Commercial Boarding Up South East London
Commercial boarding up South East London is about keeping your business safe, compliant and operational after damage or when a property is temporarily empty. Whether you manage a single shop in Peckham or a multi-site portfolio across Southwark and Greenwich, we provide fast, professional commercial boarding up and emergency securing tailored to business needs.
With over 10 years’ experience across SE postcodes, our DBS-checked, fully insured team helps shop owners, landlords, estate agents, facilities managers and councils to board up and secure quickly, safely and with insurer‑friendly paperwork.
When You Need Commercial Boarding Up
Businesses in South East London face a range of risks. We provide commercial boarding up South East London wide for:
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Break-ins and attempted burglaries
- Damaged doors or frames after a kick-in
- Smashed windows or glass shopfronts
- Stock or equipment left exposed to the street
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Vandalism and anti-social behaviour
- Graffiti and smashed glazing
- Damaged shutters or roller doors
- Safety concerns for staff and customers
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Accidents and impacts
- Vehicular impact to a shopfront or commercial frontage
- Cracked or shattered glass on offices, showrooms, or restaurants
- Unsafe areas needing a quick safety cordon and boarded barrier
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Storms and weather damage
- Wind-blown doors and windows
- Rooflights, skylights or upper-storey windows damaged by debris
- Temporary weatherproofing to protect stock and interiors
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Fire and flood incidents
- Doors and windows compromised by fire crews or water damage
- Need to secure an empty unit while investigations and drying works take place
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Vacant and void commercial units
- Securing empty shops between tenants
- Protecting offices and industrial units from squatters and fly-tipping
- Medium-term void property security with anti-vandal solutions
Our fast boarding up services South East London are designed for:
- Shopfronts and retail units on high streets like Lewisham, Greenwich, Peckham and Woolwich
- Pubs, bars, cafés and restaurants with large street-facing glazing
- Offices and managed buildings requiring RAMS and coordination with building management
- Industrial and warehouse units that need large openings secured quickly
- Estate agents and landlords needing reliable landlord boarding up and estate agent boarding up solutions
If you’re unsure what you need, we can advise on the right level of temporary boarding up to protect your business while you plan permanent repairs.
How We Secure Your Commercial Property
We focus on non-destructive securing wherever possible, meaning we aim to protect doors, frames, shopfronts and window surrounds so they’re ready for repair or replacement later. Only if there’s serious structural damage or a clear safety risk will we need to remove damaged components.
Materials: Plywood & OSB Boarding
For most commercial boarding up in South East London we use:
- External-grade plywood or OSB (oriented strand board)
- Typical thickness 11–18mm, chosen based on:
- Size of the opening
- Height from the ground
- Risk level (busy high streets vs quieter side roads)
We’ll explain the options simply so you understand why a specific plywood boarding or OSB boarding approach is best for your premises.
Anti-Tamper Fixings & Secure Methods
To deter unauthorised access, we use:
- Anti-tamper fixings, designed so they cannot easily be undone from outside
- Fixing methods that use existing frames or brickwork wherever possible
- Internal bracing where needed to avoid damaging delicate or aluminium frames
On shopfronts and commercial units we always balance:
- Security – preventing easy removal of boards
- Safety & compliance – ensuring no sharp edges, trip hazards or unsafe fixings
- Future repairs – boarding that can be removed cleanly by your glazier or shopfitter
Door Boarding Up & Temporary Steel Doors
If you cannot lock your front door, you may need more than just a boarded panel:
- We can install door boarding up using heavy-duty timber and anti-tamper fixings
- Where appropriate, we can fit temporary steel doors that:
- Allow authorised staff/contractors access with a key
- Offer significantly better resistance to forced entry
- Are suitable for medium-term vacant property boarding and secure empty property arrangements
These are commonly used for:
- Fire or flood-damaged shops and offices
- Units waiting on longer-term refits
- Properties at high risk of re-entry or repeated vandalism
Shopfront Boarding & Shutter Coordination
For retailers and hospitality businesses we provide specialist shopfront boarding South East London services:
- Boarding of large plate glass windows and glazed doors
- Working around or with existing roller shutters and grilles
- Liaising with your shutter company where relevant
We can coordinate access with building managers or security staff and are used to working on busy high streets and shopping parades.
You can read more about our dedicated shopfront boarding services if your main concern is a damaged retail frontage.
Roof & Skylight Boarding
For commercial properties with rooflights or high-level glazing, we offer:
- Roof & skylight boarding using OSB or plywood
- Temporary weatherproofing to limit further water ingress
- Access solutions appropriate to the site (e.g., mobile towers, internal access where possible)
Where larger roofing works are required, we can liaise with your roofer or maintenance contractor and provide interim protection. Learn more on our roof & skylight boarding page.
