Accident Damage Boarding Up in Enfield (EN) — Securing Your Property After an Impact
Accident damage can turn a normal day into a stressful one in seconds. If a vehicle mounts the kerb and hits a wall, a delivery driver clips a shopfront, or a stray impact shatters glazing, you’re left with an unsafe opening and a property that’s suddenly exposed. We provide boarding up in Enfield and across the EN postcode area to make the building secure and weather-resistant while repairs are arranged.
If you need urgent help, our team can prioritise emergency boarding up Enfield calls, including evenings and weekends.
Need help now? Call 020 4634 5688 for immediate assistance.
Or email details/photos to info@boarding-up-enfield.co.uk.
What counts as “accident damage” (and why it needs boarding up)
Accident damage is any unplanned impact or incident that leaves a vulnerable opening or compromises a door/window/roofline. In Enfield and the wider EN area, we commonly attend:
- Vehicle impact into shopfronts, boundary walls or ground-floor windows (often near busy routes like the A10 and A406 corridors)
- Accidental breakage of glazing during removals, renovations or contractor works
- Fallen branches/debris after garden works or minor storms that crack panes or frames
- Internal accidents where doors are forced off hinges or frames split (e.g., from a sudden slam or equipment strike)
- Public area incidents where a panel is damaged in a communal block entrance or stairwell window
Even if the damage looks “small”, it can create immediate problems:
- Easy access for opportunistic entry
- Wind and rain getting in (especially with broken seals or split frames)
- Safety risks from loose glass, sharp edges, or unstable frames
- Insurer requirements to mitigate further loss (often meaning securing openings promptly)
If there’s any doubt about safety (glass hanging, brickwork loose, a door no longer closing), treat it as urgent.
First steps after an accident: what to do (safely)
If you’ve just had an impact incident, these steps help protect people and speed up the next part of the process:
-
Make the area safe first
- Keep people away from broken glass and unstable frames.
- If it’s a public-facing frontage, consider temporary barriers until we arrive.
-
Call emergency services if needed
- If there’s structural risk, injury, or a vehicle involved, follow police/fire guidance first.
-
Take photos if it’s safe
- Wide shot (context) and close-ups (damage detail).
- These can help your insurer and help us bring the right materials.
-
Preserve any key details
- If a vehicle is involved, keep registration/incident details.
- If police attend, keep the reference number.
-
Call us to secure the opening
- Once the property is secure, you can deal with glazing, joinery and building repairs in a calmer way.
Need urgent boarding up after an impact? Call 020 4634 5688.
How we secure accident-damaged properties in Enfield
Accident damage is rarely neat. Frames can be twisted, masonry can crack, and doors can sit out of square. Our job is to secure the property quickly and sensibly, without creating new problems for your builder, glazier, or insurer later.
1) We assess the opening and the fixing points
On arrival we’ll check:
- What’s failed: glass only, frame, hinges, lock area, brickwork, or lintel line
- Whether there’s safe, solid fixing around the perimeter
- Whether there’s a risk of more glass dropping or a panel collapsing
If the surrounding frame is too compromised for a non-destructive fix, we’ll explain your options before proceeding.
2) We choose the right boarding method (not one-size-fits-all)
Depending on the opening, we typically use:
- 18mm exterior-grade plywood for most ground-floor windows and door-height panels where strength matters
- 12mm OSB for smaller/short-term internal or less exposed openings where appropriate
Fixings matter as much as board thickness. Where possible we use anti-tamper fixings so boards can’t simply be removed from outside—particularly important if the property will be unattended overnight.
For larger commercial openings (like a damaged shopfront), we plan the layout so joints land on solid fixing points and the boarded frontage is stable, not “drummy” or easy to pry.
3) We secure doors properly (including temporary steel doors where needed)
If the impact has damaged the door leaf, lock case, or the frame is split, simply “boarding the door” isn’t always the best outcome—especially for homes, tenanted properties, or sites that still need regular access.
Where appropriate, we can install temporary steel doors for stronger, more usable security. This is often the best option for:
- Vacant properties awaiting structural repairs
- Ground-floor entrances after forced/impact damage
- Commercial units that need controlled access for contractors
Read more about options on our door boarding in Enfield page.
4) We protect against weather (as much as boarding allows)
Boarding up is primarily security, but we also aim to reduce water ingress and draughts. We’ll cover the opening fully, check edges, and avoid leaving exposed gaps.
If there’s significant roofline damage or an overhead opening, we’ll advise whether roof boarding is the right next step (access and safety permitting).
