Accident Damage Boarding Up in Reading (RG) – What to Do Next
Accident damage can happen in seconds—a reversing van through a shopfront, a car clipping a garden wall and taking out a front window, or a delivery driver catching a door frame. If you’re dealing with accident damage in Reading or anywhere across the RG postcodes, the priority is simple: make the property safe, secure the opening, and protect it from weather and opportunists.
Boarding Up Reading provides accident damage boarding up in Reading (RG1–RG45) for homes, shops, offices and vacant buildings. We’re not here to judge how it happened—we’re here to help you get control of the situation and prevent it getting worse.
Need urgent help right now? Call 01182 308 876 for immediate assistance.
When accident damage boarding up is needed
“Accident damage” covers a wide range of impacts and breakages, including:
- Vehicle impact: cars or vans hitting bay windows, porch walls, garage doors, shopfront glazing or roller shutters
- Domestic accidents: slipped ladders, fallen branches, DIY mishaps cracking glass or damaging a door
- Commercial incidents: pallet trucks, forklifts, deliveries and refuse vehicles striking doors, frames or low-level glazing
- Construction / refurbishment damage: temporary openings left exposed, panels removed and not refitted, accidental breakage of windows
In Reading, we see it everywhere from tight residential streets with on-street parking (where wing mirrors and corners get clipped) to busy commercial areas where deliveries happen all day. The risk after an impact isn’t just the hole that’s been made—it’s what follows:
- rain getting into plaster, electrics and flooring
- draughts and loss of heat security
- unauthorised access if the property is left open
- sharp glass and unstable frames creating a hazard
If there’s any doubt about safety, treat it as urgent.
First steps after accident damage (before we arrive)
If you’ve had an impact or breakage, these steps help protect everyone and make the next stages smoother:
- Check for injuries and call 999 if needed.
- If a vehicle is involved, contact the police if required and get an incident or reference number.
- Make the area safe: keep people away from broken glass and unstable frames.
- Take photos if it’s safe—wide shots and close-ups help with insurance and responsibility disputes.
- Avoid “quick fixes” that make things worse: tape and thin plastic often fail in wind/rain and can become hazardous.
- Call us to secure the opening so the property can be left safely while glazing, joinery or structural repairs are arranged.
We can’t give legal advice on liability, and we’re not loss adjusters—but we can provide the practical documentation insurers usually want.
What we do: securing accident-damaged properties in Reading and across RG
Every accident is different, so we start by assessing what’s actually holding and what isn’t. A cracked pane with an intact frame needs a different approach to a shopfront where the frame has been pushed out of square.
Step 1: Safe assessment and hazard control
On arrival we’ll check:
- loose or hanging glass
- splintered timber, sharp edges, protruding fixings
- door and window alignment (impact can twist frames)
- whether the opening can be secured non-destructively or needs stronger measures
If the frame is too damaged for non-destructive fixing methods, we’ll explain your options before proceeding.
Step 2: Choosing the right boarding method
We commonly use:
- 18mm exterior-grade plywood for robust security on larger openings
- 12mm OSB for smaller areas where appropriate (often quicker to shape and fit)
We’ll select fixings based on the surface and risk:
- anti-tamper fixings where the board could otherwise be removed from outside
- internal bracing where suitable, to reduce external access to fixings
- weather-focused fitting where wind-driven rain is a concern
If the property is going to be unattended, we’ll prioritise security-focused methods (not just “covering the hole”).
Step 3: Protecting entrances (doors) properly
Accident damage often affects doors and frames. If a door won’t close or the lock side has split, we can:
- board up the doorway securely, or
- fit a more usable solution such as a temporary steel door for medium-term access and security
For more on this, see door boarding in Reading.
Step 4: Commercial glazing and shopfront impacts
For shops, takeaways and offices, accident damage can expose stock, tills and equipment—especially if it happens near closing time.
Our shopfront work focuses on:
- large-panel boarding that doesn’t flex in wind
- solid fixing to reduce lever points
- practical access considerations for staff, shutters and alarms
See shopfront boarding in Reading.
