Roof & Skylight Boarding in Redhill
Roof boarding in Redhill is often needed after sudden damage – a storm has ripped tiles away, a skylight has shattered, or debris has punched a hole through your roof. Our job is to make your property safe and weatherproof quickly with emergency roof and skylight boarding, so you can stop the immediate damage and plan permanent repairs calmly.
Need urgent help? Call 01737 301 082 for 24/7 emergency roof boarding and temporary weatherproofing across Redhill and the wider RH postcode area.
When You Need This
You may need emergency roof boarding or skylight boarding if:
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High winds or storms have damaged your roof
- Missing tiles or slates exposing the loft
- Torn felt or membrane flapping open
- Ridge tiles or hip tiles dislodged, letting rain straight in
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A skylight, roof window or lantern is broken
- Smashed glass from falling branches or debris
- Leaking skylight that can’t be safely repaired immediately
- Velux-style roof windows cracked or shattered
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Impact or accident damage
- A tree or heavy branch has come down onto the roof
- Chimney pots or brickwork have fallen and broken the roof deck
- Accident during building work has left a hole in the roof
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Post-fire or flood situations
- Firefighters have cut through the roof to ventilate smoke
- Severe leaks after firefighting or flooding have weakened ceilings
In all these situations, temporary roof boarding provides:
- Fast, temporary weatherproofing to limit water damage
- A safer environment inside by reducing the risk of ceiling collapse
- Time for your insurer, roofer, or loss adjuster to assess and plan full repairs
If you’re unsure whether you need roof boarding, or a different type of storm damage boarding, you can always call us for straightforward advice.
How We Secure Your Property
We focus on safe, solid and non-destructive securing wherever possible, using methods suited to your specific roof and damage.
1. Initial Assessment and Safety
On arrival, our DBS-checked technicians:
- Assess the extent of roof, skylight or ceiling damage from outside and, if safe, from inside the loft area
- Check for risks such as:
- Loose tiles or slates likely to fall
- Unstable chimneys or ridge tiles
- Bowing ceilings showing signs of waterlogging
- Decide the safest method of access (ladders, roof ladders, or mobile access platforms if arranged)
If we have any concerns about structural stability, we’ll explain the situation clearly and may recommend involving a structural engineer or your chosen roofer before full access is attempted.
2. Materials We Use: Plywood & OSB Boarding
For most roof boarding and skylight boarding in Redhill, we use:
- Exterior-grade plywood or OSB (Oriented Strand Board)
Typically:- 18mm OSB for many scenarios
- 18–21mm plywood for higher impact or more exposed areas
- Water-resistant sheeting or membranes, where needed, to improve temporary weatherproofing
- Anti-tamper fixings designed so they cannot be easily removed from outside by hand or with basic tools
This combination gives a strong, durable temporary barrier against the weather while you arrange permanent roofing or glazing works.
3. Non-Destructive Securing (Wherever Possible)
We always try to use non-destructive securing methods, such as:
- Fixing boards to existing roof timbers, rafters or battens where they are sound
- Using existing fixing points when available
- Avoiding damage to sound tiles, leadwork, gutters and fascias
Occasionally, limited drilling or cutting is unavoidable – for example:
- Where the damaged area has no solid fixing point remaining
- Where tiles, slates or frames are so broken they cannot support fixings
- Where fire damage has compromised the original structure
If this is the case, our team will:
- Explain what we propose to do, and why
- Keep any necessary alterations to an absolute minimum
- Set things up so your roofer or glazier can complete permanent repairs more easily afterwards
4. Temporary Roof Boarding Methods
Depending on the damage, we may:
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Cover exposed roof areas
- Place plywood/OSB boarding over missing tiles or holes
- Overlap the intact roofing to shed water away from the opening
- Secure boards with anti-tamper fixings into sound timbers
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Board over damaged skylights and roof windows
- Remove loose glass safely
- Fix appropriately sized boards over the frame or opening
- Seal or tape around edges where practical to reduce draughts and water ingress
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Combine boarding with tarpaulins or membranes
- Use heavy-duty tarps for larger areas of storm damage
- Board over tarps at key points to resist wind lift
- Create temporary “water run-offs” to guide rain away from critical areas
We can liaise with your chosen roofer or glazier so that our temporary roof boarding aligns with their preferred repair method.
Why Choose Us
Local, 24/7 Emergency Response Across RH
- Based in and around Redhill, covering RH postcodes including areas such as Reigate, Horley, Merstham, Nutfield and surrounding villages
- 24/7 availability for emergency boarding up and temporary weatherproofing
- Efficient dispatch to reduce waiting times in bad weather or after serious incidents
You can also read more about our wider boarding up services in Redhill.
