Rochester Board Up Specialists provides emergency board up services across Rochester for homes, businesses and property managers. Our team secures broken windows, shattered storefront glass and garage door openings after vandalism, fire, break-ins or vehicle impacts. We also board up vacant, foreclosed and abandoned properties throughout the city, keeping squatters and trespassers out while owners decide whether to repair or sell. Contact us for a free quote today.
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What Are the Signs a Property Needs an Emergency Board Up?
Any opening that lets weather, animals, or people into the building should be covered the same day. That includes broken glass, a door kicked off its frame in a break-in, a wall opened up by a vehicle strike, and windows blown out by a fire. Leave one open overnight and you risk rain-soaked drywall, theft, or squatters. Your insurer can also argue that any damage after that point was preventable.
- Shattered or missing window glass
- Forced or splintered entry doors
- Wall openings from vehicle impacts
- Fire-damaged windows and doors
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How Is a Broken Window Actually Boarded Up?
We cut 1/2-inch or 5/8-inch CDX plywood to overlap the opening by a few inches, then screw it into the framing, not the trim. On ground-floor openings that need to keep intruders out, we run 2x4 strongbacks across the inside and through-bolt them to the panel so nobody can pry the board off from outside. Screws also back out cleanly, which leaves the window frame intact for the glazier.
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Is It Normal for Water to Keep Getting In After the Opening Is Boarded?
No. A leak means something was missed. Usually the plywood is sitting flat against an uneven brick sill or siding and leaving a gap, or the damage reaches the roofline and needs a reinforced tarp battened down over the top edge. Call us right away. A slow leak behind a board soaks insulation and framing where you can't see it, and mold can start within a couple of days.
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Can I Board Up the Damage Myself Before the Adjuster Comes?
Yes. Most homeowner policies expect you to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage. Photograph everything first, from wide shots of the room to close-ups of the broken glass and frames. Then cover the opening and keep your material receipts for the claim. If the opening is above the first floor, structurally compromised after a fire, or wider than a standard sheet of plywood, call a crew instead of working off a ladder in the dark.
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How Much Does Emergency Board Up Cost?
Emergency board-up typically runs between $285 and $1,850 for a single call-out. The price comes down to how many openings need covering, how large they are, and whether ground-floor windows call for 2x4 strongbacks through-bolted on the inside. Plan on the higher end for after-hours calls, second-story work off a ladder or lift, and fire-damaged openings, where the framing has to be reinforced before the plywood will hold screws.