Step 5: Rooflights, skylights and overhead damage
If an impact has affected a canopy, rooflight or skylight (including damage from falling debris after an incident), we can board or sheet the opening to reduce water ingress while permanent repairs are arranged.
Step 6: Documentation you can use for insurance or property records
After the property is secured, we can provide:
- time-stamped photos of the secured area
- an itemised invoice and work statement describing materials and fixings used
- notes on any access issues or additional risk we observed (for example, an unstable frame)
This is often helpful when you’re dealing with insurers, landlords, managing agents, or third parties.
Realistic local scenario: accident damage in busy Reading streets
A common call-out is a vehicle impact on a ground-floor window or front door where access is tight and there’s high footfall. In central Reading, for example, an incident near Caversham Bridge or along Oxford Road can quickly become a safety issue because pedestrians and traffic are close by.
In a typical case, a vehicle clips the front elevation of a property, leaving a broken window and a twisted frame. We’ll:
- remove immediate hazards as safely as possible
- board the opening using exterior-grade sheet material cut to suit the reveal
- use security-minded fixings to deter removal from outside
- document the work with photos for the customer’s records
The goal is to leave the property secure and weather-protected so glazing/joinery can be booked without rushing into poor-quality repairs.
Accident damage: residential vs commercial priorities
Homes and rental properties
For houses and flats, it’s usually about:
- keeping children/pets away from broken edges
- securing the property overnight
- preventing water ingress into carpets, plaster and electrics
- providing documentation for landlord/tenant/insurer
If you’re a landlord or agent securing a damaged unit, you may also want our guidance on medium-term security. See vacant property boarding in Reading.
Shops, offices and managed buildings
For commercial premises, the priority often includes:
- securing exposed stock and equipment
- restoring a safe frontage for the next trading day
- meeting facilities or building management requirements
- working around shutters, alarms and access control
More detail here: commercial boarding up in Reading.
How long does accident damage boarding up last?
Boarding is a temporary security and weather-protection measure. Some jobs are in place for a day or two until a glazier arrives; others remain for longer where structural repairs or insurance approvals take time.
If you expect a longer period, we can talk through sturdier options such as screens or doors depending on the opening and risk level. A good starting point is what boarding up involves.
What to expect when you call Boarding Up Reading
When you call 01182 308 876, we’ll ask a few practical questions to plan the right approach:
- What’s been damaged: window, door, shopfront, rooflight?
- Is anyone injured or is emergency service attendance needed?
- Is the opening at street level or above ground?
- Is the frame intact or visibly broken/twisted?
- Do you need access afterwards (for example, to continue trading or to lock up)?
We don’t quote fixed arrival times—traffic, access and the severity of incidents vary—but we prioritise urgent situations where the building is open or unsafe.
FAQs: accident damage boarding up in Reading (RG)
Do you cover accident damage boarding up across the RG postcodes?
Yes. We cover Reading and the wider RG area (RG1–RG45). If you’re unsure, check areas we cover or call and we’ll confirm.
What if the frame is badly damaged and won’t hold fixings?
If the surrounding frame or wall is too compromised, we’ll explain what can be secured immediately and what may need a builder or structural attention. We’ll never hide that limitation—safety comes first.
Can you help if a shopfront is smashed and we need to secure it out of hours?
Yes—this is a common scenario. If your frontage is open and vulnerable, call us for emergency boarding up and we’ll focus on securing the site so you can deal with glazing and insurers next.
Is boarding up covered by insurance after an accident?
Often it can be, depending on your policy and who is deemed responsible. We’re not insurers or loss adjusters, but we can provide photos and paperwork that typically support a claim. See insurance claims support.
Do you also repair the door/window permanently?
We secure and protect the opening. Permanent repairs are typically carried out by glaziers, joiners or builders. Our role is to prevent further damage and reduce risk while those trades are arranged.
Next steps: secure the property and take the pressure off
Accident damage is stressful because it’s sudden—and because it creates immediate security and weather risks. Getting the building secured quickly gives you breathing space to sort repairs, insurance and responsibility properly.
Need help now? Call 01182 308 876 for immediate assistance.
Prefer email? Contact us at info@boarding-up-reading.co.uk.
