Emergency boarding up
Emergency Boarding Up in Consett
Call with your postcode for a current arrival estimate.
- 24-hour emergency cover
- No call-out charge
- Price agreed before work starts
Window or Door Smashed? We Can Secure It
Rapid Locksmiths Consett boards up smashed windows, forced doors and damaged openings across Consett, 24 hours a day, to make the property secure until a permanent repair can be done. Boarding is temporary: it stops the property being left open overnight, and it is usually finished in one visit.
There is no call-out charge. If the damage followed a break-in, speak to the police first (see burglary repairs).
What Is Emergency Boarding Up, Actually?
Boarding up means fixing cut boards over a broken or exposed opening so the building is closed again. It is the standard emergency answer when a window, door or shopfront has been damaged and cannot be put right on the spot, because it secures the opening temporarily while a lasting repair is arranged.
Each job sets out to achieve two things, and the order is deliberate:
- remove the immediate danger of broken glass to anyone nearby
- shut the opening, so access is restricted and exposure to the weather is reduced
Think of it as protection, not a cure. A board is not new glass, it is not a new door, and it should never be mistaken for the finished repair.
Please do not move loose glass or attempt to cover a large or unstable opening yourself, as handling it is where injuries tend to happen. The more detail you can give us about the damage, the better we can assess the likely work before attendance.
Boarding Up Is Temporary: What Happens After?
Think of boarding as time bought, not a job done. What comes after it depends on where the damage is: in the locking system, in the door or frame, or in the glass itself.
If the lock, door or frame is damaged
That falls to us. Locks, doors, frames and mechanisms can be repaired or replaced, often on a return visit once parts have been sourced.
If the glass is broken
That falls to a glazier. We board the opening and leave it secure, but replacing glass or a sealed unit is not our work, and you will need a glazier to reglaze it.
How long the board should stay
Days or a few weeks, rather than months. Weather will eventually get in around the fixings of a board left up long term, so it is worth arranging the permanent repair promptly.
Locksmith pricing
Before Anyone Attends, Agree the Price
Before anyone boards your property, you should have agreed to it and you should know the price. That sounds obvious, but in this trade it is not always what happens. Some operators attend damaged premises uninvited, occasionally prompted by a police or council report, fit boards that nobody requested and then invoice at a multiple of the job's real worth, pursuing payment aggressively.
You are entitled to authorise the work yourself, to hear a price before anyone sets off, and to ask three questions: what is the board, how is it fixed, and what happens when you want it removed.
Here is how we work. We give you the price over the phone. We only attend when you ask us to. The price stays the same on arrival unless the damage is materially different from your description, and if it is, we tell you before any work starts.
What affects the cost?
Service required, time of attendance, lock and door type, labour and parts.
When Do You Need Emergency Boarding Up?
The need arises whenever a home, rental property or commercial building has been left with an exposed opening that cannot be permanently repaired right away. That covers far more than break-ins.
When there was a break-in
A forced entrance or broken window leaves the property open to further access. After police approval, we fit temporary boards to secure the exposed opening while burglary repairs are assessed or arranged.
A door that cannot be repaired on the same visit
If the door, frame or a locking component is too damaged to repair during the initial visit, the opening can be boarded temporarily. Where a locking component has failed, an emergency lock repair may also be needed.
Vandalism, or a window that is smashed
Criminal damage can leave glass broken and the opening unsecured even though nobody entered. The board stays in place until a glazier has replaced the damaged glass.
Property that is empty or between-tenancy
An unoccupied property with a broken opening is exposed to unauthorised access, and wind or rain can get in without anyone seeing it. While permanent repairs are being arranged by the landlord, letting agent or property manager, boards maintain its security.
Storm or accidental damage
Strong winds, falling objects or accidental impact can damage windows, doors and the frames around them. Until repairs can be completed, temporary boards limit access and lessen further exposure to the weather.
How We Go About Boarding Up a Damaged Opening
No two damaged openings are identical, so each one is assessed before boarding is fitted. What has broken, how sound the surrounding structure is and where the fixing points are all shape the method.
Step 1: assessment. The technician examines the opening, its frame and any hazards that can be seen. That tells us whether boarding can be fitted safely and what the job is likely to involve, and it flags anything that could affect safe access or a correct fit.
Step 2: safety. Work on loose glass and unstable material takes place only when it is safe and appropriate to undertake it.
Step 3: measuring. Instead of selecting a standard board size, we take measurements of the actual damaged opening.
Step 4: fitting. The structure, access and extent of damage determine how the board is secured.
Step 5: final check. Once the boarding has been inspected in place, the technician explains to you what visibly needs to happen next; this might involve locksmith work, a door repair or replacement glazing.
With emergency boarding in place, safety in the area is improved and the opening is temporarily secured. Read on for who should handle the permanent repair.
When You Call, What Happens?
Four steps, and the first one is yours. Calling for emergency boarding up is straightforward, and anything you can safely tell us helps us understand the damage, explain the likely work and give you a current arrival estimate.
