Glazing bead security upgrades in Greater London

Glazing bead security upgrades in Greater London: what will it cost?

Expect £54 to £114 including VAT (£45 to £95 plus VAT) per window for glazing bead security upgrades in Greater London, with a minimum charge of £174 including VAT (£145 plus VAT) per visit. Several windows on one visit work out cheaper per window.

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.

Work we can carry out

No change to how the window looks
Beads replaced where cracked or brittle
Checks for missing or loose beads and packers
Double-sided security glazing tape between unit and frame
Concealed fixings for aluminium beads
Suitable for windows and glazed doors

Covering Greater London

We can arrange glazing bead security upgrades anywhere in Greater London, including Central London and Islington. Visit dates depend on installer availability. Choose your town below for local details.

Greater London has every kind of glazing, from Georgian sashes and Victorian bays in conservation areas to high-street shopfronts, office curtain walling and new-build flats.

Typical reasons to book:

Aluminium windows and doors with external beads
Glazed doors with external beads
Ground-floor and back windows
Older uPVC windows with beads on the outside

Towns in Greater London

Things to think about

Glass at the same time

If units are misted or due for replacement, it is cheaper to fit laminated units and tape in one visit.

Which windows

Ground-floor and hidden windows come first; upstairs windows that cannot be reached are a lower priority.

What the rules say in England

England

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.

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.

How it works

Send a photo of the bead side
Visit price agreed
Clips, tape or internal beads fitted
Record of anything else we noticed

Glazing bead security upgrades in Greater London: questions

Which towns in Greater London do you cover?

We can arrange work anywhere in Greater London, including Central London, Islington, Bexley, Barking and Archway, and in other towns across the area.

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.

How do I know if my beads are on the outside?

Look at the glass from outside. If you can see a separate clip-in strip around the edge of the glass, and the frame inside is plain, the beads are external.

Will the upgrade change how my windows look?

No. The tape is hidden behind the beads and clips are discreet.

Other glazing in Greater London

Use the form or call 0800 088 6248 to book.