Glass & repairs
Emergency Glazing & Boarding Up
Emergency glazing is the work of making a broken window, door or shopfront safe and secure after damage, usually by removing loose glass and boarding or temporarily glazing the opening. It is needed after break-ins, vandalism, storms or accidents, until permanent replacement glass can be made and fitted.
- Guide from £165
- Written quote
- UK-wide
- Free survey for new glazingMeasured on site before anything is made
- Written quoteThe price is fixed for the specification shown
- Every glazing jobGlass, windows, doors and commercial
- UK-wide coverEngland, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
- Guarantee terms in writingSet out with every quote
How our emergency glazing service works
We arrange emergency glazing for homes, flats, shops and offices after a break-in, accident or storm. When you call, we tell you honestly when a glazier can attend. On site, our glaziers remove loose and hanging glass, clear shards from the area and secure the opening with timber boarding or temporary glazing. They measure for the permanent glass at the same visit where possible. You then receive a written quote for the permanent glass that fixes the price for the specification shown. Once it has been made, a glazier returns to remove the boarding and fit it. You get photos and a short written note of the work, which can help with an insurance claim.
What's included
- Removal of loose and hanging broken glass
- Clearing shards from floors, sills and pavements
- Boarding or temporary glazing cut to the opening
- Measurement for the permanent replacement glass
- Written quote for the permanent glass specification
- Photos and a short written note for insurance
When you might need emergency glazing
- A window or door has been smashed in a break-in
- Storm damage has left a pane cracked or hanging
- A shopfront has been broken and needs securing
- Loose broken glass is a danger to people nearby
- The property cannot be locked until the glass is covered
Guide prices
| Typical job | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| Board up one window | £165 – £245 |
| Board up a door or small shopfront | £225 – £345 |
| Temporary glass while new glass is made | £195 – £295 |
Options to choose between
Timber boarding
Exterior-grade plywood or OSB screwed securely into the frame, giving a solid, weather-resistant cover until the permanent glass is fitted.
Polycarbonate temporary glazing
Clear, impact-resistant sheet fitted in place of the broken glass, keeping daylight in and the opening secure while permanent glass is made.
Internal boarding
Boards fixed from inside the room for upper floors or awkward access, avoiding ladders and working at height in the dark.
Permanent toughened glass
Toughened replacement glass for doors, low-level panes and other critical locations, made to measure after the opening is secured.
Permanent laminated glass
Laminated replacement glass that stays in place if struck again, often chosen for shopfronts and ground-floor windows after a break-in.
Replacement sealed unit
A made-to-measure double or triple glazed unit to replace a broken one, with safety or low-E glass where needed.
Good to know about emergency glazing
The first job on an emergency visit is making the opening safe. Loose and hanging shards are removed from the frame, broken glass is cleared from floors and pavements, and anything that could fall is taken down before the opening is boarded or temporarily glazed.
Boarding is usually exterior-grade plywood or OSB cut to fit the opening and screwed into the frame or surrounding structure. For a secure fix, the board is fixed so it cannot simply be levered off from outside, and edges are kept tight to limit weather getting in.
Temporary glazing uses polycarbonate or a basic glass pane instead of a board, letting daylight in while permanent glass is made. It suits shopfronts that need to keep trading, living rooms and windows where boarding would leave a room in darkness for days.
Permanent glass is often made to order, especially toughened, laminated or sealed units, and cannot usually be cut from stock at the time. That is why emergency work is normally two visits: make safe now, then return to fit the permanent glass once it is ready.
If the damage follows a break-in or vandalism, report it to the police and get a crime reference number before the scene is cleared if you can. Photograph the damage from inside and outside, as both the police and your insurer may ask for these details.
Many home and business insurance policies include accidental damage or malicious damage cover for glass, sometimes with a set excess or a requirement to use approved contractors. Check your policy or call your insurer before agreeing to permanent work, so you know what will be covered.
Shopfront glass is often large, laminated or toughened, and very heavy. Boarding a shopfront may need several boards, extra timber framing and more than one person. Permanent shopfront glass usually needs careful measuring, lifting equipment and a planned fitting visit with access arranged around trading hours.
Broken toughened glass shatters into small pieces that can spread widely and sit in carpets and gaps for some time. Laminated glass cracks but stays in the frame, and is cut out with care. The glazier deals with each differently when making the opening safe.
The cost of emergency glazing depends on the time of call-out, the size of the opening, whether boarding or temporary glazing is used, how much glass has to be cleared, and access. The permanent glass is quoted separately once the glazier knows the exact specification required.
Upper-floor broken windows are often boarded from inside, which avoids ladders at night and in poor weather. A board fitted inside still secures the opening and keeps out wind and rain, and permanent glass can then be fitted later in daylight with proper access.
When permanent glass replaces a broken pane in a door, beside a door or low down near the floor, it should be safety glass. In England, Approved Document K sets out these critical locations, so the replacement may need a higher specification than the original glass.
If glass breaks with no clear cause, such as an impact or a break-in, it may be a thermal crack from uneven heating, or a spontaneous breakage in toughened glass. The glazier notes the break pattern, which can help with insurance and with choosing the right replacement glass.
Rules and regulations
Building regulations differ between the four UK nations. Here is what usually applies to emergency glazing; your written quote confirms the detail for your property.
England
Approved Document K requires safety glass in critical locations in England: glazing in doors and in side panels within 300 mm of a door, up to 1500 mm above floor level, and any glazing in walls or partitions up to 800 mm above floor level.