10+ Years’ Experience in Emergency Property Securing
- Over a decade handling storm damage boarding, skylight failures, and emergency property securing
- Practical, safety-first approach to fragile roofs, loft spaces and ceilings
- Used by homeowners, landlords, shop owners, and property managers across the RH region
Insured, Checked, and Professional
- Public liability insurance for your peace of mind
- DBS-checked technicians for residential and commercial work
- Clear explanations on-site so you know what’s being done and why
Non-Destructive Wherever Possible
- We prioritise non-destructive securing to help keep your repair costs down
- Any unavoidable drilling or cutting is carefully planned and discussed with you
- We aim to leave the property as tidy as the circumstances allow, removing loose glass or debris from the affected area where it’s safe to do so
Insurer-Friendly Documentation
For insurance claims, we can provide:
- Time-stamped before-and-after photos of the damaged area and our boarding
- A clear, itemised invoice showing labour and materials
- A brief work statement describing what we found and what we did
If your situation involves a break-in, vandalism or storm damage, remember to keep any police or incident reference numbers. For broader guidance, see our dedicated page on insurance support for boarding up in Redhill.
What Happens Next
We keep the process as simple and calm as possible at what is often a very stressful time.
Step 1 – Contact Us 24/7
- Call our emergency line: Call 01737 301 082
- Tell us:
- Your address and postcode
- What has happened (storm, tree impact, broken skylight, fire, etc.)
- Any immediate hazards you’ve seen (exposed electrics, sagging ceilings, live leaks)
If you prefer, you can also contact our Redhill team online for non-urgent enquiries.
Step 2 – Attendance and Make-Safe Work
Once on site we will:
- Assess the damage and agree a plan with you
- Carry out the roof boarding, skylight boarding or related make-safe securing
- Take photographs and notes suitable for insurers if requested
Where roof access is too dangerous in the conditions, we may initially secure from inside (e.g. boarding beneath a damaged skylight) and return when it is safe to complete external works.
Step 3 – Handover and Next Steps
Before we leave, we will:
- Walk you through what we’ve done and any known limitations (for example, “temporary only – roofer required”)
- Highlight any signs to watch for, such as:
- New water staining on ceilings
- Cracking plaster
- Unusual noises in high winds
- Advise you to contact:
- Your home or building insurer
- A roofing contractor or glazier for permanent repairs
If you also have broken ground floor windows or doors from the same incident, we can help with window boarding in Redhill and door boarding up, keeping everything under one contractor.
FAQs
How quickly can you board a damaged roof or skylight?
We offer 24/7 emergency boarding up across Redhill and the RH postcode area. Exact arrival times depend on your location, weather conditions and how busy we are, but we always aim to respond as efficiently as possible, especially in severe weather.
Is roof boarding safe in high winds or heavy rain?
Safety comes first. If conditions make roof access too dangerous (for example, very high winds or lightning), we may:
- Start with internal boarding or containment
- Return to complete external roof boarding as soon as it’s safe
We’ll explain the options and limitations clearly on site.
Will roof boarding damage my tiles or skylight frame?
We focus on non-destructive securing wherever possible:
- We normally fix into existing timbers rather than sound roof coverings
- We avoid drilling or cutting into undamaged areas unless absolutely needed
Where minor additional work is unavoidable, we’ll keep it minimal and explain it in advance.
How long can temporary roof boarding stay in place?
Roof boarding is a temporary solution, not a substitute for proper roofing. In practice, it can often stay in place for days or a few weeks while insurers and roofers arrange permanent repairs, provided it remains intact and weather conditions aren’t extreme. We always recommend arranging full repairs as soon as your circumstances allow.
Can you help with insurance paperwork for storm damage?
Yes. While we’re not loss adjusters or legal advisers, we can supply:
- Itemised invoices
- Time-stamped photos
- A short description of the emergency work carried out
Our insurance support for boarding up in Redhill page explains this in more detail.
Do you only cover Redhill?
Our base is in Redhill, but we cover RH postcodes across the surrounding areas, including places like Reigate, Merstham, Horley, Nutfield, Gatwick-area villages and beyond. You can see a fuller list on our areas we cover page.
Need roof or skylight boarding now?
Call 01737 301 082 for 24/7 emergency roof boarding in Redhill and across the RH postcode area, or Email us for non-urgent enquiries and quotes.
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