For anyone who’s ever been bold enough to tackle a home renovation, you’ll know all too well that there’s nothing quite like seeing the final product. The scent of fresh paint. Gleaming stone or porcelain benchtops. Timber floors golden in the afternoon light. After months of planning and re-planning, (most times) it’s everything you imagined.

Once the dust settles and the excitement tempers, however, that’s when the real responsibility begins. Post-renovation, your focus needs to shift toward protecting the investment you’ve put so much time into. Australia’s weather, for one, is reason alone to take this focus shift seriously and make sure that your newly renovated property is well-protected against all its largest risk factors.

Here are some post-renovation must-dos that will keep the luxury high and the living safe.

1. Home insurance policy up to date?

Quick, what’s the most overlooked task post-renovation? If updating your home or building insurance wasn’t your first answer, then we couldn’t have asked at a better time. Given how busy a renovation can be, it’s understandable that some admin tasks vanish into the background. But updating your policy should not be one of those tasks.

A renovation almost always adds value to a home; your policy should acknowledge and reflect this. And given the housing market continues to surge across Australia, the importance of an updated policy will only surge with it.

Here are a few things worth reviewing:

  1. The total rebuild cost of the renovation (Note: Not the market value)
  2. Accidental damage protection
  3. Coverage for custom inclusions and high-end finishes

Of course, your review will depend on the size and complexity of your home renovation. That’s why a professional valuation is essential; automated online calculators won’t cut it.

2. Upgrade your security

Let’s face it—luxury homes require serious security investments. If you’ve recently upgraded the street facade of your property, then chances are high that your luxury abode might become a newfound target for opportunistic thieves. As such, it’s worth considering investing in an upgrade for your home security system.

We’re talking more than a door alarm here too. Think high-definition CCTV with remote mobile access and other connected smart home features. Or motion-sensor perimeter lighting. Even video doorbells are a great investment that can allow you to capture close-up footage of thieves in the event that a package is stolen off your doorstep.

If you live somewhere high-density like in the inner suburbs of Melbourne or Sydney, home security is becoming increasingly crucial. A prestige home is a popular target for opportunistic theft, especially if you take regular holidays or work long hours away from home every day. There’s enormous peace of mind in being able to check in on your property when you’re away.

3. Fortify

There’s a certain doubleness to the Australian climate—it’s spectacular but unforgiving. For example, if you live in coastal Queensland, you’re no stranger to summer storms or their bigger brother, the tropical cyclone. And if you’re living in Canberra and elsewhere across Australia’s southeastern coast? Most likely, you have to deal with seasonal frost. Wherever you’re based, you can all but guarantee that your local climate will decide which fortifications you need to consider for your property.

For Australian homeowners, fortification can mean anything from installing corrosion-resistant hardware like Colorbond steel in coastal areas, to using high-grade exterior sealants on decking, and climate-resilient timber cladding.

Even if you live in a corner of the country that delivers milder seasonal extremes, it’s still well worth taking a preventative approach and investing in climate-resilient fortification for your property. After all, we live in a country that’s shaped by bushfire and flood activity. Ensuring your newly renovated abode is also fitted with all the necessary climate-resilient features can also help to keep your insurance costs lower, as your property may be considered a lower risk asset by your insurance providers.

4. Install preventative maintenance systems

The enemy of luxury is never dramatic change. It’s slow deterioration, like a leak behind a wall that destroys the custom joinery you spent months waiting for. Or termites quietly chew through structural timber, long before you notice. The solution is to install preventative maintenance systems around your home.

It doesn’t matter where you live, either. Termites thrive in Brisbane; if you call this city home, then annual inspections and physical barriers should make your to-do list. If regional Victoria is home, then you need interconnected smoke alarms and ember guards.

Preventative systems work because they take a lot of the work out of your hands. And the more your home can monitor itself, the less likely you’ll have to deal with unpleasant issues.

5. Protect your documents

The value of renovations entails more than just the stunned looks that your friends give when they come over for dinner after all the work is done. Ultimately, your luxury renovation is a financial investment that boosts the overall value of your property asset. And with that asset comes documentation, like your home or building insurance policy, but also your council rates, builder warranty documents, and other documents that you will need to include in your Section 32 vendor’s statement when or if you plan to sell your home.

It’s easy to neglect documents in the excitement of a renovation. “I’ve signed on the dotted line”, you think, “what more is needed?”. Well how about a secure place to store all of your homeowner documents for the long term? Think building contracts, waterproofing certificates, and appliance warranties. You may need to recall these documents sooner rather than later, so don’t stuff them in the darkest corner of your attic or shed.

Also, be sure to make copies. Store some using cloud-based software for quick reference. And of course, if your motive to renovate was to sell, being able to quickly present these documents to prospective buyers or agents might mean the difference between sale and no sale.

Safeguard your Newly Renovated Home with these Essential Steps

It’s incredibly satisfying to finish a renovation, it truly is. It’s also about more than just the exhilarating reveal day; it’s knowing your home is safe and beautiful, without the need for compromise on either part.

The safe part comes when you shift your mindset from project to protection, as this is what separates short and long-term success. Do this, and you’re guaranteed years of wonderful, secure living.