What is a make safe?
A make safe is the immediate, temporary work done after a property is damaged to stop the damage getting worse and remove any danger to the people in and around it. It isn't the repair. It's the step that protects the building and keeps it secure until the permanent repair has been scoped, approved and booked in.
Insurers, strata managers and builders use the term all the time, but for most homeowners it's new. Put simply, if a storm has lifted half your roof, a make safe is the tarp, the clean-up of loose sheeting and the electrical check that stops tonight's rain wrecking every ceiling in the house. The new roof comes later.
Excel Building and Power provides 24/7 make safes across Greater Sydney. Our team covers both the building and the electrical side, so the property is fully safe after one visit, not just the parts one trade is licensed to touch.
What our make safe service includes
Every make safe is different. We assess the site and do what's needed to make it safe, secure and weatherproof, which may include:
- Roof tarping and temporary covers over damaged sheets, tiles, skylights, flashings and ridge capping.
- Propping and shoring of sagging or water-loaded ceilings, damaged beams, unstable walls, verandahs and awnings.
- Boarding up broken windows, doors, glass panels and shopfronts to secure the property.
- Electrical isolation of damaged or water-affected circuits, plus making exposed wiring and fittings safe.
- Stopping water entry by clearing gutters and downpipes, diverting water and finding the source of leaks.
- Removing debris and hazards such as broken glass, fallen branches, loose roofing and collapsed ceiling material.
- Temporary fencing and barriers around unsafe areas, fallen structures or open excavations.
- Controlled removal of unsafe elements such as loose bricks, cracked render or damaged balustrades that could fall.
- Photo, video and written reports recording the damage and every step of the make safe.
Damage we make safe
Storm & hail
Roofs, skylights, gutters, windows and façades damaged by wind, hail and driving rain.
Fallen trees
Trees and limbs on roofs, through ceilings and across structures.
Water damage
Roof leaks, burst pipes and failed waterproofing bringing down ceilings and walls.
Fire damage
Securing, weatherproofing and propping fire-affected buildings once the site is released.
Vehicle impact
Cars into walls, garages, fences, carports and shopfronts.
Structural failure
Cracked or bulging walls, failed lintels, retaining walls, balconies and stairs.
Break-ins & vandalism
Smashed doors and windows boarded up and the property secured.
Electrical damage
Water in switchboards, burnt fittings, damaged cables and torn-down service lines.
Make safe vs permanent repair
Mixing up the two is one of the most common sources of confusion in an insurance claim. Here's the difference:
| Make safe | Permanent repair | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Stop further damage and remove hazards | Restore the building to its pre-damage condition |
| Timing | Immediately, often the same night | After the scope is assessed and approved |
| Approval | Usually doesn't need prior insurer approval | Usually needs insurer or owner approval of the quote |
| Examples | Tarps, props, boarding up, electrical isolation | New roofing, ceilings, framing, plaster, wiring |
| Lifespan | Temporary: days to weeks | Permanent |
| Paperwork | Photos, make safe report, invoice | Scope of works, quote, compliance certificates |
We handle both. Once the property is safe, we prepare the scope and quote for the permanent repair. See insurance building repairs.
Need a make safe now?
Builders and electricians on call 24/7 across Sydney. Tell us what's happened and we'll give you a realistic arrival time.
Our make safe process
- Call or work orderYou call our 24/7 line, or an insurer, assessor or strata manager sends us a work order. We confirm the address, contact on site, damage type and any hazards to power, gas or water.
- Triage and dispatchJobs are prioritised by risk. You get an arrival time and safety advice while you wait.
- Arrival and risk assessmentWe assess the structure, roof, water and electrical hazards before anyone climbs, enters or touches anything.
- Photograph before workTime-stamped photos and video record the damage as found, which is critical for your claim.
- Make safe worksTarping, propping, boarding, isolation, debris removal and barriers, whatever is needed to make the site safe, secure and weatherproof.
- Photograph after workWe record the completed make safe and note anything that still needs attention.
- Report and scopeYou, your insurer or your strata manager receive a make safe report, invoice and, where requested, a scope and quote for the permanent repair.
Electrical make safe
Water and electricity are the most dangerous combination in a damaged building. Rain through a roof runs down cable paths into light fittings, power points and switchboards. A fallen tree can rip the overhead service line off the house. Many make safe providers can only tarp the roof and tell you to call an electrician in the morning.
Our licensed electricians make the electrics safe on the same visit:
- Isolating affected circuits at the switchboard
- Testing and making safe water-affected fittings, outlets and cables
- Restoring power to safe parts of the property so you aren't left in the dark
- Making exposed or damaged wiring safe
- Repairing damaged service lines, point-of-attachment fittings and metering through our Grade A Level 2 accreditation with Ausgrid and Endeavour Energy
More on our electrical services.
Make safe for insurers, assessors and builders
We take make safe work orders from insurers, loss assessors, claims builders and strata managers across Sydney. Our reporting is built to make your job easier:
- Fast acceptance of work orders, with the site contact called promptly
- Time-stamped photos of damage before and after works
- Written make safe reports describing the cause, extent of damage and works completed
- Itemised invoices referencing your claim or work order number
- Scopes and quotes for permanent reinstatement, covering building and electrical
- Return visits to check and maintain temporary works until reinstatement
How long does a make safe last?
A make safe is temporary by design. A well-secured tarp or propping system can protect a property for days or weeks, but wind, rain and UV wear temporary materials down, and tarps can shift in the next storm. Our advice:
- Treat the make safe as the start of the repair, not the end
- Lodge your claim straight away so the permanent repair can be approved quickly
- Call us if a tarp moves, water returns, or props shift
- Don't use rooms under propped ceilings or damaged structures
For longer claims we can schedule return visits to check and maintain temporary works.
Make safe cost in Sydney
Make safe costs vary with the job. We explain the likely costs up front and provide an itemised invoice. The main factors are:
| Factor | Impact on cost |
|---|---|
| Time of call-out | After-hours, weekend and public holiday rates apply to emergency attendance. |
| Size of the damaged area | More tarp, timber, boarding and labour for larger areas. |
| Height and access | Steep, high or multi-storey roofs need extra safety equipment and crew. |
| Electrical works | Isolation, testing and any network-side repair. |
| Debris removal | Volume and type of debris, including tree material, removed and disposed of. |
| Return visits | Inspections and re-securing between the make safe and the repair. |
Where damage is caused by an insured event, the make safe is often claimable. Check your policy and excess with your insurer.
Homeowner checklist after damage
- Make sure everyone is safeGet people and pets away from the damage. If anyone is hurt or in danger, call 000.
- Avoid electrical hazardsDon't touch fallen wires or wet electrics. Switch off the main switch only if you can reach it without standing in water.
- Don't go on the roofContain water from inside with buckets and towels instead.
- Take photos and videoRecord the damage from a safe position before anything is moved.
- Call for a make safeCall 02 8107 9998, any time.
- Notify your insurerLodge the claim and note the claim number.
- Keep damaged items and receiptsDon't throw anything away until your insurer says you can.
Make safe for strata buildings
When common property is damaged, a make safe protects every owner in the building. We respond 24/7 to strata emergencies (roof and façade storm damage, water through common-property roofs into units, failed balustrades, damaged car park structures and electrical faults) and give strata managers the photos and reports the committee and strata insurer need. See strata building maintenance.
Make safe service areas
Our make safe team covers all of Greater Sydney: