What $1 Million in Home Security Actually Buys

From thermal cameras to armored cars, this is the S in Rich People S(ecurity).

About a decade ago, I drove to the home of a very well-known celebrity just outside New York City. We were meeting to discuss a collaboration they were considering and whether I thought it made sense. The celebrity was married to someone whose name you would recognize instantly, the kind of couple whose names circulate on their own.

The house sat well off the road, at the end of a long drive that curved just enough to shield it from view. The gates opened deliberately, not theatrically. The landscaping was layered and precise, every tree placed for privacy as much as aesthetics. The property felt expansive without feeling ostentatious. Every material, from the stone to the hardware, had clearly been selected rather than sourced. (I would only learn later, after a few years working under Amy Astley at Architectural Digest, how intentional those choices really were, but even then I could feel the difference.)

I had been inside plenty of large houses before. Old money estates with restored millwork and inherited oil portraits. Recently renovated townhouses with museum-grade lighting. Homes that were impressive because of their history or scale. But this was the first time I understood the difference between a large home and a high-profile one.

There were cameras positioned at angles that suggested intention, not decoration. A second gate farther up the drive. Access points that required more than a code. Before we sat down, the celebrity apologized for what they called “the added security.” There had been recent threats, they explained matter-of-factly. The tone was casual, but the measures were not.

Standing in that entry hall, I realized that a property can be exquisite and still be built around precaution. The beauty remained intact, but it existed alongside planning. The house was not only designed to be admired. It was designed to manage exposure. A home at a certain level operates differently. It is not just a residence. It is a system.

If you think home security means a Ring doorbell and a lawn sign, you are thinking at the wrong income bracket. I used to think that was the whole playbook. It turns out that’s just the retail version.

Residential security is one of the fastest-growing segments of the smart home market. Global consumer spending on smart home tech is projected to top $150 billion in the next few years, and security accounts for a significant share of that. Think cameras, smart locks, subscription monitoring.

But that is the consumer layer.

Once the house has a price tag with commas, security stops being a gadget.

THE FIRST PURCHASE ISN’T A CAMERA. IT’S EARLY WARNING.

Most consumer systems begin at the front porch. That’s too late. One integrator told me, “If someone is on the porch, you’ve already lost time.” High-end security begins at the property line. I used to think the doorbell was the start of the story. It isn’t. Thermal perimeter cameras are a favorite first layer because unlike normal cameras, they don’t rely on porch lights or motion bulbs. They see heat. A person walking across a dark yard still glows like a flare.

Brand to know: FLIR (fixed thermal security cameras, such as the Elara DX series)

What it is: A mounted camera that detects body heat, not visible light.

Why it matters: Detects humans in darkness, fog, or low light where standard cameras get fuzzy.

Cost: $6,000–$15,000 per camera; $12,000–$25,000 installed and integrated per position.

Then comes the thing I did not expect to see on a residential install list: radar. It doesn’t film anything. It detects movement at long range and cues cameras automatically. The alert comes while someone is still crossing the lawn, not when they’re testing the door.

Brand to know: SpotterRF (compact surveillance radar)

What it is: A radar sensor mounted on a pole or building corner.

Why it matters: Detects humans and vehicles hundreds of feet away, sometimes farther.

Cost: $12,000–$25,000 hardware; $25,000–$60,000+ installed and integrated.

This pairing (radar detects, thermal confirms) is the upgrade you don’t buy in a box. It moves security from reactive to proactive.

—

THE SECOND LAYER IS CAMERAS THAT THINK, NOT CAMERAS THAT RECORD.

Once someone enters visual range, the job shifts from detection to interpretation. I’ve seen the “wall of screens” setups. They look impressive. They’re also exhausting. What people actually want is a system that flags what matters: loitering, repeated drive-bys, someone lingering near a side gate or a bush.

Brand to know: Avigilon (AI-enabled camera systems)

What it is: Commercial-grade cameras used in high-security environments, adapted for residences.

Why it matters: Analytics can distinguish “a delivery” from “a person hanging around too long.”

Cost: $2,000–$4,500 per camera; $75,000–$150,000 installed for a 10–20 camera estate system.

All of that runs through a central “brain” platform, which is basically the operating system for your security ecosystem.

Brand to know: Genetec (security management platform)

What it is: Server software that unifies cameras, alarms, license plate recognition, and access control.

Why it matters: It provides one dashboard, one set of rules, and professional-grade auditing and alerts.

Cost: $15,000–$75,000+ for licensing and server infrastructure, depending on scale.

The key upgrade isn’t the camera. It’s what happens when the system decides something is wrong. I used to assume the alert just went to the homeowner’s phone. It doesn’t. It goes to a staffed monitoring center that verifies and escalates.

Typical cost: $1,000–$5,000 per month for private monitoring (varies by complexity and response expectations).

—

THE THIRD LAYER IS CONTROLLING WHO CAN ENTER—INCLUDING PEOPLE YOU ALREADY KNOW.

A kidnapping or trespassing risk isn’t only about strangers. It’s also about access: gates, service doors, contractors, and any place routine creates predictability. I used to think security was about keeping people out. The same consultant said something I haven’t forgotten: “The threat isn’t the man in the ski mask. It’s the person who knows the dog’s name.” It’s often about managing who’s already in.

Brand to know: LenelS2 (OnGuard access control)

What it is: Enterprise access control (credentialed entry, logging, and remote lockdown).

Why it matters: You can assign access levels, revoke credentials instantly, and audit who entered where.

Cost: $50,000–$200,000+ for a full property deployment.

Biometrics pop up at key doors. Fingerprint readers, facial recognition. I thought that sounded like a Bond villain upgrade. It’s actually about not trusting a keypad code that’s been shared three times.

Brand to know: Suprema (biometric door readers)

Cost: $1,500–$4,000 per reader, plus installation and integration.

Sometimes, you’ll also see what’s called a “mantrap,” a vestibule where one door closes before the next opens. I didn’t realize that was something people put in private homes. It’s a corporate security concept, quietly repurposed for a luxury entryway.

Typical cost: $40,000–$120,000+ installed.

Some high-end properties install reinforced steel posts in the driveway that can physically stop a speeding car from crashing through a gate or toward the house.

Retractable crash-rated bollards: $8,000–$25,000 per bollard.

—

THE FOURTH LAYER IS HARDENING THE HOME WITHOUT MAKING IT LOOK HARDENED.

The expensive part of wealthy security is the part you can’t see. The most sought-after upgrades are the ones that disappear into the architecture. I assumed security meant visible hardware. In reality, the goal is for it to vanish. Ballistic-resistant glass is the classic example. High-end glazing can look identical to premium windows while providing serious protection.

Brand to know: Total Security Solutions (ballistic and forced-entry resistant glazing solutions)

Cost: $150–$500+ per square foot installed, depending on rating. (Ed note: A major façade retrofit can easily reach $250,000+.

Then there’s the safe room. I assumed it meant a panic bunker. It usually doesn’t. It’s a reinforced room inside the house, built to buy time. Independent ventilation, backup communications, a stocked medical kit, and a door that can hold long enough for response teams to get there.

Safe room build-out: $75,000–$250,000+ depending on size, finishes, and equipment.

—

MOBILITY: YOU CAN’T OUTSECURE YOUR DRIVEWAY IF YOU’RE MOST VULNERABLE IN TRANSIT.

High-profile families often see transit as the soft spot. Most exposure happens in motion. One family I know rotates school routes every week. Not because something happened, but because something could. Leaving the house, pulling into the driveway, and yes, school drop-offs. The same route at the same time, every day.

Armored vehicles are the straightforward fix. They’re not subtle, and they’re not for everyone, but they exist for a reason. They make a moving car a lot harder to mess with.

Brand to know: INKAS (armored SUVs and sedans)

What it is: A luxury vehicle upgraded with ballistic materials and run-flat systems.

Cost: $180,000–$350,000+ depending on protection level.

—

THE QUIETEST PURCHASE: KIDNAP & RANSOM INSURANCE (K&R).

