Childproofing in Malibu starts on the deck. Many homes here sit above sand, rock or a canyon slope, so the first things we look at are railings, outdoor stairs and the sliding doors that open onto them, and then we move inside. The housing runs from beach houses raised on pilings along the coast to canyon homes at the end of long driveways, plus a growing number of rebuilds after the Woolsey Fire in 2018 and the Palisades Fire in January 2025. Families in Malibu most often ask us for clear guards on deck and balcony railings, gates at the top of beach stairs, and locks that keep a toddler from sliding open a glass door alone.
Homes in Malibu and what they need
Beach houses along the coast are often built on pilings or caissons, with the living space lifted above the sand. That layout puts much of the family’s day on decks, balconies and the stairs between levels. A railing designed with adults in mind can have gaps a small child fits through, or horizontal rails a climber can use as a ladder. On a beach house, the deck is usually where our plan begins.
Canyon homes need something else. They tend to be larger and spread across several levels that follow the slope, with motorized gates, long driveways and pools set into the hillside. The work there is about separating the parts of the property a toddler can reach from the parts they shouldn’t: the garage, the driveway, the pool deck and the stairs to a lower terrace.
Then there are the rebuilds. Families moving into a new house after the fires get a rare chance to plan childproofing before the walls are closed. Blocking behind the drywall where a gate will mount, outlets placed with a crawler in mind, and cabinet hardware chosen to work with hidden locks are all far easier at the finish stage than after move-in. Our page on new construction and remodels explains how that timing works with your builder.
Common childproofing projects in Malibu
- Clear acrylic or mesh railing guards on decks and balconies where the gaps or horizontal rails would let a child through or up, attached from the inside so the view from the water side stays clean.
- Hardware-mounted gates at the top of exterior stairs that lead down to the sand or a lower terrace, with self-closing hinges on stairs the family uses every day.
- Locks mounted high on sliding glass doors, since so many Malibu living rooms open straight onto a deck.
- Window stops on upper-floor windows facing the water, set to let the breeze in while keeping the opening small.
- A latch or lock on the door from the house to the garage, which in canyon homes often leads straight to the driveway.
- Anchors for bookshelves, dressers and large TVs. Houses designed around glass have fewer solid walls, so heavy pieces tend to crowd onto the walls that remain, and each one needs a stud to anchor into.
Earthquake, outdoor and pool safety in Malibu
Earthquake prep here covers the same basics as anywhere in Los Angeles, with extra attention to upper floors and large windows. California Health and Safety Code §19211 requires water heaters to be braced, anchored or strapped against falling or moving in an earthquake, and if the house has a tank, we check that strapping during the assessment. Heavy art, mirrors and shelves above beds and cribs get secured or moved.
Many Malibu properties have a pool or spa. The California Swimming Pool Safety Act, as updated by SB 442, requires at least two of seven listed drowning-prevention features when a building permit is issued for a new pool or spa, or for remodeling one at a single-family home, so it can come up during a rebuild. We don’t install pool fences, because that work needs a specialty contractor license. During the assessment we point out pool-area risks, such as a back door that opens straight onto the pool deck, and our guide to California pool safety rules has the details.
The driveway is the other outdoor question. A child who gets out the front door can reach a sloped drive or a motorized gate quickly, so we look closely at door hardware, side gates and any gaps along the yard’s edge.
What a visit looks like
You book a time, and we come to the house for a home safety assessment. In Malibu the walk-through usually starts outside on the decks and stairs, then moves room by room through the house. You get an itemized plan that lists each item, where it goes and why, and you decide what to install.
Installation is scheduled once you approve the plan. If your family splits time between a Malibu house and a home in town, we can plan both together. We cover the 90265 ZIP code, from beachfront homes along the coast to properties up the canyons.
Nearby areas we serve
Heading east along the coast, we also work in Pacific Palisades, where many families are rebuilding too. Over the hills, we serve Calabasas and Agoura Hills, both reached by the canyon roads that connect Malibu to the 101.