Property guarding: plan the service and costs
Suitable guarding starts with specific tasks and a defined period. Continuous attendance and patrols need separate assessment. Handling deviations matters as much as the routine coverage.
Separate continuous guarding and patrols
Property guarding can include a staffed post, patrol visits or both. A patrol is a visit, not uninterrupted attendance. Specify whether people remain on site, check certain points or respond to events.
Separate scheduled guarding from alarm monitoring and alarm-triggered attendance. A contract can combine them, but reception, dispatch and responsibility still need definition. No arrangement removes every burglary or damage risk.
| Mode | Agree |
|---|---|
| Staffed post | Attendance hours and tasks |
| Patrols | Visits, checks and travel |
| Combination | Handover and responsibility |
Sites and specific checks
State actual site count, use and location. Construction, occupied housing, an empty building and operating production require different work. Access, operating hours and specific activities are more useful than a vague risk label.
Agree doors, external areas, technical indications and permitted actions to check. Looking for visible damage is not maintenance or technical certification. Specific hazards need later assessment with authorized site contacts.
Count staff hours and visits correctly
For staffed posts, add hours across everyone working simultaneously. Two people for eight hours mean sixteen staff hours. Compare the same week for regular work or the same complete period for temporary work.
For patrols, state weekly or total visits to match the period. Visits to several sites are not automatically one check. Clarify routing, inspection scope, reports and travel without publishing sensitive patrol times.
Handle deviations and incidents
Plan for open doors, technical warnings and people encountered. Define reporting, authorized immediate action and escalation. Appropriate emergency services and client contacts need to be reachable.
Reports should distinguish agreed and completed work. Define exceptions such as closed areas, weather or missing access. A documented patrol does not prove that every system is fault-free.
Authority, permissions and data
Private guarding does not confer general police powers. Company and staff requirements depend on location and activity. Check permissions, training and partner roles; a cantonal rule is not a uniform Swiss licence.
Keys, codes, detailed routes and named incident reports need secure exchange after defining the assignment. Set access, necessary documentation and retention. Cameras and employee monitoring require separate assessment.
Compare work and inclusions, not only hourly rates
Compare matching staff hours, visits and periods. Minimum billing, nights, weekends, travel and coordination change totals. A patrol route cannot be compared with continuous attendance by the hourly rate alone.
Separate setup, routine work and incident-driven extras. Identify absence cover, reports and contract changes. General portal indications are not a reliable quotation for matching sites and duties.
| Cost item | Comparison |
|---|---|
| Setup | Induction, route and access |
| Routine | Staff hours or patrol visits |
| Extras | Travel, incidents, supplements |
| Ending | Notice and key return |
Enquiry and secure handover
Provide mode, site count, use, period, hours or visits and location. Describe checks and differences between sites in one shared field. Codes or detailed security plans are unnecessary initially.
Before starting, agree access, contact channels, first patrol and handovers. Review site and operational changes. A temporary construction assignment also needs an end date and return of entrusted keys.
Frequently asked questions
Are patrols continuous guarding?
No. They are agreed visits with periods without attendance.
How do I count staff hours?
Add hours for each person: two people for eight hours mean sixteen staff hours.
Can I arrange temporary guarding?
Subject to availability. Define period, access, ending and billing minimums.
Must I know a risk class?
No. Describe use and required checks; the provider performs the professional assessment.
Are alarms and cameras included?
Only if supply, use and management are specified. Equipment and guarding remain separate items.
What belongs in the later handover?
Access permissions, keys, detailed routes and named contacts are agreed securely with authorized parties.
