FAQs — Boarding Up Romford (RM Postcodes)

When you’ve got a smashed window, a forced door, or a damaged shopfront, you usually need answers quickly — not a sales pitch. Below are the most common questions we get about boarding up in Romford and across the RM postcode area.

If you can’t see your question here, call us and we’ll talk you through the best next step.

Need urgent help? Call 01708 973 306 (or email info@boarding-up-romford.co.uk).

The questions we get most often

Do you offer emergency boarding up in Romford?

Yes. We provide emergency boarding up Romford and across RM postcodes to help you make safe a property after incidents like break-ins, vandalism, or storm damage.

For urgent situations (out of hours, nights, weekends), head to our dedicated page: emergency boarding up.
If it’s not urgent, you can also contact us for planned works and a quote.

Are you a 24/7 boarding up service?

We handle 24/7 boarding up requests, including out of hours call-outs. We can’t honestly guarantee a fixed arrival time because it depends on workload, location, and conditions — but if you call, we’ll give you a realistic ETA and prioritise genuinely urgent jobs.

What should I do first if my window has been smashed?

If you’ve had a smashed window, the priority is safety and security:

  1. Check for injuries and call 999 if anyone is at risk.
  2. If there’s been a crime, call the police and keep your crime reference number.
  3. If safe, take photos of the damage for your insurer (don’t touch sharp glass).
  4. Keep people away from the opening and any loose glass.
  5. Call us to board up a broken window and secure the property.

If you want more detail on the service itself, see window boarding in Romford.

Can you board up my window tonight in Romford?

Often, yes — this is exactly what emergency boarding up is for. If you need to secure property tonight, call us and we’ll advise what to do immediately, then arrange attendance as soon as possible.

For urgent help: emergency boarding up.

Do you board up doors after a break-in?

Yes. If you need to board up a door after forced entry, we can secure the opening and advise on the most sensible next step based on the damage.

In some cases, door boarding is enough for a short period; in others, a temporary steel door may be the safer option for medium-term security (especially if the property will be empty). See: door boarding services and vacant property boarding solutions.

What materials do you use — plywood or OSB?

It depends on the job and the opening size.

  • 18mm exterior-grade plywood is commonly used for strong, reliable temporary boarding, especially for larger or higher-risk openings.
  • OSB (often 12mm) may be suitable for smaller openings or lower-risk situations.

We’ll choose materials based on security needs, weather exposure, and how long you need the property secured. We’ll explain the options clearly before we start.

How do you fix boards without causing extra damage?

Where possible, we use methods that avoid unnecessary damage — for example, fixing into frames or using techniques that spread load and reduce the risk of cracking surrounding materials.

That said, if the frame is already split, rotten, badly warped, or unsafe, non-destructive fixing may not be possible. In those cases we’ll explain what’s viable and why, before proceeding. The goal is always the same: make safe and secure property properly.

Do you use anti-tamper fixings?

Yes, when appropriate. Anti-tamper fixings help prevent boards being removed from the outside, which is particularly important when a building will be unattended (common after a burglary, or for void properties).

If you’re comparing short-term vs longer-term options, you may also want to read about security approaches for commercial properties and vacant properties.

Can you board up a shopfront?

Yes. We provide shopfront boarded up services for retail units, restaurants, offices, and mixed-use buildings across Romford and RM areas.

Shopfronts often involve larger glazed panels and public-facing risk, so we’ll focus on strong fixings, sensible coverage, and a tidy finish that reduces attention. Learn more here: shopfront boarding.

Can you board up a rooflight or skylight?

Yes — if you have a damaged rooflight/skylight, we can provide roof boarding and temporary weatherproofing to reduce water ingress and secure the opening.

Access and safety are key with overhead work, so we’ll assess the safest approach on arrival. See: roof boarding services.

Do you handle storm damage boarding?

Yes. After high winds or impact damage, the aim is to stop the property being left exposed and to reduce the chance of further damage. We regularly attend storm damage situations to secure property and provide temporary boarding.

More on what to do after an event: storm damage help.

