urgent
Emergency carpentry and boarding up
Emergency carpentry is make-safe work after a break-in, a storm or an accident: boarding up, securing a damaged door, and propping anything unstable. A call-out is typically £100 to £250 plus materials, and most jobs are attended the same day.
Typical price. £100 to £250 call-out, plus materials
What the job covers
- Boarding up after a break-in or storm
- Securing damaged doors and frames
- Temporary structural propping
- Same-day lock and door repair
- Insurance-work make-safe
What is involved
The immediate priority is security and weather, not finish. A forced door usually has a split frame around the strike plate rather than a broken door, and the make-safe is a temporary repair to the frame with a new keep and a secure lock, followed by a proper repair later. A broken window or a storm-damaged door gets boarded in ply, screwed rather than nailed so it can come off cleanly.
Insurance is usually involved, and it changes what you should ask for. Photograph the damage before anything is touched, get an itemised invoice that separates make-safe from permanent repair, and keep the damaged components until the claim is agreed. Many insurers will settle a make-safe promptly and the permanent repair separately, and a carpenter who does this work regularly will know that and invoice accordingly.
Choosing someone for the job
Ask for the call-out charge and the hourly rate before they set off. Ask whether the visit is a make-safe or a permanent repair, because it is nearly always the first. Ask for an itemised invoice if you are claiming.
Common questions
Will my insurance cover emergency boarding up?
Most home policies cover make-safe after a break-in or storm damage. Photograph everything first and get an itemised invoice.
How quickly can someone attend?
Same day is normal for a genuine make-safe, and many carpenters cover evenings and weekends at a higher rate.
Can a broken door frame be repaired?
Usually. A forced entry typically splits the frame around the strike plate, which is repairable with a splice and a reinforced keep rather than a whole new frame.
What does the make-safe leave me with?
A secure, weathertight opening that locks. The permanent repair, including matching the finish, is a separate visit.