5) Documentation you can use for insurance or landlords
After securing, we can provide practical job documentation such as:
- A clear work summary (what was boarded, how, and why)
- Time-stamped photos of the secured opening
- An itemised invoice suitable for property management records and many insurance claims
We’re not loss adjusters and can’t approve claims, but we’ll give you the kind of information insurers typically ask for. See more guidance on insurance claims support.
Typical accident damage scenarios we handle
Accident damage isn’t limited to shopfronts—Enfield’s mix of residential streets, busy through-roads and small parades means we see a bit of everything.
Residential: smashed ground-floor window or damaged patio doors
A common call is a ground-floor window shattering due to an accidental impact (ladders, garden equipment, a fall), or patio doors being cracked. We’ll board the opening securely, aiming to keep the rest of the frame intact for the glazier.
For domestic properties, our approach is explained further under residential boarding up.
Commercial: shopfront glazing hit by a vehicle or delivery incident
When shopfront glass fails, the priority is public safety and business security. We can board large openings and, where necessary, work with site staff to keep entrances controlled.
Find out how we approach larger frontages on our shopfront boarding service page.
Communal blocks and managed buildings: stairwell and entrance damage
Accidents in communal areas can create immediate security concerns, particularly near entry systems. We can help facilities managers and managing agents secure openings and provide documentation for records. See commercial boarding up.
What to expect when you call
When you contact us for accident damage boarding up in Enfield, we’ll ask a few practical questions so we bring the right materials:
- Property address and postcode (EN1–EN8 for Enfield, and wider EN districts as needed)
- What’s damaged: window, door, shopfront, roof/skylight
- Rough size of the opening and floor level
- Whether the area is safe to approach (loose glass, unstable brickwork, police/fire presence)
- Whether you need access maintained (temporary steel door may be better than boarding)
We don’t quote fixed arrival times—traffic, access, and the nature of the job can affect scheduling—but we prioritise urgent, insecure openings.
Which service is right after accident damage?
Accident damage is the “situation”; the right solution depends on what’s been affected. These pages explain each option:
- Broken or vulnerable glazing: window boarding in Enfield
- Damaged entrance doors / forced frames: door boarding in Enfield
- Large commercial frontages: shopfront boarding
- Overhead openings or roofline damage: roof boarding
- If it’s urgent right now: emergency boarding up
If you’re not sure, tell us what’s happened and we’ll talk you through the safest option.
Accident damage and insurance: practical pointers
If an accident has damaged your property, insurers often expect you to take reasonable steps to prevent further loss. Boarding up is commonly part of that.
A few sensible tips:
- Report the incident to your insurer as soon as you can (when safe)
- Keep photos of the damage before and after securing (we can also provide photos)
- Save any police reference number or third-party details where relevant
- Don’t throw away damaged parts (locks, door hardware) until your insurer advises
More on what we can provide is on our insurance claims guidance page.
FAQs about accident damage boarding up in Enfield
Do you cover all of Enfield and the EN postcode area?
Yes. We cover Enfield borough areas and the broader EN postcode region where required. If you’re unsure, check our areas we cover or call and we’ll confirm.
How long does boarding up take?
It depends on the size of the opening, access (e.g., upper floors), and whether the surrounding frame is intact. A straightforward window is usually quicker than a twisted shopfront frame after an impact. We’ll give a realistic expectation once we understand the damage.
Can you secure a property if the frame is badly broken?
Often yes, but the method may change. If there isn’t solid timber/brick to fix to, we may need to use alternative fixing strategies or recommend a temporary steel door for entrances. If a safe, secure fix isn’t possible without further building work, we’ll explain that clearly before proceeding.
Will boarding up stop rain getting in completely?
Boarding up significantly reduces exposure, but it’s not the same as a full repair. Where possible we fit boards to cover the opening fully and minimise gaps. If the damage involves roofline openings, roof boarding is usually the better option.
I’m a landlord or managing agent — can you send documentation?
Yes. We can provide an itemised invoice and a clear work statement, plus photos. For property managers, this is often helpful for audit trails and insurance communications.
Next steps: secure the opening, then plan repairs
Accident damage is disruptive, but securing the building quickly helps you regain control of the situation—protecting the property, keeping people safe, and giving you breathing space to organise repairs.
Need help now? Call 020 4634 5688 for immediate assistance.
Prefer email? Send photos and the address to info@boarding-up-enfield.co.uk.