K&R is one of those things people rarely admit to having, even though it’s common in certain circles (especially for families who travel internationally, employ large staff, or have public visibility.) The important thing to understand is that the policy isn’t just money. It’s a crisis-response subscription with an insurance wrapper. A risk advisor described it to me as “buying a calm voice before you need one.” If a kidnapping or extortion event happens, you’re not improvising with your family group chat. A professional team activates.

Providers to know: AIG, Chubb, Hiscox

What it typically includes: 24/7 crisis response consultants, professional negotiators, intelligence coordination, ransom logistics, and post-incident support.

Typical cost: $3,000–$15,000+ per year for $5–$10M in coverage (varies by risk profile and travel).

—

THE DIGITAL LAYER: WHY “ENTERPRISE RESIDENTIAL FIREWALL” IS A REAL THING.

If you’ve never heard the phrase “enterprise firewall,” here’s the plain-English translation: it’s a commercial security box that sits between your internet provider and your home network. Most people have a router. Estates have an IT perimeter. Why? Because a modern mansion is a computer. Cameras, door locks, gate controllers, home automation, staff Wi‑Fi, guest Wi‑Fi: each is a potential entry point. A hacked network can disable cameras or leak location data. Cyber hygiene, in this case, is physical security.

Brands to know: Palo Alto Networks, Fortinet, Cisco

What it is: A professional firewall appliance (often rack-mounted) plus security subscriptions.

What it does: Blocks attacks, monitors suspicious traffic, and—most importantly—segments networks so cameras and locks are isolated from phones and guest Wi‑Fi.

Cost: $1,500–$10,000+ hardware; $500–$5,000+ per year in subscriptions and support.

Add privacy services that remove home addresses and family data from public broker sites, and you reduce the “Google map” portion of the threat model.

Data broker scrubbing: $1,000–$10,000 per year depending on household footprint.

WHAT IT ALL ADDS UP TO

A serious high-net-worth residential security build often lands in this range:

Perimeter detection (radar + thermal): $150,000–$300,000

AI surveillance + analytics platform: $75,000–$200,000

Access control + biometrics: $75,000–$250,000

Hardening + safe room: $100,000–$500,000

Armored vehicle (optional): $180,000–$350,000+

Monitoring + audits (annual): $25,000–$100,000

K&R insurance (annual): $3,000–$15,000+

Initial infrastructure investment typically lands between $400,000 and $1.5 million or more. I used to assume the cost was about the technology itself, but the technology is simply the visible layer of a much larger decision to anticipate rather than react. In homes like this, security is less about alarms and more about eliminating uncertainty.

Enjoying RPS? Starting next week, most content moves behind the velvet rope. Free subscribers will still get select posts, but the deeper material will live inside the paid tier. If you’ve been considering upgrading, now is the moment. Tips, whispers, and anything I should know: carson@readrps.com

In today’s letter: Amy Astley, Genetec’s Andrew Elvish, Rich People S(ecurity), FLIR, LenelS2, armored cars, Architectural Digest, radar at the property line, biometric entry, the Wall Street Journal, Business Insider, the quiet security arms race, and more.

• Call it confirmation: the Wall Street Journal is reporting on the same quiet security arms race. Nearly half of recent luxury home listings referenced enhanced privacy or security measures, a detail that would have felt excessive a decade ago and now feels almost expected.

• When even the founder of Ring is in the news explaining surveillance tech, it reinforces what we already know: retail devices sit on platforms you don’t control. That’s why serious homes avoid off-the-shelf gear when privacy matters.

• Business Insider is circling the same theme. Boards are now treating executive security less like a perk and more like a line item that requires oversight. What used to be handled quietly by a family office is now surfacing in boardrooms, with directors reconsidering how exposed their CEOs really are at home, in transit, and online. Security has moved from lifestyle to liability.

• Franklin Templeton’s latest note suggests global security spending is entering a “super cycle,” as governments pour more into defense. That same shift toward integrated, anticipatory security is already showing up in high-end homes.

• The New York Times covered the privacy blind spots of Nest and Ring. High-profile homes tend to solve that problem by not shopping at Best Buy.

• A recent CyberDaily interview with Genetec’s Andrew Elvish makes the same point from the vendor side: security has shifted from standalone devices to integrated platforms. That’s exactly what shows up in high-end homes, where the system matters more than any single camera.