Shopfront Repairs

A damaged shopfront is both a security risk and a commercial liability. Broken glazing exposes the interior of your premises to the elements and to opportunistic theft. A bent shutter that will not close fully negates your overnight security. A failed door closer or broken lock hardware compromises the integrity of your access control. In every case, the damage needs to be addressed quickly, competently, and with materials that match the original installation.

Sigma Shop Fronts operates a dedicated shopfront repair service across the UK, handling everything from a single broken glass panel to extensive impact damage requiring frame replacement and structural repairs. We carry a stock of commonly needed materials — glazing, frame sections, shutter laths, locking hardware — to enable same-day or next-day response to most repair requirements.

Glazing Replacement

Broken or damaged glazing is the most common repair requirement we attend to. Whether the cause is vandalism, vehicle impact, a burglary attempt, or accidental damage, the priority is to make the opening secure as quickly as possible and then to reinstate the correct glazing specification.

Our initial attendance includes installation of a temporary security board — a heavy-duty plywood or polycarbonate sheet fixed securely within the existing frame — if the replacement glass cannot be installed immediately. We measure the opening, establish the existing glass specification (thickness, make-up, any safety or security rating), and order the replacement unit from our glazing supply network. In most cases, standard toughened single-pane or sealed double-glazed unit replacements are available within 24–48 hours; bespoke specifications, large panels, or specialist glass types may require three to five working days.

All replacement glazing is installed in accordance with BS 6262 (glazing for buildings), and we document the glass specification on a works completion record for insurance and warranty purposes.

Frame and Structural Repairs

Vehicle impacts to shopfronts frequently cause damage beyond the glazing: aluminium frame sections can be bent, sheared, or twisted; fixing cramps can be pulled from the masonry; and the subframe or sill can be displaced. We assess the full extent of damage and determine whether the damaged section can be straightened and reinforced in situ, or whether the affected frame members need to be cut out and replaced.

Where a frame section is replaced, we match the existing profile and powder-coat finish as closely as possible. An exact match is achievable for current-production profile systems; for older or obsolete profiles, we work with profile suppliers to identify the closest available equivalent, and re-powder-coat the replacement section to match the existing colour.

Roller Shutter Repairs

Roller shutter damage typically falls into three categories: curtain damage (bent or buckled laths), guide rail damage (bent or displaced side channels), and mechanism failure (broken spring, failed motor, seized drive shaft). We assess which category applies and carry out the appropriate repair.

Curtain repairs on steel shutters involve removal and replacement of the damaged lath section. For aluminium curtains, lath replacement is similarly straightforward. Where lath replacements are not possible due to the shutter design or curtain age, we can supply and install a complete replacement curtain within the existing housing box and guides where these remain undamaged.

Spring failure is a common mechanical issue as shutters age: the coil spring that balances the curtain weight loses tension over years of use and eventually breaks. Spring replacement is a specialist task requiring safe decompression of the spring before removal, and must not be attempted by unqualified personnel. Our engineers carry the most common spring sizes to enable same-day replacement in most cases.

Door Hardware Repairs

Door closers, panic hardware, multi-point locking mechanisms, and hinges all have finite service lives, particularly on high-use commercial entrances. We repair and replace faulty hardware using components from established manufacturers — ASSA ABLOY, dormakaba, GEZE, and Dorma — and, for safety-critical components such as panic hardware and fire door closers, we use only tested replacements that comply with the relevant harmonised standard (BS EN 1125, BS EN 1154, etc.).

Insurance Work

The majority of shopfront damage we attend is the subject of an insurance claim. We are experienced in providing the documentation that insurers require: a photographic record of the damage taken before any temporary boarding, a detailed repair specification, a quantified estimate of repair costs, and — on completion — an invoice and works completion certificate.

We work directly with insurance loss adjusters and brokers, and our documentation is structured to provide the adjusters with a clear, itemised breakdown that facilitates straightforward claims settlement. Where the damage is such that a complete shopfront replacement is more cost-effective than repair, we make this clear in our assessment and provide comparative quotations for both options.