Property Damage Boarding Up in Barnet: Burglary, Fire and Storm

When a window, door, shopfront or roof opening has been damaged, the first job is to make the property safe and secure. The right next step depends on what caused the damage. This page covers property damage boarding up in Barnet for three situations: a break-in, a fire and a storm. Each one starts differently, and the order you do things in matters.

A person answers the phone 24 hours a day. If an opening is already exposed tonight, go straight to our 24-hour emergency boarding-up service, or Call 020 4652 1801 now.

First steps for any damaged opening

These apply to all three situations:

• Keep clear of broken glass. Don’t pull loose shards out of a frame by hand. Keep children and pets away from the area.
• Don’t go into anywhere that looks structurally unsafe. Stay outside and wait for help if part of a building is damaged.
• Take photographs only if it’s safe. Photograph from where you are and don’t climb to get a better angle.
• Note what’s open. Count the windows, doors or roof openings that are damaged, roughly how big they are, and which floor they’re on.
• Have your postcode ready. We work out arrival on the call from your postcode and talk you through what we’ll need.

Burglary and forced entry

After a break-in, report it to the police and keep the crime reference number. Then contact your insurer. If it’s safe, photograph the damage before anything is moved or fixed.

Forced entry usually leaves a broken window or a door that won’t close or lock properly. We board broken glazing and secure damaged doors, frames and locks so the property can be locked up again.

• What to do after a burglary and how we make it secure
• Securing a forced door, frame or lock

Fire damage

Don’t go back in until the fire service has handed the site back to you. Their judgement on safety comes first. We don’t attend to board up before then.

Once the site has been released, we secure windows, doors and other openings left exposed by heat, smoke venting or firefighting. Smoke and odour cleaning is outside what we do, so you’ll need a specialist for that.

• Boarding up after a fire

Storm damage

High winds and falling branches can break windows, damage skylights and lift roofing. Don’t climb a ladder or go onto a roof to check it, especially in wind or rain. Keep away from loose glass and anything that could still fall.

We board broken windows and exposed doors, and we cover damaged roof and skylight openings to keep weather and intruders out. Height and access affect how we do this, so tell us on the call which floor the damage is on and what you can see from the ground.

• Making safe after storm damage
• Roof and skylight boarding

What making safe involves

For most openings we use exterior-grade plywood, typically 18mm. OSB can suit smaller openings. We use security or anti-tamper fixings where they’re needed. Where the frame allows, we fix in a way that doesn’t add damage, so the frame is easier to repair later.

If a frame is badly damaged, it may not take a board securely as it is. In that case we explain the options before we start. Securing the frame first changes the scope of the work, so you’ll know what’s involved before anything is agreed.

Boarding is a make-safe. It closes the property up properly so you have time to arrange permanent glazing or a replacement door.

Paperwork for your insurer

Once the work is done, you receive:

• an itemised invoice
• time-stamped before and after photographs
• a written statement of the work done

Your insurer decides what’s covered. We’re not loss adjusters or legal advisers, but this paperwork gives them a clear record of what was secured and when. Our guide to insurance claims explains how to use it.

If your situation is different

Not every damaged opening comes from a break-in, fire or storm. Accidental damage, a cracked shop window or an empty property that needs closing up all start with the same call. Landlords and agents with a vacant home or commercial unit can read about securing empty properties.

What to tell us on the call

To give you a free, clear quote before any work starts, we’ll ask for:

• your postcode
• the type and size of each damaged opening
• which floor it’s on, and whether there’s easy access or it needs a ladder or roof access
• whether a door or frame needs securing first
• whether there’s broken glass or debris to make safe
• photographs, if you can take them safely

There are no prices on this page because they depend on those details. Arrival is worked out on the call from your postcode.

We’ve been boarding up properties for over 10 years. We’re fully insured, with the certificate available on request, and DBS-checked. The van carries boarding stock and fixings.

Call 020 4652 1801 or Email us with your postcode, a description of the damaged opening and any safe photographs. We’ll talk through access and the quote with you.