Do you board up after vandalism?

Yes. Vandalism often involves smashed windows, damaged frames, or shopfront attacks. We can make safe quickly and provide the documentation people often need for their insurer or landlord.

See: vandalism repair support.

Do you board up after a fire?

We can help secure the property after fire by boarding damaged openings and restricting access where needed. We’re not a fire restoration company, so we don’t provide smoke/odour remediation — our role is to make the building safe and secure.

More detail here: fire damage support.

What about flood damage — can you board up then?

Sometimes. Flooding can swell timber frames and damage doors so they won’t close properly. Boarding up can be appropriate when openings can’t be secured, but we’ll also consider ventilation needs and the condition of the surrounding structure.

See: flood damage support.

Do you work with landlords and property managers?

Yes. We regularly help landlords, managing agents, and facilities teams with both urgent call-outs and planned security measures — particularly for vacant property boarding and end-of-tenancy void periods.

Relevant pages:

What areas do you cover?

We cover Romford and the wider RM postcode area (RM1–RM50). If you’re unsure whether you’re in range, check our areas we cover or call and we’ll confirm quickly.

Popular local pages include:

Are you insured and are your technicians DBS-checked?

Yes — we’re fully insured, and our technicians are DBS-checked. We’ve also been trading for 10+ years, and we aim to work in a way that’s professional, calm, and respectful — particularly when customers are dealing with a stressful event.

Is boarding up covered by insurance?

Often it can be, but it depends on your policy and the circumstances. We’re not loss adjusters and can’t decide what your insurer will cover — but we can provide the documentation insurers typically ask for.

For practical guidance, see: insurance claims help.

What documentation do you provide for insurance or landlords?

Where requested, we can provide:

  • Time-stamped photos of the secured openings (before/after)
  • An itemised invoice
  • A short work statement describing what was done and why (make-safe/security)

This helps when dealing with insurers, landlords, managing agents, or facilities teams.

How much does boarding up cost in Romford?

Costs vary based on the opening size, number of elevations affected, access (e.g., flats above shops), material choice, and whether it’s out-of-hours. We don’t publish “one size fits all” pricing because it can be misleading.

We can talk through your situation and give a clear quote. For what influences price, see: pricing information.

How long does boarding up take?

Most single openings can often be secured fairly quickly once we’re on site, but time depends on:

  • The size and shape of the opening
  • Whether the frame is intact or badly damaged
  • Access (rear access, height, shutters, shopfront layout)
  • The level of security needed (standard vs anti-tamper)

If you call, we’ll ask a few quick questions and set expectations before we attend.

Will boarding up stop rain and drafts completely?

Boarding up helps reduce exposure and improves security, but it’s not the same as a fully glazed, sealed unit. In heavy weather, especially with damaged frames, some draughts or moisture can still be possible.

If full weatherproofing requires follow-on repairs, we’ll tell you honestly what boarding can and can’t achieve.

Can you remove the boards later?

Yes. If you need temporary boarding removed after repairs or re-glazing, let us know. It’s always worth keeping paperwork and photos of what was done so the transition to permanent repairs is straightforward.

Do I need to be on site for boarding up?

Usually, yes — especially for residential properties — because we’ll need access and confirmation of what you want secured.

For landlords/managing agents, access can sometimes be arranged via keysafe/keys/contractor access, but we’ll always confirm authorisation and the safest way to proceed. If you’re unsure, call and we’ll advise.

Do you replace glass or repair frames as well?

Our main role is to make safe and secure property using boarding and security measures. We don’t claim to be a full glazing or building repair service on this site.

If you’re not sure what you need, start with the basics: what is boarding up?. We can also explain the best next steps once the property is secured.

Not sure what you need? Start here

If you’re dealing with a break-in, vandalism, or accident damage, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed. The immediate priority is to secure the opening, reduce risk, and gather the info you’ll need for insurance or property management.

Contact us

Need help now? Call 01708 973 306 for immediate assistance.
Or email: info@boarding-up-romford.co.uk.