1. Tell us about the opening. What is damaged, its rough size, and whether there is broken glass.
2. Agree the price. We give you the price and an honest estimate of arrival time.
**3. Our part here is temporary security for the exposed opening.
4. Next steps are explained. A damaged lock, cylinder, handle or locking mechanism can be assessed by us for repair or replacement. If the door or frame is damaged, it may need locksmith work, new components or a door-repair specialist. To establish what to do next following a forced entry, our burglary repair service can provide help.
Make arrangements for a permanent repair at the earliest practical opportunity. The board protects the opening for now, but it is not a long-term substitute for repairing the window, door or locking system.
Locksmith pricing
Emergency Boarding Up Across Consett
An open property cannot wait until morning, and Consett is a built-up area of around 29,900 usual residents (Census 2021, ONS). We board up damaged doors, windows and shopfronts for homeowners, landlords, letting agents and businesses across it. Calls from Blackhill, Templetown, Bridgehill, Bridgehill Circular, Benfieldside and Shotley Bridge, and from anywhere else in DH8, go to one number. Those six areas are mostly houses (Census 2021, ONS; indicative), so the opening to cover is usually a household's own window or door.
If a crime is the cause, report it to Durham Constabulary on 101 or at durham.police.uk, and wait for them to say when the entry point can be touched.
What affects the cost?
Service required, time of attendance, lock and door type, labour and parts.
Does Your Insurance Cover Boarding Up?
Many policies will cover emergency boarding, but yours may differ. Home, landlord and commercial policies can include temporary work needed to prevent further access or damage after an insured incident, with limits and claim requirements that vary between insurers. The safe course is to read your policy and speak to your insurer as soon as practical.
Some practical points:
- Call your insurer's emergency helpline before you authorise work, if it is practical to do so.
- Photographs or a short video taken before work begins can support a claim, as long as it is safe to take them.
- Evidence is never a reason to approach loose glass or an unstable opening, so do not.
- Where the police have been informed, retain the crime reference number for your claim.
- Hold on to every invoice and receipt for the boarding and the permanent repair.
If the property cannot safely stay exposed while the insurer responds, wait until the police allow work after a break-in before arranging temporary security, document the damage and follow their claims instructions as soon as possible.
Locksmith pricing
What Does Emergency Boarding Up Cost?
The honest answer is that it depends, and here is exactly what it depends on. The cost of emergency boarding up comes down to the opening and the work involved in securing it:
| Factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Size and type of opening | A small window is far less work than a large doorway or shopfront |
| Number of openings | Several damaged openings take longer than one |
| Damage around the frame | More damage to the structure means more work |
| Access | Openings that are harder or less safe to reach take more time |
| Property type | Residential and commercial jobs differ |
| Time of attendance | When you need us affects the rate |
Pricing is clear and there is no separate call-out charge. Before attending, we use the details you provide to explain the price. You pay for the work carried out, any parts needed, and VAT. Rates outside Monday to Friday, 7am to 6pm, are higher, but the call-out itself is never charged. Before any work starts, we explain any change to the work or price if the damage turns out to differ materially from the description.
What affects the cost?
Service required, time of attendance, lock and door type, labour and parts.
Emergency and planned locksmith services
Call Rapid Locksmiths Consett Now
Ring 01207 763119 at any hour: we answer 24 hours a day, there is no call-out charge, and the price is agreed on the call before anyone travels.
- Phone: 01207 763119
01207 763119
Frequently Asked Questions
How quickly can you board up my property?
Boarding call-outs are taken 24 hours a day, including nights, weekends and bank holidays.
Do you replace the glass as well?
Glass replacement is not part of our service, and it is better to say so up front. Our side of the job is boarding the opening so the property is secure, plus any repair or replacement of locks, doors, frames and mechanisms. A glazier fits the new glass or sealed unit, and we make clear which trade handles each part.
How long can boarding stay up?
Boarding is built to last for days or a few weeks, not for months on end. Its purpose is to keep the property secure and dry while a permanent repair is arranged. A board left in place long term will start to let weather in around where it is fixed, and it does not replace a proper repair.
Will my insurance pay for it?
Your policy may pay towards emergency boarding, but check the terms and limits. Boarding after storm damage, a break-in or vandalism is often covered because it helps prevent additional loss. Home and business policies can both include this protection. Notify the insurer without delay.
Can I just board it up myself?
Yes, a small window is a manageable job with the right materials. Two things usually go wrong: the board is not cut to fit, or it is fixed with ordinary screws from the outside, which anyone can remove in a minute. Stay away from broken glass and from work at height. Leave forced entry or large openings to a professional; after forced entry, police permission must come before boarding.
Someone turned up and boarded my property without being asked. Do I have to pay?
You should take advice before paying. Authorisation is yours to give, and no work should be done without it; you are also entitled to a price before anyone travels. A company that attended and invoiced uninstructed should not simply be paid. Our approach is different: we come only when you ask, and the price is given on the call first.
Do you board up shops and commercial premises?
We do. Shopfronts, office entrances, industrial units and empty commercial premises are all handled on the same terms as homes. Because commercial openings are often bigger, and may need several boards or working at height, the price can be higher, which is why a description of the opening on the call is useful.
What do you use to board up with?
Working to the opening, not a standard size, gives a tighter, more secure fit that keeps the weather out.
Still have a question or need urgent assistance? Call 01207 763119, tell us what has happened and receive a current arrival estimate.