Repairs within 100 road miles of Birmingham
Shopfront glass replacement
Replacing broken or failed shopfront glass, from a single door pane to a full display window, within 100 road miles of Birmingham. Glass in shopfront doors and low-level panes has to be safety glass, and replacing it is the cheapest point at which to move to laminated. The price depends on size, type and access, and is quoted after measuring.
Consents this work tends to involve
- Often nothing new from the councilTypical case — confirm
Like-for-like glass needs no planning permission.
- Listed building consentSometimes
Replacing historic glass, or adding film or etched lettering, on a listed building.
- Building regulationsOften needed
Glass in critical locations must meet the safety-glazing rules even when only one pane is replaced.
An installer’s general guide; your council decides.
Toughened or laminated?
Toughened glass is strong but, when it does break, it shatters into small pieces and leaves an open hole. Laminated glass cracks but stays in the frame, held by its interlayer — which is why councils keep recommending it in place of shutters. Laminated security glazing is classified by its resistance to manual attack; ask which class you are being quoted.
Where must the glass be safety glass?
In the critical locations the building regulations define: from floor level up to 800 mm in walls and screens, and up to 1500 mm in a door or in a side panel within 300 mm of a door’s edge. In a shopfront that covers most of the glazing.
Why can’t you cut a toughened pane on the day?
Toughened glass is made to final size and then heat-treated; cut it afterwards and it shatters. That is why a replacement usually means a make-safe first visit and a fitting visit a few days later.
Standards and regulations
| Reference | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Approved Document K | Protection from impact: critical locations for safety glazing. |
| BS EN 12600 | Pendulum impact classification for safety glass. |
| BS EN 356 | Resistance of security glazing to manual attack (classes P1A–P8B). |
Questions
Will laminated glass stop a break-in?
Related
- Emergency repairs — Break-ins, smashed glass and shutters stuck shut — a reply within two hours.
- Aluminium shopfronts — Framed glazed fronts in powder-coated aluminium, proportioned to the building they sit in.
- Frameless glass fronts — Structural glass with patch fittings, for settings where the view in is the point.