Property Types We Board Up in North West London (NW1–NW26)

If you’re searching for boarding up North West London because something’s happened to your property—or because you’re trying to prevent something happening—you’re not alone. We secure homes, flats, shops, offices and void buildings across the NW postcodes, using practical methods that match the building, the risk level and how long you need the protection for.

We work across NW1–NW26 and nearby neighbourhoods, from busy central areas around Marylebone and Euston to suburban streets in Hendon, Golders Green and Mill Hill. If you’re unsure which category your property falls into, don’t worry—when you call, we’ll ask a few straightforward questions and recommend the right approach.

For urgent help, you can go straight to our emergency boarding up page.

Which type of property do you need to secure?

Most boarding jobs fall into one of three property types:

  • Residential (houses, flats, maisonettes)
  • Commercial (shops, restaurants, offices, warehouses)
  • Vacant/void (empty properties between tenancies, probate, refurb, repossessions)

Each has different priorities. A lived-in home often needs fast securing with minimal disruption. A shopfront might need a neat, safe solution that doesn’t create trip hazards. A vacant property usually needs stronger, longer-term protection that deters repeat attempts.

You can also explore these pages:

Residential boarding up (houses, flats & maisonettes)

North West London’s housing stock is varied—Victorian and Edwardian terraces in places like West Hampstead and Gospel Oak, mansion blocks and conversions around St John’s Wood and Belsize Park, plus plenty of 1930s semis in areas such as Hendon and Kingsbury. Each property type presents slightly different access, glazing and fixing challenges.

Common residential call-outs we see

  • Smashed ground-floor window panes after a break-in
  • Damaged uPVC or timber doors where the lock has been forced
  • Cracked glass in sash windows (often needing careful fixing points to avoid further damage)
  • Storm damage to rear windows or conservatory panels
  • Accidental impact (a fall, a ball, or building works gone wrong)

If the frame is stable, we typically secure openings with exterior-grade plywood (often 18mm for larger openings) or OSB (commonly 12mm for smaller windows). We’ll choose the method based on the size of the opening, the condition of the frame, and whether you need short-term or medium-term security.

If the surrounding frame is too damaged for non-destructive fixing, we’ll talk you through options before proceeding.

Related help:

Commercial boarding up (shops, offices, restaurants & industrial units)

Commercial properties across NW can be high-footfall and high-visibility—think shopfronts near transport hubs, parades along main roads, and light industrial estates around NW10. When a commercial window or door is compromised, you’re usually balancing three things at once: security, safety and keeping the site compliant.

Where we commonly help in North West London

  • Retail units and mini-supermarkets with large glass panels
  • Cafés and restaurants with full-height frontage glazing
  • Offices with ground-floor access points and side entrances
  • Industrial units where roller shutters, personnel doors or side windows have been damaged

What’s different about commercial boarding?

  • Larger openings often need multiple boards and careful joining to prevent flexing
  • Public safety matters—sharp edges, trip hazards and unsecured glass need managing
  • Out-of-hours incidents are common, especially for shopfronts and vandalism
  • Access and permissions (keyholders, alarms, shutters) can affect how we work on arrival

We can board shopfront glazing cleanly and securely, and where appropriate we’ll discuss more robust medium-term options such as temporary steel doors or steel security screens for repeat incidents or void periods.

Explore:

Vacant property & void security (landlords, probate, refurb & repossessions)

Void properties in North West London can be targeted repeatedly—especially if a previous break-in has left obvious damage. If the building will be empty for weeks (or longer), boarding up isn’t just about covering a hole; it’s about making re-entry difficult while keeping the site manageable for the owner or agent.

Typical void property situations

  • Between tenancies where a back door or window has been forced
  • Probate properties awaiting sale
  • Refurb projects with windows removed or doors temporarily off
  • Repossessions and long-term empties needing a stronger deterrent

Options we may recommend for voids

  • Heavier-duty boarding with anti-tamper fixings (to reduce the chance of boards being removed from outside)
  • Temporary steel doors for compromised entrances or where keys/locks can’t be relied upon
  • Steel security screens for medium/longer-term protection in higher-risk locations

We’ll always explain what we’re fitting and why. If you need documentation for an insurer, a managing agent or a facilities team, we can provide clear job notes and photos.

Useful pages:

What we do on arrival (and what you get afterwards)

Whether it’s a flat in NW1 or a warehouse unit near Park Royal, the process is broadly the same—secure first, then document properly.

  1. Site check & safety: we assess the opening, frame condition, and any immediate hazards (loose shards, unstable frames, overhead risks).
  2. Agree the approach: we’ll explain material choice (plywood vs OSB), fixing method, and whether additional security is sensible.
  3. Install boarding/security: using appropriate fixings and a neat finish wherever possible.
  4. Record keeping: we can provide time-stamped photos, a clear statement of work, and an itemised invoice—useful for landlords, managing agents and insurers.

We’re insured to work on properties, and our technicians are DBS-checked. We won’t promise a fixed arrival time (traffic, access and emergency prioritisation can affect schedules), but we will tell you what we can realistically do and keep things straightforward.

If you need immediate help, visit 24 hour emergency boarding up North West London.

Situations we commonly secure across NW postcodes

Boarding up is usually triggered by an event. If you’re dealing with one of these right now, the situation pages below explain what to do next and what we can help with:

FAQs — property types & boarding up in North West London

Do you board up flats and communal entrances?

Yes—flats, maisonettes and conversions are a common part of our work across North West London. If the damage is to a communal door or shared area, we’ll usually need a keyholder or management contact to provide access and confirm approval.

Can you secure a property without making more damage?

In many cases, yes. We aim to use fixing methods that secure the opening properly while avoiding unnecessary damage—especially on timber frames and period properties. If the frame is already rotten, split or unstable, we’ll explain the options and any trade-offs before we proceed.

What if the door is smashed and can’t be reliably boarded?

If the entrance is compromised and boarding alone won’t give you confidence, we may recommend door boarding in North West London with additional reinforcement, or a more robust option such as a temporary steel door depending on the situation and how long the property will be unattended.

Do you handle both short-term and longer-term void security?

Yes. Short-term boarding is common after an incident, but for voids we can discuss more durable options designed to resist repeat attempts. Start with our vacant property boarding up page, then call us to talk through the risk level and timeline.

Is boarding up covered by insurance?

It often can be, especially when it’s necessary to prevent further loss after a break-in or storm. We’re not loss adjusters, but we can supply the documentation insurers typically ask for. See insurance claims support for practical guidance.

The right solution depends on the property—and the risk

A ground-floor window in a lived-in flat needs a different approach to a vacant house with repeated forced entry, or a shopfront that must be made safe for the public. If you tell us:

  • what’s been damaged (window/door/roof/skylight),
  • whether the property is occupied,
  • and how long you need it secured,

we’ll recommend a sensible option—no jargon, no pressure.

Ready to get started? Call 020 4634 7794 or email us for a free, no-obligation quote.