Fire Damage Boarding in Redhill
Fire damage boarding in Redhill is about quickly making your home or business safe and secure after a fire, even if the fire itself has already been put out. Our local team provides emergency boarding up and emergency property securing across Redhill and the wider RH postcode area, helping you protect what’s left, keep people safe and meet insurer expectations.
Need urgent help securing a fire-damaged property? Call 01737 301 082 any time, day or night.
We’ve been carrying out emergency boarding up and void security in Redhill and surrounding areas for over 10 years. Our DBS-checked, fully insured technicians use non-destructive securing methods wherever possible, and we provide insurer-friendly paperwork and photos to support your claim.
When You Need Fire Damage Boarding Up
A property that’s had a fire is often left with broken doors, smashed or missing windows, and weakened frames. Even once the flames are out, the building can be vulnerable to weather, trespassers and further damage.
You may need fire damage boarding in Redhill if:
- The fire brigade has forced entry, leaving doors or windows broken.
- Windows have cracked or blown out due to heat.
- Firefighters have vented the roof or smashed glazing to release smoke.
- Doors and frames are badly charred or warped and can’t be locked.
- You need to secure an empty property after a serious fire while works are planned.
- Your insurer or loss adjuster has advised you to get the property boarded up and secured.
We regularly help with:
- Residential properties – houses, flats and HMOs where doors or windows are damaged after a kitchen fire, electrical fault or accidental blaze.
- Commercial premises – shops, offices, workshops and hospitality venues needing urgent commercial boarding up after a fire.
- Vacant and void buildings – empty properties at risk of trespass, arson or vandalism where medium-term vacant property boarding and anti-vandal screens are required.
In many fire situations, the initial emergency is handled by the fire service; our role is then to board up and secure the building so it’s safe to leave and ready for assessment by insurers, surveyors and builders.
Note: We don’t carry out smoke odour removal, soot cleaning or full fire restoration. Our focus is on physical security and weather protection so follow-on trades can work safely.
For broader emergencies or mixed damage (fire plus impact, flooding from hoses etc.), you can also see our dedicated 24/7 emergency boarding up in Redhill service.
How We Secure Your Property After Fire Damage
Every fire scene is different, but our approach is always safety-led, methodical and, where possible, non-destructive.
1. Initial Safety Check
On arrival we:
- Assess access routes, checking for loose debris, broken glass and trip hazards.
- Look at visible structural issues (e.g. badly warped frames or sagging lintels).
- Confirm that the fire brigade or an electrician has isolated electrics and gas where required.
- Agree with you (and where relevant, with your insurer or loss adjuster) which openings need securing first.
If we believe there’s a serious structural risk, we will explain this clearly and may recommend you speak to building control or a structural engineer before we proceed with certain works.
2. Non-Destructive Securing Wherever Possible
We prioritise non-destructive securing so that future repairs or replacements are as simple and cost-effective as possible.
This typically means:
- Using existing frames and reveals where they are still sound.
- Fixing from the inside where safe and practical to reduce visible damage externally.
- Carefully choosing fixing points to avoid cracking surviving glass or damaging undamaged masonry.
We only drill new holes or remove remaining fittings where it’s genuinely necessary to achieve safe and secure boarding.
3. Boarding Materials: Plywood & OSB
For the majority of fire damage jobs, we use:
- Exterior-grade plywood or OSB (Oriented Strand Board).
- Typical thicknesses are 11–18 mm, chosen based on:
- Size of the window or door opening.
- Height from ground level.
- Risk level (e.g. ground-floor city-centre shopfront vs high, inaccessible window).
- How long the boarding is likely to stay in place.
We cut the boards to size on site, then fit them tightly to:
- Cover the entire opening.
- Overlap slightly onto sound frame or brickwork.
- Reduce drafts and weather ingress where possible, while still allowing ventilation if needed.
This is the same robust approach we use on our general window boarding in Redhill and door boarding up services.
4. Anti-Tamper Fixings & Security
To prevent boards being easily removed from outside, we use:
- Anti-tamper fixings – designed so they cannot be undone with standard tools.
- Internal bracing where frames are too damaged or weak to support external fixings.
- Cross-battening for larger shopfronts or doors to increase rigidity.
This is especially important for secure empty property scenarios or where the building will be unoccupied for an extended period while fire repairs are planned.
5. Temporary Steel Doors & Security Screens (Where Needed)
For higher risk or longer-term situations, we can install:
-
Temporary steel doors – frame-mounted security doors that allow controlled access for:
- Loss adjusters
- Builders
- Surveyors
- You or your representative
-
Steel security screens / Sitex-style anti-vandal security screens – fixed across windows and vulnerable openings, providing strong protection while still allowing some light and airflow.
These options are particularly useful for vacant property boarding after major fires, or for commercial premises where insurance requirements are strict. You can read more about this approach on our vacant property boarding in Redhill page.
6. Fire Service & Insurer Liaison
Where needed, we:
- Coordinate with the fire service at the scene regarding safe access.
- Talk directly to your insurer or loss adjuster (if you wish) about what we’re doing.
