Aberdeen · Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire
Emergency Glazing in Aberdeen
Broken window or smashed door in Aberdeen? Call and we will tell you honestly when a glazier can attend to make it safe and secure.
- AB10
- AB11
- AB12
- AB15
- AB16
- AB23
- Guide from £165
Emergency glazier across Aberdeen
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.
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.
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.
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.
What's included
- Boarding or temporary glazing cut to the opening
- Removal of loose and hanging broken glass
- Written quote for the permanent glass specification
- Clearing shards from floors, sills and pavements
Working in Aberdeen
- Postcodes covered
- AB10, AB11, AB12, AB15, AB16, AB23, AB24, AB25 and the surrounding area, including Westhill, Stonehaven and Inverurie
- Coast
- Aberdeen is about 2 km from the coast or a tidal estuary, so salt air and wind-driven rain are worth planning for. In coastal storms, wind-driven rain and gusts can force water and debris through broken glass quickly. Boards need firm fixings into sound timber or masonry, and exposed openings may need extra fixings so the board stays put until the permanent glass is fitted.
- Daylight and sun
- In Aberdeen the midwinter sun reaches about 9° above the horizon at noon, with roughly 6.4 hours of daylight, rising to about 56° and 17.6 hours in midsummer. Boarding blocks daylight, so in short winter days a boarded room can be very dark. Temporary clear glazing keeps light in, and on sunny elevations the permanent glass can include solar control or low-E coatings when it is ordered.
- Access and setting
- In busy streets, broken glass on pavements is a hazard to passers-by and needs clearing. Shopfronts may need boarding before trading, parking can be limited near the opening, and flats above shops often need boards fixed from inside.
- Rules in 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.
Guide prices in Aberdeen
| 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 |
Get a guide price for your size
Security standards for doors and windows apply to new homes in Scotland; for replacements, PAS 24 products are a sensible choice.
What you can choose
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.
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.
Permanent toughened glass
Toughened replacement glass for doors, low-level panes and other critical locations, made to measure after the opening is secured.
Emergency Glazing in Aberdeen: questions
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.
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.
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.
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.
Do you cover Aberdeen for emergency glazing?
Yes. We can quote for emergency glazing across Aberdeen and the surrounding Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire area, including postcode districts AB10, AB11, AB12, AB15 and AB16, and nearby Westhill, Stonehaven and Inverurie. Start with your postcode on the quote form and a glazier will talk through the job, explain any charge before booking and give you a written quote.
Get a written quote in Aberdeen
Clear guide prices, any charge explained before booking, and one point of contact for every glazing job.