Four of the biggest complaints we hear from customers when it comes to security screens and doors in Australia are:
They are too weak, too expensive, too hard to DIY and there is a limited range.
In this article, we’re going to work through each of these complaints individually in more detail, discussing why they are a pain point and what Starline Security is doing to overcome each.
Security Screens and Doors in Australia are Too Weak:
This is a complaint we hear a lot, especially when our security screens are being compared to those used in other countries and regions around the world such as South Africa, Asia, Europe, America and South America. Often, the comparison is being made against the security screens from a country that has a much higher crime rate than Australia.
Many of these countries have to have very strong security screens, often opting for thick steel bars in place of a screen. We also see things like razor wire, electrification around the top of fences, and other extreme security measures being taken. In Australia, we are very fortunate in that we don’t need to take these kinds of precautions, and we can instead focus on the aesthetic of the house, ensuring that security screens integrate with the visual appeal of the property they are being installed on.
We don’t see why we need to manufacture screens that are stronger than they need to be. Security screens in Australia are manufactured to a high standard and they are strong enough to withstand the average household break-in attempt. They are also stronger than the doors and windows that they are installed on – often break-in tests fail not because the security screen failed but because the door or the window underneath breaks.
The door jamb or the glass window frame is weaker than the security screen and tends to fail under pressure – when you put force on the security-grade screens and doors, it is the wooden door frame that breaks first. Not the security door frame.
We have seen examples where a car ram raids through a commercial shop front; the security screens were all banged up and bent out of shape – but it wasn’t pulled out of its frame and the mesh was not torn. The aluminium frame was bent, but it was also still attached to the door and the commercial shop window.
The point that we’re making here is that our security screens are stronger than the building they are attached to. As long as they remain stronger than the glass doors and windows or the timber door jambs and window frames that we’re installing them into, then the accusation that our security screens are too weak does tend to fall on deaf ears.
Security Screens and Doors in Australia are Too Expensive:
We believe that the cost of security screens in Australia relative to the cost of a house is fairly small. When a new kitchen costs at least $20,000, putting all stainless mesh security screens on a large house for $10,000 should be seen as good value. You are protecting your home, your family and your belongings from invasion.
We go into a lot more detail about why security screens in Australia are so expensive here , but there is a lot of labour cost involved as each screen needs to be custom-made in order to suit the exact size specifications of the door or window it is being installed into. The materials are imported separately; a tradesperson comes to your home and does a measure and quote and then places your order; your order is then assembled using the materials and shipped to your location; the tradesperson returns to your home to install.
As there is no ‘standard sizing’ for them in Australia, we are unable to get the cost benefits of mass production for security screens and doors.
The Range of Security Screens and Doors in Australia is Too Limited:
Stainless mesh doesn’t have the design variation capacity that alternatives like wrought iron did. Wrought iron had a lot of different pattern options and design flair, incorporating swirls and twists – and they were completely customisable. However, these styles aren’t as popular as they used to be for a number of reasons.
Firstly, while being completely customisable, wrought iron doors did come at a considerable cost – When we were selling them, they averaged around $3,000 for one fully custom steel security door. Secondly, despite being galvanised they still had a lot of rust issues. And thirdly, the price difference between the stainless woven mesh products and wrought iron has widened so much over the past 10 – 15 years that this category has come to dominate the security screens and door market. So, while wrought iron is still available from a dwindling number of suppliers, it is no longer a popular option.
Another reason that wrought iron has gone out of fashion in the past 10-15 years is because Australian homeowners are favouring visibility. aesthetics and function. The stainless mesh and perforated sheet options offer far superior visibility compared to wrought iron or grille style options. With the inevitable reduction in orders being placed for wrought iron, many dealers and manufactures have stopped offering them – at Starline Security, we would sell 100 mesh security doors to one patterned door we sold, so eventually we weren’t able to afford to keep these ones in our product range. They essentially became obsolete.
However, while we did drop the more customisable patterned options, we have added many new products into our range. We have a number of security screen options including perforated mesh and a new safety grade 316 stainless woven product which offers our customers a number of different price point options to select from.
Head to the Starline Security website to view our full range of security screens and doors or get in touch to request a quote.
