Baby proofing expert, Mark Altman, is also the owner and founder of The Childproofer. He suggests the cost can vary greatly based on the choices parents make. "It can run to thousands of dollars depending on the house and how you want to address it. Or the cost can be minimal depending on how flexible you are. The more flexible you are, the less money you are going to be spending."
One of the basic purchases in child proofing a home include safety latches and locks. These can be used everywhere from kitchen cabinets, to bathrooms, to garages and generally run less than $3 each. Depending how many you need, or how willing you are to group hazardous materials into just one or two locked cabinets, your cost can be quite low.
Another baby proofing basic is the safety gate. The cost of a gate can run anywhere from $15-$50 or so, but the number of gates you require depends on your own personal needs and your home layout.
You may be able to purchase fewer gates for your home if you are able to substitute a door knob cover or door lock. A typical knob cover will only cost around $1, and a lock about $5.
Smoke detectors are a necessity in any home, and as such you may already have these installed. You will probably need additional ones as part of your baby proofing process, and you can budget around $10 each one.
Covers for electrical outlets won't run more than $2 typically and how many you need depends on your particular house.
To keep your windows safe you need to check drapery or blind cords to be sure they are short and don't contain a dangerous loop where children can get strangled. The fix for this can be free or quite minimal depending on your needs. The windows themselves need to be safe for children, so you should install safety netting or window guards. Expect to invest several dollars per window. Make sure at least one window is accessible for exit in case of fire. You'll need safety netting or something equivalent for balcony and deck openings.
Corner guards or pads are other baby proofing products that depend on your situation and flexibility. You can remove the offending furniture to remove the issue of danger, or you can purchase guards at the cost of $1 and up. Another option is to craft your own guards or pads with foam padding, or other soft material and secure it with duct tape.
Your home should have along with smoke detectors, a carbon monoxide detector outside the sleeping areas. The cost of these range from $30-$70.
Another safety option that you probably already have is a cordless phone. They are wonderful for bath time, playing outdoors or in the family pool. Should an emergency arise, you don't have to leave the scene to run into the house to make the phone call.
These are just some basic safety devices you will most likely need to baby proof your home. Each home and family is different and will require personalized attention. However, as you can see, flexibility is indeed the key to budgeting for baby proofing.