Approved Document Q applies to new homes in England, where doors and windows are expected to meet PAS 24 or an equivalent standard. It does not apply to replacements in existing homes, but PAS 24 products are still a sensible choice.
Wales
In Wales, Approved Document N covers safety glazing: safety glass is needed in and around doors and in low-level glazing where people could walk into it.
Security rules for doors and windows differ between the UK nations. For replacement doors and windows in Wales, products tested to PAS 24 are a sensible benchmark.
Scotland
Section 4 (Safety) of the Scottish Technical Handbooks covers glazing that people could collide with, such as glass in and beside doors and low-level glazing, where safety glass is needed.
Security standards for doors and windows apply to new homes in Scotland; for replacements, PAS 24 products are a sensible choice.
Northern Ireland
Technical Booklet V covers safety glazing in Northern Ireland, including glass in and around doors and low-level glazing where people could walk into it.
For replacement doors and windows in Northern Ireland, PAS 24 products are a sensible choice for security.
What happens next
Tell us about the job
Use the quote form, call, WhatsApp or live chat. Photos and rough sizes help.
Survey and measure
A glazier visits, checks the opening and measures. For simple glass swaps this is often done on the same visit as fitting.
Written quote
You get a written quote with the specification, price and guarantee terms. Nothing is ordered until you agree.
Made and fitted
Glass, frames or panels are made to size and fitted. We tidy up and take the old glass away.
Emergency Glazing questions
What should I do immediately after a window is smashed?
Keep people and pets away from the broken glass, and do not try to pull out large hanging shards by hand. If it was a break-in or vandalism, call the police and note the crime reference. Take photos from inside and outside. Then call us, and we will tell you honestly when a glazier can attend to make it safe.
Can you replace the glass on the same visit as boarding up?
Usually not. Most replacement glass, particularly toughened, laminated and sealed units, is made to order and cannot be cut from stock at the time. The emergency visit makes the opening safe and secure, and the glazier measures for permanent glass. A second visit is booked to remove the board and fit the new glass once it is ready.
How much does emergency glazing cost?
The cost depends on the time of the call-out, the size of the opening, whether boarding or temporary glazing is fitted, how much glass needs clearing, and access. Permanent glass is priced separately once its specification is known. See the guide prices for typical work, and your written quote sets out the cost of the permanent glass.
Will my insurance pay for emergency boarding and new glass?
Many home and business policies cover accidental or malicious damage to glass, including boarding and replacement, but the terms vary. Some insurers require you to use their approved contractors or to call them first, and an excess may apply. Check your policy or call your insurer. We provide photos and a written note to support a claim.
Is boarding up secure enough to leave the property overnight?
A properly fitted board is screwed into the frame or surrounding structure so it cannot easily be levered off, and it closes the opening against the weather. It is a temporary measure, not a permanent security upgrade. For shops or vulnerable properties, laminated permanent glass is worth considering once the replacement is ordered.
Should I board up or have temporary glazing?
Boarding is simple to fit, secure and suits any opening, but it blocks daylight and the view. Temporary polycarbonate glazing lets light in and lets a shop keep displaying, but it is less suitable for some large or awkward openings. The glazier advises on which suits your property and how long the permanent glass will take.
Can I clear up broken glass myself before the glazier arrives?
You can sweep up loose glass on the floor if you wear sturdy gloves and footwear, and keep children and pets away. Leave pieces still in the frame and any large hanging shards for the glazier, as they can fall unexpectedly. If police need to attend, avoid clearing the scene until they say it is fine.
Do you board up commercial premises and shopfronts?
Yes. We arrange boarding and temporary glazing for shops, offices, restaurants and other commercial premises. Large shopfront panes may need several boards, timber framing and more than one glazier. Once secured, we can quote for permanent glass, including laminated glass, and plan the fitting visit around your opening hours where possible.
Will the permanent glass need to be safety glass?
It will if the broken pane is in a critical location. In England, Approved Document K covers glass in doors and within 300mm of a door edge, up to 1500mm above the floor, and other glass within 800mm of the floor. The glazier checks the location when measuring, so the permanent glass meets the right standard.
What causes glass to break without anything hitting it?
Glass can crack from thermal stress, when part of a pane heats up much more than the rest, often from sun, heaters or partial shading. Toughened glass can also break spontaneously in rare cases because of tiny inclusions in the glass. The glazier notes the crack pattern, which can help identify the likely cause.
Emergency Glazing near you
Choose your county or area for local details, towns we cover and the rules that apply where you live.
England
- Bedfordshire
- Berkshire
- Bristol
- Buckinghamshire
- Cambridgeshire
- Cheshire
- Cornwall
- County Durham
- Cumbria
- Derbyshire
- Devon
- Dorset
- East Riding of Yorkshire
- East Sussex
- Essex
- Gloucestershire
- Greater London
- Greater Manchester
- Hampshire
- Herefordshire
- Hertfordshire
- Isle of Wight
- Kent
- Lancashire
- Leicestershire
- Lincolnshire
- Merseyside
- Norfolk
- North Yorkshire
- Northamptonshire
- Northumberland
- Nottinghamshire
- Oxfordshire
- Rutland
- Shropshire
- Somerset
- South Yorkshire
- Staffordshire
- Suffolk
- Surrey
- Tyne and Wear
- Warwickshire
- West Midlands
- West Sussex
- West Yorkshire
- Wiltshire
- Worcestershire
Scotland
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Clear guide prices, any charge explained before booking, and one point of contact for every glazing job.