24 Hour Emergency Boarding Up Dartford (DA1–DA18)

When you’re dealing with a smashed window, a forced door, or a shopfront that’s been hit, you don’t need a long wait or a hard sell — you need the property made safe. We provide 24 hour emergency boarding up in Dartford and across the DA postcode area, helping homeowners, landlords, shop owners and facilities teams secure property quickly and responsibly.

Need help now? Call 01322 952 450
Prefer email (non-urgent)? info@boarding-up-dartford.co.uk

We don’t promise fixed arrival times because emergency conditions vary. When you call, we’ll ask a few practical questions and give you a realistic ETA based on where our team is and the urgency of your job.

Emergency make-safe in Dartford — what we do (and what we don’t)

Emergency boarding up is about making safe and preventing further loss: keeping people out, keeping weather out, and reducing the risk of further damage while you arrange repairs.

We can help with:

  • Board up broken window calls after accidents, vandalism or attempted break-ins
  • Board up door after forced entry or failed locks
  • Shopfront boarded up after impact damage or anti-social behaviour
  • Ground-floor, first-floor and awkward access openings (we’ll talk you through what’s possible on arrival)
  • Temporary boarding for short-term security, plus stronger options for longer-term risk

What we don’t do:

  • We’re not loss adjusters or legal advisors — but we do provide documentation insurers typically ask for (photos and paperwork).
  • We don’t carry out full glazing/joinery repairs as part of emergency boarding. We secure the opening and leave it safe for follow-on contractors.
  • Smoke/odour remediation after fire is outside our scope — we secure the property and help you stabilise the situation.

For a deeper overview of methods and terminology, see: what boarding up is and how it works.

Call now for out of hours boarding up in Dartford

Damage doesn’t wait for business hours. If you need out of hours help tonight, early morning, weekends or bank holidays, call us and we’ll prioritise urgent risks (open access, vulnerable ground-floor glazing, exposed shopfronts).

Emergency boarding up Dartford: Call 01322 952 450

What happens when you call (3 steps)

1) Quick assessment over the phone

We’ll ask a few key questions so we bring the right materials and fixings:

  • Is it a smashed window, damaged frame, or full opening?
  • Approximate size and height (ground floor/upper floor)
  • Residential or commercial (shopfronts often need larger sheets and different fixings)
  • Any safety issues (loose glass, ongoing police attendance, fire service involvement)

If you’re not sure, don’t worry — tell us what you can see and we’ll take it from there.

2) Attendance, make-safe, and securing the opening

On arrival we’ll:

  • Check stability of the frame/opening and any immediate hazards
  • Remove or make safe loose shards where accessible (without turning it into a full clean-up)
  • Install boarding using appropriate materials and anti-tamper fixings where needed
  • Make sure the property can be left secure until permanent repairs are arranged

If the frame is too damaged for non-destructive methods, we’ll explain the options before proceeding.

3) Documentation for your records/insurer

After the job, you can expect:

  • Time-stamped photos of the damage and the boarded opening
  • An itemised invoice
  • A clear work statement describing what we did and the materials used

This is often enough to support an insurance claim — see guidance here: insurance claims support.

How we board up in an emergency (materials and fixings)

A proper emergency board-up isn’t just “putting a sheet over it”. The goal is to secure the opening in a way that’s hard to remove from outside, strong enough for the risk level, and suitable for the surface we’re fixing into.

Common materials we use:

  • 18mm exterior-grade plywood for most doors, shopfront panels, and larger or higher-risk window openings
  • 12mm OSB for smaller openings or where a lighter temporary solution is appropriate

Common fixing methods (chosen based on the frame and substrate):

  • Anti-tamper screw fixings to deter removal from outside — especially important if the property will be unattended
  • Battening and through-bolting methods where appropriate for strength and to reduce damage to surrounding frames
  • Practical, safe placement to avoid stressing cracked frames or loose masonry

Want the detail on a specific service type? These pages explain options and when they’re used:

Common emergency call-outs we get across DA postcodes

Every incident is different, but these are the situations where emergency boarding usually helps most:

  • Burglary or attempted break-in (door kicked in, lock area split, sidelights smashed)
  • Vandalism causing a smashed window or repeated targeting
  • Storm damage where glazing has failed and weather is getting in
  • Accidental impact (sports ball through glass, DIY accidents, vehicle contact)
  • Fire incidents where the structure is stable but openings are exposed and need securing

If your situation matches one of these, you may also find these guides useful:

Residential, commercial, and vacant property emergencies

Homes, flats and maisonettes

For residential properties, the priority is safety and privacy as well as security. We’re often called where a bedroom window has been smashed, a patio door panel has failed, or a front door has been forced.

