Every day, people just like you come into our showrooms to get a look at some of the high quality Liberty Safes that we showcase, and since most Liberty Safe owners only ever have to purchase one safe in their lifetime, that means that most of these new safe customers are first-time shoppers.
Getting a safe for your home is a big investment, and it’s not a decision that can be made on a whim, so it’s important that you have all the answers you need and feel fully informed before you take the next step. We’ve heard just about every question that’s ever been asked from first-time safe buyers, so we want to save you some time today to help answer the five most frequently asked questions for you before you even come in the door:
1. What do you need to store in it?
Before you can start thinking about what kind of safe you’d like to buy, you first need to take stock of which possessions are most important to you. Ask yourself: If you were to lose everything at this very moment, what would you be most upset to find missing.
Beyond all those papers, you could store expensive pieces of jewelry or an external hard drive. Parents of young children could also consider using a safe to keep prescription medication and other dangerous substances out of their little ones’ reach.
Many first-time safe buyers are looking to find a secure storage unit to keep their weapons and firearms, in fact some states legally require gun owners to store firearms in locked containers. The size and number of weapons and firearms you need to store will factor into the size and type of safe you’ll need. Something to keep in mind is to err on the side of going a little bigger than you think you’ll need — one of the most commonly reported comments of gun safe buyers is that they wish they’d bought a larger size.
2. Where will you put it?
The space that you have in your home or office will determine what you can store in it and how easy it will be to install and maintain. Do a clean sweep of your space and think of a few different options for places that you can keep your safe. Remember that these big steel boxes are intentionally made to be hard to move, so you should come into this step with the understanding that this location you choose may be permanent.
Use this moment to consider how easy it will be for others to access your safe - you may want to keep it away from your kids or guests. Consider the flooring the safe may be sitting on as the safes may cause damage over time. Consider the climate control capabilities of the room the safe is in, especially if you’re storing documents or weapons that need to be kept in temperate settings.
Some safes can be custom built into your home furnishings, such as into cabinets, pantries, or closets. Depending on your budget, your needs, and what you intend to store in your safe, this may be a valuable option. Our service technicians can even work with third party contractors to help consult you on the perfect location and space design to make your new home safe the perfect fit.
3. What kind of protection quality do you need?
The standard for most safe companies for fire protection is 30 minutes to more than two hours of constant fire protection for premium models. Consider what fire protection features you currently have in your space that might factor into this decision as well - having sprinklers installed or living near a local fire station may make fire protection less of a priority than it would be if neither of those elements were available.
You’ll also want to consider theft protection. Most often when it comes to burglaries, safes that aren’t opened on-site are stolen outright from their spot and opened elsewhere. High-end safe manufacturers will typically combat this by either using a heavier reinforced steel body that’s extremely difficult to move, or by physically bolting the safe to the floor or wall.
4. What is your budget?
As we mentioned before, purchasing a safe is a huge type of insurance investment for most buyers. At CK’s Lockshop, our large gun safes range from $599 for theCenturion Series Safes to $6,549 for thePresidential Series Safes. Even small home safes can cost in the neighborhood of $500, and that’s not including installation or maintenance costs.
When it comes to safes, the price is always reflected in the size and the quality of the safe. If you have a budget set that is still above the estimates given to you, you should seriously consider adding additional protection features, customization options, upgrades, or warranties to get the most out of your safe investment.
5. Do you need help installing and servicing it?
Like we mentioned before, most safes are made to be heavy and extremely difficult to move, so you may need to hit the gym a few more times if you’re thinking about installing one by yourself. If that’s not for you, then you can always get expert installation service from our team at CK’s Lockshop And Security Center. We can handle every step of the process for you, from pre-installation consultations, to picking out the right safe for you, to installing your safe for you, and even to repairing or replacing your safe for you - you’ll never even have to lift a finger!
When you’ve answered these questions and feel confident that you’ve made up your mind to purchase a new safe, we would love to see you at our showroom! We are an exclusive dealer of Liberty Safes in both the Delray Beach and Boynton Beach areas, where we’ve been servicing safe owners like you since 1960. Once you’re ready to take the next step in your safe-owning journey give us a call or visit either of showrooms!