself, you may be able to take care of everything for $100 or less. If your home is larger, or if you’d rather let a professional take care of the product selection and installation, you’ll be looking at a bill of several hundred dollars.
Here’s a basic breakdown of some estimated costs:
- Safety gates keep your baby from wandering into rooms or areas that haven’t been baby proofed. They cost between $25 and $130, depending on the height, material, and gate type. Safety gates are necessary for staircases, but they can also be useful in other areas in the home, like hallways or doorways to bedrooms or bathrooms.
- Power strip covers, cord covers, outlet covers, and cord shorteners are essential to keep your baby’s tiny fingers from electric shock. These items are generally inexpensive; they’ll run you about $2 to $10 each.
- Safety latches and locks for cabinets will be a literal lifesaver, blocking baby’s access to dangerous chemicals and tools. These are typically priced from $3 to $15.
- Furniture and television straps keep heavy items from toppling over onto your child and can cost anywhere from $5 to $25.
- Blind cord wraps, which protect children from choking on dangling blind cords, cost about $3 to $5 per pair.
- If you’re looking for the most thorough appraisal of baby proofing costs, professional baby-proofers can visit your home and evaluate your safety needs. They may charge a flat rate or by the hour, and though the cost will vary widely by location, you can generally expect to spend anywhere from $30 to $150 for a consultation, and then more for the actual installation service.
A recent survey of HomeAdvisor members found that people spent an average of $442 on childproofing efforts.1 You can keep your costs as low as possible by shopping smart and comparing various products ahead of time to be sure you’re buying the best items for your needs. SafeWise’s Buyers Guides are an excellent place to start: our guides on baby-proofing locks and safety gates will provide answers to some of your most important child proofing questions.