Related help: residential boarding up

Shops, offices and mixed-use buildings

Commercial sites often need stronger, larger boarding and a tidy approach that keeps the frontage safe for staff and the public. We can shopfront board up large glazed areas and secure access points so you can reopen or hand over to your insurer’s contractor.

Related help: commercial boarding up

Empty or void properties

If a building is vacant or between tenants, it’s more likely to be targeted again. We can discuss more robust short-to-medium-term options such as temporary steel doors and security screens where appropriate.

Related help: vacant property boarding and security

What to do right now (before we arrive)

If it’s safe to do so, these steps can reduce risk and help your insurance claim:

  1. Call the police if there’s been a break-in, threat, or ongoing disturbance. Keep your crime reference number.
  2. Don’t touch loose glass or unstable frames. Keep people away from the area.
  3. Take photos of the damage for your records (only if safe).
  4. Call your insurer early if you intend to claim — ask what evidence they need.
  5. If you can, clear valuables from view and close internal doors to limit access.

Then call us and we’ll get you booked in: Call 01322 952 450.

Coverage: Dartford and the DA postcode area

We cover Dartford and surrounding DA districts, including DA1–DA18. That includes town-centre call-outs, residential streets, retail frontages, and industrial estates across the local authority area and neighbouring districts.

If you’re searching by location, you may prefer an area page:

Why people choose us for emergency boarding in Dartford

When you’re stressed and tired, reliability matters more than marketing. We focus on doing the basics properly and leaving you with clear paperwork.

  • 10+ years trading
  • Fully insured
  • DBS-checked technicians
  • Practical, security-first approach (including anti-tamper fixings where needed)
  • Clear documentation: photos, itemised invoice, and work statement

If you’d like to understand cost drivers before you call, see: boarding up pricing and cost factors.

Emergency boarding up FAQs (Dartford)

Can you board up my window tonight?

Yes — if you need 24/7 boarding up and it’s urgent, call us. We provide out of hours emergency attendance when possible, and we’ll give you a realistic ETA on the phone.

Need help now? Call 01322 952 450

What should I do if my shop window is smashed in Dartford?

First, make sure everyone is safe and call the police if needed. If you can, keep customers/staff away from the glass and take photos. Then call us to get the shopfront boarded up and the premises made safe. More detail here: shopfront boarding in Dartford.

Will boarding up damage my window frame or brickwork?

We aim to secure openings safely while minimising unnecessary damage. Fixings depend on the condition of the frame and the surface. If the frame is already split or unstable, we’ll explain the safest options before we start.

Is emergency boarding up covered by insurance in Dartford?

Often, it can be — especially after burglary, vandalism, storm damage or accidental impact — but policies vary. We’re not insurers, but we provide photos, an itemised invoice and a work statement to support your claim. See: insurance claims support.

How long does emergency boarding up take?

It depends on the size and access to the opening. A small ground-floor window is typically quicker than a large commercial frontage or an awkward upstairs opening. When you call, we’ll ask a few questions and set expectations.

Can you board up a damaged door as well as windows?

Yes. We can board up door openings and advise if a temporary steel door is a better option for security (especially after forced entry). See: door boarding up in Dartford.

What if the glass is still in the frame and only cracked?

Cracked glazing can fail suddenly (temperature changes and knocks can finish it off). If the property is at risk — or if it’s at ground level — boarding is often the safest immediate measure until a glazier replaces the pane. See: window boarding in Dartford.

Do you handle storm damage and blown-in windows?

Yes. After high winds, you may have shattered panes, failed seals, or debris impact. Our priority is to make safe, weatherproof where possible, and secure the opening. More here: storm damage boarding.

I’m a landlord/facilities manager — can you provide paperwork for my records?

Yes. We can supply time-stamped photos, an itemised invoice and a work statement suitable for maintenance records and insurer queries. For ongoing support, see our FAQs or contact page.

Need emergency boarding up now?

If you need to board up broken window, secure a smashed window, or get a shopfront boarded up urgently in Dartford or anywhere across DA1–DA18, call and we’ll talk you through next steps.

Need help now? Call 01322 952 450 for immediate assistance.