Stornoway · Highlands & Islands
Emergency Glazing in Stornoway
After a smashed pane in Stornoway, our glaziers make the opening safe and secure, then provide a written quote for the permanent glass replacement.
- HS1
- Guide from £165
Stornoway: emergency glazier
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.
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.
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.
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.
What's included
- 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
About Stornoway for this job
- Postcodes covered
- HS1 and the surrounding area, including Inverness
- Coast
- Stornoway is about 1 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 Stornoway the midwinter sun reaches about 8° above the horizon at noon, with roughly 6.1 hours of daylight, rising to about 55° and 17.9 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 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 Stornoway
| 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.
Specification choices
Permanent toughened glass
Toughened replacement glass for doors, low-level panes and other critical locations, made to measure after the opening is secured.
Internal boarding
Boards fixed from inside the room for upper floors or awkward access, avoiding ladders and working at height in the dark.
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.
Emergency Glazing in Stornoway: questions
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 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.
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 Stornoway for emergency glazing?
Yes. We can quote for emergency glazing across Stornoway and the surrounding Highlands & Islands area, including postcode districts HS1, and nearby Inverness. 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 Stornoway
Clear guide prices, any charge explained before booking, and one point of contact for every glazing job.