Coleraine · County Londonderry
Emergency Glazing in Coleraine
Need a broken window boarded up in Coleraine? We can arrange boarding, photos for your insurer and a follow-up visit to fit the new glass.
- BT52
- BT55
- Guide from £165
About emergency glass repair in Coleraine
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.
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.
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.
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.
What a typical job includes
- Written quote for the permanent glass specification
- Photos and a short written note for insurance
- Measurement for the permanent replacement glass
- Removal of loose and hanging broken glass

Coleraine at a glance
- Postcodes covered
- BT52, BT55 and the surrounding area, including Portstewart, Ballymoney and Limavady
- Coast
- Coleraine sits roughly 6 km from the nearest coastline, close enough that exposure on open or high ground is worth considering. 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 Coleraine the midwinter sun reaches about 11° above the horizon at noon, with roughly 6.9 hours of daylight, rising to about 58° and 17.1 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
- Rural properties may be further from a glazier, so the first visit concentrates on making the opening safe and weathertight. Barns, outbuildings and older timber frames sometimes need extra timber battens to give the board a solid fixing.
- Rules in 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.
Guide prices in Coleraine
| 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
For replacement doors and windows in Northern Ireland, PAS 24 products are a sensible choice for security.
Specification choices
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 Coleraine: questions
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.
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.
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.
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 Coleraine for emergency glazing?
Yes. We can quote for emergency glazing across Coleraine and the surrounding County Londonderry area, including postcode districts BT52 and BT55, and nearby Portstewart, Ballymoney and Limavady. 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 Coleraine
Clear guide prices, any charge explained before booking, and one point of contact for every glazing job.