Blast-resistant glazing in Manchester

How much does blast-resistant glazing cost in Manchester?

Budget £450 to £1,495 plus VAT (£540 to £1,794 inc VAT) per m² for blast-resistant glazing in Manchester, supplied and fitted. Larger panes, thicker makeups and difficult access cost more; the price is fixed in writing after the survey.

Blast-resistant glazing is laminated glass fitted in a frame and fixing system designed to stay in the opening, or fail safely, when hit by the pressure wave from an explosion. Its purpose is to stop glass becoming high-speed fragments, which cause most injuries in a blast, and it is designed from a threat assessment rather than chosen off the shelf.

Glass and fitting options

Work planned from the threat assessment and engineer's design
Anti-shatter film with edge-retention systems for existing windows
Manufacturer's test evidence supplied with your quote
Glazing classed to BS EN 13541 or tested to ISO 16933 and 16934
Sealed units with a laminated inner pane
Deep-bite frames and structural silicone or mechanical retention

Fitting in Manchester and nearby

Surveys in Manchester (M1) are booked around installer availability, as they are in nearby Salford (2 miles) and Failsworth (3 miles).

Greater Manchester mixes city-centre offices and converted mills with Victorian terraces in Salford, Oldham and Bolton, suburban high streets and large out-of-town retail parks.

Typical places for blast-resistant glazing:

Offices in city centres and near potential targets
Government, council and civic buildings
Embassies, courts and police premises
Transport hubs, venues and stadium frontages

Things to decide before you order

Who sets the level

The design pressure comes from a threat and risk assessment by a security adviser or blast engineer, not from the glass supplier.

Frame and fixings

The frame must hold the glass and the fixings must hold the frame. Upgrading glass alone can move the failure to the frame.

Rules that apply in England

England

Listed buildings and conservation areas

In England, listed building consent from the council may be needed to replace historic glass such as crown or cylinder glass, or to alter glazing bars, sashes and frames. Historic England publishes guidance on traditional windows. Secondary glazing and window film are often easier to agree because they can be removed later, but the council's conservation officer makes the decision.

Planning permission

Changing the glass in an existing window or shopfront does not usually need planning permission, because the building looks much the same afterwards. A new or altered shopfront, or security features added to the outside of a building, may need planning permission from the council. Bollards or barriers on the pavement need the highway authority's consent, which is normally the council.

How it works

Tell us about the glazing
Survey, measuring and frame check
Written quote naming the glass
Fitting and handover

Blast-resistant glazing in Manchester: questions

Can you survey in Manchester and nearby towns?

Yes. Surveys in Manchester, Salford and Failsworth are booked around installer availability.

Is blast film enough on its own?

Film helps hold glass together but works much better when the film is anchored to the frame so the whole pane cannot fly in. Plain film without retention offers less.

What does ER1 to ER4 mean?

They are explosion-pressure classes in BS EN 13541. Glass samples are tested in a shock tube, with higher classes meaning higher pressures. The class applies to the glass, so the frame must be designed to match.

Can existing windows be made blast-resistant?

They can often be improved. Anti-shatter film with an edge-retention system, laminated replacement glass in strengthened frames or internal secondary glazing can cut the flying-glass hazard, depending on the threat.

Blast-resistant glazing in nearby towns

Other glazing in Manchester

Get a guide price now and book your free survey in Manchester.