- Take time-stamped photos before and after our work.
- Provide a clear, itemised invoice and short work summary that you can attach to your claim.
You’ll find more detail on what we provide on our dedicated insurance support for boarding up in Redhill page.
Why Choose Us for Fire Damage Boarding in Redhill
Choosing the right team after a fire is important – you need people who will work safely, respectfully and efficiently in what can be a very stressful situation.
Local, Experienced & Fully Insured
- Based in and around Redhill, covering all RH postcodes and nearby areas such as Reigate, Merstham, Earlswood, Horley and beyond.
- Over 10 years’ experience providing boarding up services in Redhill for fires, floods, storms and accidents.
- Public liability insured for your peace of mind.
- DBS-checked technicians attending your property, suitable for sensitive residential and commercial environments.
Non-Destructive & Tidy Working
- We focus on non-destructive securing wherever possible, preserving what can be saved.
- We carry out a basic make-safe clean-up around the openings we work on, removing loose glass and obvious trip hazards.
- We leave clear access where needed for loss adjusters, surveyors and restoration contractors.
Insurance-Ready Documentation
We understand how insurers typically work, so we:
- Provide itemised invoices clearly describing fire damage boarding and emergency securing.
- Take photos of major openings before and after boarding (if safe and permissible).
- Can include a brief work statement describing why and how the property was secured.
Remember: you should always keep any police or fire reference numbers and your claim reference safe – we’ll refer to these where helpful on your paperwork.
What Happens Next
Whether the fire happened in the middle of the day or in the early hours, the process is straightforward.
1. Contact Our Redhill Team
Call us on 01737 301 082 or email [email protected]. For urgent situations, calling is best.
We’ll ask for:
- Property address and type (house, flat, shop, office, warehouse, etc.).
- Brief details of the fire and which openings are damaged.
- Whether the fire brigade and/or police have attended.
- Any special risks (asbestos suspicion, unsafe ceilings, etc.) that you’re aware of.
2. We Attend and Secure the Property
Once on site we:
- Carry out our safety check.
- Agree on the priority areas to secure (doors, ground-floor windows, accessible roof or skylight openings).
- Install appropriate boarding and, where needed, temporary steel doors or security screens.
- Take photos and note details for your paperwork.
Where the damage includes storm or impact elements (for example, a car impacting a façade which then causes a fire), we may also draw on approaches from our storm damage boarding and accidental damage boarding services.
3. Provide Paperwork for Your Insurer
After the work is completed, you’ll receive:
- An itemised invoice.
- A simple work summary on request.
- Photos (digital) if you need them for your claim.
If your fire relates to criminal activity (e.g. arson or vandalism), you might also find our vandalism repair boarding in Redhill information helpful.
If you’re planning ahead for reinstatement or refurbishment, you can speak to us about how long boards or screens will stay in place and your options for temporary boarding up during builders’ works.
FAQs About Fire Damage Boarding in Redhill
What should I do first after a fire at my property?
Once everyone is safe and the fire brigade has finished, you’ll usually need to:
- Confirm the property is safe to enter (ask the fire service if in doubt).
- Contact your insurer to start a claim.
- Arrange emergency boarding up to secure the building and protect it from weather and trespass.
We can help with the securing stage and provide documentation that supports your insurance claim.
Can you come out at night or on weekends?
Yes. We offer 24/7 boarding up in Redhill, including nights, weekends and bank holidays. Fire incidents rarely happen at convenient times, so our emergency line is always monitored.
For immediate help, please Call 01737 301 082.
Is fire damage boarding covered by insurance?
In many cases, insurers do cover emergency boarding up and emergency securing after a fire, but it depends on your policy. We can’t give legal or financial advice, but we do:
- Provide insurance-ready paperwork (itemised invoice, brief description).
- Supply time-stamped photos where requested.
For more detail, see our page on insurance support for boarding up in Redhill.
Do you clean up all the fire and smoke damage as well?
No. Our role is to make safe and secure:
- Boarding up broken windows and doors.
- Installing temporary steel doors or security screens where needed.
- Making damaged openings we work on safe from loose glass and debris.
Full fire and smoke restoration, deep cleaning, contents removal and odour treatment are done by specialist restoration companies or builders.
How long can boards stay on after a fire?
Properly installed plywood or OSB boarding with anti-tamper fixings can stay in place for weeks or even months if necessary, particularly when used alongside steel security screens and temporary doors for medium-term void property security.
Your insurer or contractor may want them left in place until:
- Surveys and quotes are completed.
- Planning and approvals (if needed) are in place.
- Reinstatement works are due to start.
We can remove or adjust the boarding later if required.
Will boarding up cause more damage to my property?
We take a non-destructive securing approach wherever possible, fixing into existing frames or stable structures and usually working from the inside. In some severe fire damage situations, there is no way to secure safely without drilling into masonry or removing unstable remnants.
If new fixings are needed we will:
- Explain this clearly before we start.
- Choose positions that minimise impact on later repairs.
Need help now? Call 01737 301 082 or Email us for fast, professional fire damage boarding in Redhill and across the RH postcode area.
Helpful links
