Glazing bead security upgrades in Exeter: what will it cost?
Guide prices in Exeter are £54 to £114 including VAT (£45 to £95 plus VAT) per window, with a minimum charge of £174 including VAT (£145 plus VAT) per visit, confirmed before we come.
A glazing bead security upgrade makes the glass much harder to remove from the outside of a window or door. On frames with external beads, a burglar can sometimes prise off the beads and lift the whole unit out quietly, and bonding the glass with security tape or fitting bead clips makes that route much harder.
What we look at
- Can be combined with laminated units
- Double-sided security glazing tape between unit and frame
- Checks for missing or loose beads and packers
- No change to how the window looks
- Concealed fixings for aluminium beads
- Beads replaced where cracked or brittle
Visits in Exeter and nearby
Visits in Exeter (EX1) are booked around installer availability. We also cover nearby Exmouth (9 miles), Tiverton (12 miles) and Newton Abbot (14 miles).
Devon spans Exeter's Georgian and post-war centre, Plymouth's rebuilt 1950s shopping streets and waterfront offices, and seaside towns where sea air is hard on window frames and seals.
This work suits:
- Glazed doors with external beads
- Older uPVC windows with beads on the outside
- Rented homes where frames are staying
- Aluminium windows and doors with external beads
Before the visit
Tape, clips or both
Tape stops the unit being lifted out; clips make the beads harder to remove. Both together give the best result.
Brittle beads
Old beads can crack when removed. We bring replacements so they can be renewed rather than refitted damaged.
What the rules say in England
Safety glass in critical locations
In England, section 5 of Approved Document K treats glazing in doors and in side panels within 300 mm of a door edge, from floor level up to 1,500 mm, and any other glazing below 800 mm, as a critical location. Glass there should break safely, be robust, or be guarded. Laminated or toughened glass meeting BS EN 12600 class 3 is the usual answer, rising to class 2 for door and side-panel panes wider than 900 mm.
Replacing glass in an existing frame
Replacing only the glass or sealed unit in an existing frame is generally treated as a repair in England rather than notifiable building work. Replacing a whole window or door is notifiable and is normally certified through a competent person scheme or approved by building control. Either way, new glass in a critical location should still be safety glass.
How it works
- Tell us how many windows
- Price confirmed before the visit
- Beads secured or replaced
- Windows checked and explained
Glazing bead security upgrades in Exeter: questions
Which areas near Exeter do you cover?
Yes. As well as Exeter, we can arrange visits in nearby Exmouth, Tiverton and Newton Abbot. Dates depend on installer availability.
Can burglars really remove the glass from outside?
On some externally beaded windows, yes. The beads can be eased off and the unit lifted out quietly. Security tape and clips make that much harder.
Does the glass have to come out to fit security tape?
Yes. Each unit is removed, the tape is applied to the frame and the unit is refitted, so it is a good moment to swap in laminated glass if wanted.
Will the upgrade change how my windows look?
No. The tape is hidden behind the beads and clips are discreet.
Glazing bead security upgrades in nearby towns
Other glazing in Exeter
- Security glass for doors
- Anti-bandit glass
- Security glazed doors and screens
- Blast-resistant glazing
- Commercial reglazing
- Anti-ram-raid glazing
Tell us what you need and we will confirm the price before we attend.