Property Damage Boarding Up in Staines: Burglary, Fire and Storm
When a window, door, shopfront or roof light has been broken, our property damage boarding up in Staines closes the opening, protects what’s inside and gives you documentation for your insurer. This page sets out the first steps after a break-in, a fire or storm damage. Each section links to a fuller guide.
A person answers our phone 24 hours a day. If you need help now, call 01784 774 186. We’ll ask for your postcode, what’s broken and how easy it is to reach, then work out an arrival time and give you a free, clear quote before any work starts.
The same first priorities apply to every situation
The cause of the damage changes some of the details. The first priorities stay the same:
- Keep people clear. Broken glass, splintered frames and loose debris cause injuries. Keep children and pets away, and don’t try to pull out hanging shards.
- Don’t go anywhere unsafe. That includes a fire-damaged building, a roof, or anywhere that looks structurally unsound.
- Photograph the damage only if it’s safe. A few pictures taken from a safe spot help your insurer, and they help us plan the visit.
- Gather the basics before you call. Your postcode, the type and rough size of each damaged opening, whether it’s on the ground floor or higher up, and whether a door or frame has been forced or weakened.
Burglary and break-ins
After a break-in, you need to secure the property and keep a clear record for your insurer. Report it to the police and keep the crime reference number. Contact your insurer, and photograph the damage if it’s safe to do so. Try not to tidy up first, because the police may want to see things as they were left.
A forced entry usually damages a door, a lock or a ground-floor window. A smashed pane can normally be boarded straight away. A door that’s been kicked in is different. The frame or lock may need securing before the opening can be closed properly. Where a frame is badly split, we’ll explain the options to you before we fix anything to it.
Read more in our guide to boarding up after a burglary or break-in.
Fire damage
With a fire, the order of events matters. The fire service has to hand the site back before anyone else goes in. Once that has happened, we can board the windows, doors and other openings that were broken by heat or by firefighting. That keeps the weather and intruders out while you sort out the next stage.
We secure the openings. Smoke and odour remediation is outside our scope, so you’ll need a specialist for that. When you call, it helps to say which openings are affected, whether any are on upper floors, and whether the fire service has already released the property.
Our fire damage boarding guide goes through this in more detail.
Storm damage
High winds and falling branches can break glazing, blow in doors and damage skylights. At ground level, a broken window can often be closed quickly. Higher openings and roof lights depend on access. We assess those on the call using your photographs, so nobody needs to climb up to take a look. Please don’t go onto a roof or lean out of an upper window to check the damage.
Our guide to storm damage boarding covers windows, doors and roof openings in more detail.
What happens on the visit
The work follows the same pattern, whatever caused the damage:
- We make the area safe. We clear loose glass and debris from the opening and its immediate surroundings.
- We measure and cut on site. The van carries boarding stock and fixings. We usually use exterior-grade plywood, typically 18mm, and OSB can suit smaller openings.
- We fix the boards securely. Where the frame allows, we use non-destructive fixing, so the frame is easier to repair later. Security or anti-tamper fixings can be used where they’re appropriate.
- We record the work. You receive an itemised invoice, time-stamped before and after photographs and a written statement of the work done.
Boarding is the make-safe stage. Once the property is secure, you can arrange permanent glazing, door or roof repairs in your own time. You won’t need to rush them on the night.
Many homes around Staines are 19th-century villas and terraces, such as those around Knowle Green and along London Road and Kingston Road. Older timber frames like these can need a little more care when we choose how to fix the boards. We’ll talk you through it if your frame needs a different approach.
Which service fits your situation
Different events often lead to the same type of work:
- Broken panes from a break-in or a storm usually need window boarding.
- Forced or fire-damaged doors may need the frame or lock secured first, and then door boarding.
- Shops and other commercial premises, including those around the High Street and Church Street, may need shopfront boarding so the rest of the building stays protected.
- Damaged skylights and roof openings fall under roof and skylight boarding.
If a property has been left empty after damage, vacant property security covers boarding its windows and doors. You can see everything we do on the services overview.
Paperwork for your insurer
It’s your insurer who decides what is covered. We aren’t loss adjusters or legal advisers. What we can do is give you clear records to submit: the itemised invoice, the time-stamped photographs and the written statement. Our insurance claims guide explains how those documents fit into a claim.
Talk to us about the damage
Tell us what happened, your postcode, which openings are affected and how large they are, and send any photographs you’ve taken safely. We’ll go through access and any frame damage with you, agree the arrival time and give you a free, clear quote before work begins. If it’s urgent, our 24-hour emergency boarding page explains how out-of-hours calls work.