Non-Destructive First, Exceptions Explained
Our standard approach:
- Secure using existing fixings and frames first
- Avoid drilling into shopfront frames unless absolutely necessary
- Only cut or remove elements where:
- They are already beyond repair
- There is a clear safety hazard
- The emergency services or building control have advised removal
If we do need to take a more invasive approach, we’ll explain why and document it clearly for your insurers.
Why Choose Us for Commercial Boarding Up
Choosing the right boarding up contractors in South East London matters when your business is on the line.
Local, Experienced & Fully Insured
- Over 10 years’ experience in commercial boarding up across SE postcodes
- Regular work for landlords, estate agents, facilities managers and small businesses
- Public liability insurance in place for your peace of mind
- DBS-checked technicians used to working in sensitive environments, including schools, healthcare and public sector buildings
We cover commercial properties across areas such as:
- Southwark, Bermondsey, Elephant and Castle, Bankside and the South Bank
- Lewisham, Catford, Deptford, Brockley and New Cross
- Greenwich, Woolwich, Abbey Wood, Thamesmead and Charlton
- Crystal Palace, Sydenham, Penge, Beckenham and surrounding neighbourhoods
See more on the areas we cover in South East London.
24/7 Availability & Efficient Dispatch
- 24 hour boarding up and out-of-hours boarding up for emergencies
- Same day boarding up where possible for non-urgent but time-sensitive situations
- Efficient dispatch from our South East London base rather than distant call centres
For urgent issues, visit our dedicated 24/7 emergency boarding up page or call directly.
Business-Friendly Approach
We understand business pressures:
- Work planned to minimise disruption to trading where realistic
- Clear, polite communication with you, your staff and any security teams
- RAMS (risk assessments and method statements) available for larger or managed sites
We routinely provide commercial boarding up South East London services for:
- High street retailers and independents
- Chains and franchises
- Managed office buildings and co-working spaces
- Hospitality venues, bars, restaurants and cafés
- Light industrial and storage units
Insurer-Friendly Paperwork & Photos
Most commercial incidents end up involving insurers. We help by providing:
- Time-stamped photos of damage and completed boarding up
- Itemised invoices showing labour, materials and access equipment
- A short statement of work summarising what we did and why
For more information see our dedicated insurance support for boarding up page. Remember to keep any police reference number if there has been a crime; your insurer is likely to ask for it.
What Happens Next
We keep the process simple so you can get back to running your business.
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Initial Contact
- Call us or email with a brief description of the problem.
- For emergencies, we prioritise making the site safe and secure.
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Assessment & Quote
- We’ll ask for key details: property type, opening sizes, access issues and risk level.
- Where possible, we can often quote from photos sent by email.
- For larger or complex sites we may suggest a short site visit before confirming costs.
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Boarding Up & Securing
- Our technicians arrive with materials and fixings ready for commercial work.
- We clear broken glass and obvious hazards and then install the boarding, steel doors or screens agreed.
- We work tidily, aiming to leave you with a secure, safe and presentable frontage until repairs can take place.
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Aftercare & Follow-Up
- We provide photos and invoices suitable for insurance claims.
- We can return to de-board when your glazing or shopfitting contractors are ready.
- If your property is likely to remain empty, we can advise on longer-term vacant property boarding or improved void property security.
If you’d like an outline of likely costs and what affects them, see our guide to boarding up prices in South East London. For homeowners and mixed-use premises, our residential boarding up services may also be relevant.
FAQs
How fast can you get to my commercial property?
We provide 24/7 boarding up South East London wide and prioritise emergencies such as smashed shopfronts or insecure doors. Exact times depend on location and traffic, but we always aim for a prompt, realistic response and will be honest about availability when you call.
Can you work out-of-hours to avoid disrupting trading?
Yes. We regularly provide out-of-hours boarding up for shops, offices and hospitality venues. We can attend after closing or before opening where practical, and fully out-of-hours response is available for emergencies like break-ins or storm damage.
Do you handle large shopfront windows?
Yes. Our shopfront boarding service is specifically set up for large plate glass, curtain walling and multi-panel façades. We bring suitable lengths of plywood or OSB, appropriate fixings and, where needed, access equipment to secure larger or higher-level glazing.
Can you coordinate with my facilities management team?
We frequently work with facilities managers, building managers and managing agents. We can share simple RAMS for planned works, agree access routes and liaise with on-site security so that boarding up happens safely and efficiently.
Is commercial boarding up covered by insurance?
In many cases, yes – especially for events like break-ins, vandalism, fire or storm damage – but it depends on your policy. We are not loss adjusters or legal advisors, but we do provide insurance-ready paperwork (photos, invoices, work summaries) to support your claim.
Can you secure a long-term empty shop or office?
Yes. For longer voids we can offer temporary steel doors, steel security screens and other void property security measures. These help secure empty property in South East London against squatters, rough sleeping, theft and fly-tipping.
Need help securing a commercial property?
Need help now? Call 020 4538 1506 or Email us.
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