Shirley · West Midlands
Shopfront Glazing in Shirley
We cover Shirley and West Midlands for shopfront glazing, from single display panes to complete aluminium or timber shopfronts with accessible entrance doors.
- B90
- B28
- B91
- Guide from £375
Shirley: aluminium shopfronts
Manual entrance doors in buildings other than dwellings in England should open with no more than 30N of force at the door edge from closed to 30 degrees, then 22.5N from 30 to 60 degrees. Heavy doors and strong closers often fail this, so closers are chosen and adjusted to suit.
Some councils' shopfront guidance discourages solid external roller shutters and grilles, and in England external security measures that change the frontage's appearance usually need planning permission. Laminated security glass or internal open-mesh grilles are often considered as alternatives that keep the window display visible.
The same guidance in England asks for an accessible entrance to have a level threshold or, where a raised threshold cannot be avoided, one no more than 15mm high in total, with a level landing in front of the door at least 1500mm by 1500mm clear of the door swing.
For new buildings in England, access guidance gives a minimum effective clear width of 1000mm for external doors used by the general public, and 775mm where an existing building is being altered. Measuring the clear opening, not the door leaf, shows whether an entrance meets that figure.
What a typical job includes
- Aluminium or timber framing, doors and ironmongery as quoted
- Safety or security glass specified to suit the position
- Survey of the frontage, structure above and entrance layout
- Manifestation where required, final clean and handover
About Shirley for this job
- Postcodes covered
- B90, B28, B91 and the surrounding area, including Solihull, Acocks Green and Birmingham
- Coast
- Shirley is well inland, around 80 km from the nearest coast, so salt exposure is not usually a factor.
- Daylight and sun
- In Shirley the midwinter sun reaches about 14° above the horizon at noon, with roughly 7.4 hours of daylight, rising to about 61° and 16.6 hours in midsummer. South- and west-facing display windows can fade stock and overheat the shop in summer, while low winter sun causes glare that hides window displays. Solar control glass, window film and internal blinds can all help.
- Access and setting
- Market-town and village shops are often in older or listed buildings where timber shopfronts and traditional proportions are expected. Council design guidance and longer travel for large glass deliveries can both affect the timescale.
- Rules in 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.
Guide prices in Shirley
| Typical job | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| Replace a laminated pane, 2000 × 2200 mm | £855 – £1,095 |
| Security laminated pane, 2000 × 2200 mm | £1,195 – £1,495 |
| Toughened door pane, 900 × 2000 mm | £375 – £485 |
Get a guide price for your size
For shops and other non-domestic buildings in England, Approved Document M covers accessible entrances, and Approved Document K requires large areas of glass that people could walk into to carry manifestation (visible markings).
Choosing your shopfront glazing
Aluminium shopfront framing
Slim, powder-coated or anodised aluminium frames for display glass and doors, available in many colours and suited to most modern frontages.
Frameless glass entrance
Toughened glass doors on patch fittings and floor springs, giving an open, clear entrance between framed or frameless display screens.
Timber shopfront
Painted timber frames, stallrisers and doors in traditional proportions, often expected for listed buildings and conservation areas.
Shopfront Glazing in Shirley: questions
Do I have to remove the step at my shop entrance?
Not automatically, but in England, Wales and Scotland the Equality Act 2010 requires service providers to make reasonable adjustments, which can include physical changes like a ramp or a level threshold. What is reasonable depends on the business and the building. When an entrance is replaced, building regulations on access also apply to the new work.
How wide should a shop entrance door be?
For new buildings in England, access guidance gives a minimum effective clear width of 1000mm for external doors used by the general public, and 775mm where an existing building is altered. The clear width is the usable opening with the door open, not the door size. Other UK nations publish their own guidance, so we confirm the applicable figure.
What affects the cost of shopfront glazing?
The main cost drivers are the size and number of panes, the glass type and any security class, the frame material, the door type and ironmongery, and the access equipment needed to lift large panes. Automatic doors, bespoke shapes and out-of-hours working also add cost. See the guide prices, and your written quote fixes the price.
Can my shop stay open while the shopfront is replaced?
Often, yes, at least in part. Work can be phased so one section is replaced while the entrance stays usable, or carried out early, late or on closing days where access and noise rules allow. Temporary boarding keeps the premises secure between stages. We agree the programme with you before work starts so trading disruption is planned.
Do you cover Shirley for shopfront glazing?
Yes. We can quote for shopfront glazing across Shirley and the surrounding West Midlands area, including postcode districts B90, B28 and B91, and nearby Solihull, Acocks Green and Birmingham. Start with your postcode on the quote form and a glazier will arrange a free survey before giving you a written quote.
Get a written quote in Shirley
Free survey for new glazing, clear guide prices and one point of contact for every glazing job.