Roof & Skylight Boarding in South East London

Roof boarding in South East London is often needed urgently after storm damage, impact, vandalism or a failed skylight, to keep out rain, protect your belongings and make the property safe. We provide fast, 24/7 roof and skylight boarding, using sturdy plywood or OSB and secure fixings to board up and secure your home or business until permanent repairs can be made.

Need urgent help? Call 020 4538 1506 for immediate roof or skylight boarding in South East London.

When You Need This

You may need emergency roof boarding South East London if:

A storm has ripped off tiles, slates or felt and you can see daylight through the roof.
A skylight or rooflight has smashed or blown out.
A falling tree branch has damaged the roof or dormer.
Fire or flood damage has weakened part of the roof covering.
There’s been an accident (e.g. during DIY, building works or a nearby impact) leaving a hole or unstable section.
You manage a vacant property and want to protect the loft or upper floors from weather and unauthorised access.

Typical emergency situations

We regularly carry out storm damage boarding, skylight boarding and temporary weatherproofing in South East London after:

High winds in areas like Lewisham, Eltham, Catford or Sydenham tearing roof coverings.
Heavy rain in places such as Greenwich, Dulwich or Woolwich causing leaks through damaged flat roofs.
Vandalism to skylights on blocks of flats in Bermondsey, Deptford or Peckham.
Fire damage to top-floor structures in terraced streets across SE postcodes.

If you already have broken windows or doors as well, we can combine window boarding in South East London and door boarding up with your roof boarding so the whole property is made safe in one visit.

How We Secure Your Roof & Skylights

Our priority is emergency property securing while keeping further damage to an absolute minimum. We use non-destructive securing wherever possible, only fixing into sound structural timbers or existing frames.

1. Initial safety & damage assessment

On arrival, our DBS-checked technicians:

Carry out a visual check from ground level and nearby vantage points.
Decide on the safest access method (ladders, roof ladders or working platforms as appropriate).
Identify the extent of roof or skylight damage and any loose or unstable materials.
Check for internal water ingress and protect vulnerable areas with sheets where needed.

If there is clear structural danger (e.g. severe roof collapse, unstable chimney, partial building failure), we will explain this, advise you to keep clear, and may recommend structural engineers or emergency services as appropriate.

2. Safe access and fall protection

Working at height must be done cautiously. Depending on the property type and location:

We use ladders and roof ladders for straightforward access points.
Where necessary, we work with existing scaffolding or platforms already in place.
Our team follow safe, methodical approaches similar to simple RAMS (risk assessments and method statements) used for commercial boarding up work.

We will always discuss any limitations with you if weather or structure make certain areas unsafe to reach on the first visit.

3. Materials we use: plywood and OSB boarding

For roof & skylight boarding in South East London, we typically use:

External-grade plywood or OSB (Oriented Strand Board)
- Common thicknesses: 11–18mm, chosen based on span, fixings points and exposure.
- Plywood gives a smooth, strong boarding surface.
- OSB provides very good strength and is widely used in roofing and construction.

Where possible, boards are cut to size on site to:

Close off the damaged roof area or opening.
Overlap sound material so water is shed away from the opening.
Avoid blocking essential ventilation paths wherever feasible.

4. Anti-tamper and weather‑resistant fixings

We use:

Anti-tamper fixings designed so they cannot be easily removed from the outside.
Appropriate screws into rafters, noggins or structural framing, not just coverings.
Additional battens where needed to create a framing edge for the boarding.

This approach:

Makes the temporary solution hard to interfere with from outside.
Reduces the risk of boards coming loose in high winds.
Helps satisfy typical insurer expectations for temporary boarding up work.

5. Temporary weatherproofing

Roof boarding alone may not fully weatherproof a damaged area, especially on pitched roofs. Where required we add:

Roofing felt or heavy-duty tarpaulin over the boards to shed water.
Tape or battens to secure coverings, again using non-destructive securing where possible.
Overlaps designed to direct water run-off away from the damaged area and any open joints.

The aim is not to replace your roof, but to buy you time and prevent further water ingress until your chosen roofer can complete permanent repairs.

6. Skylight and rooflight boarding

For smashed or missing skylights, rooflights or lanterns:

We measure the opening and cut boards to fit over or within the existing frame.
Where safe and practical, we fix to the skylight frame or surrounding timbers.
We may use additional supports or bracing to ensure the boarded area is secure and resistant to wind uplift.
Internal protection (dust sheets or plastic) can be added below the opening to help contain any residual debris or minor drips.

If you also need glass replacement, we can coordinate our emergency window boarding with your chosen glazier, or advise on typical “board & glaze” follow-up.

Why Choose Us for Roof Boarding in South East London

Choosing the right boarding up specialists after storm or impact damage can save you stress, time and money.

Local, focused on SE postcodes

Based in South East London, covering the full SE postcode area (SE1–SE28).
Regularly working in areas such as Greenwich, Blackheath, Brockley, Camberwell, Peckham, Thamesmead and Woolwich.
Familiar with local property styles – from Victorian terraces and post-war council blocks to modern flats and commercial units.

Experienced, insured and vetted

Over 10 years’ experience providing emergency boarding up South East London wide.
Public liability insured, so you’re protected while we work on your property.
All attending technicians are DBS‑checked, essential for residential and sensitive commercial sites.

Non-destructive wherever possible

We prioritise:

Fixing into existing structural timbers and frames.
Avoiding unnecessary damage to tiles, felt or finishes.
Reversible methods, so your roofer can easily remove our boards when repairs start.

The only exceptions are when:

There is serious structural damage, and more intrusive securing is required to make the building safe.
Access limitations mean we must use alternative fixing points to ensure safety.

We will always explain these situations clearly before proceeding.

Insurer-friendly approach

For claims involving storm, impact, fire or accidental damage, we support you with:

Time-stamped photos (before and after where safe to capture).
An itemised invoice describing materials and labour.
A short work statement describing what was damaged and how it was made safe.

You can combine this documentation with your own photos, and any police or incident reference numbers, then submit to your insurer. For more detail, see our dedicated insurance support for boarding up in South East London page.

What Happens Next

We keep the process simple so you can concentrate on everything else that needs doing after a roof or skylight emergency.

Step 1 – Contact us 24/7

Call us any time on 020 4538 1506. We’ll ask:

Your address and contact details.
What has happened (storm, accident, fire, vandalism).
Where the damage is (roof, skylight, loft, dormer).
Any immediate safety concerns (live electrics, falling debris, internal flooding).

For non-urgent situations, you can also contact our South East London team via the website.

Step 2 – Attendance and make-safe work

When we arrive, we:

Assess the damage and choose a safe access method.
Clear loose or dangerous material where feasible.
Install plywood boarding or OSB boarding to cover open roof or skylight areas.
Add temporary weatherproofing (felt/tarpaulin) where needed.
Make the interior as safe and dry as reasonably possible.

If you also have broken windows, doors or shopfront glass, we can combine your roof & skylight boarding with window boarding or shopfront boarding for a complete make-safe service.

Step 3 – Handover and next steps

Before we leave:

We walk you through what we’ve done, and any limitations (e.g. areas we could not safely access yet).
Offer simple guidance for your next steps with your roofer or builder.
Provide an invoice and, where agreed, photographic evidence for your insurer.

If you’re comparing options or planning non-urgent securing, our boarding up prices in South East London page explains what factors affect cost.

FAQs

How long does temporary roof boarding last?

Properly installed temporary boarding up can last weeks or even months, but it is designed as an interim solution. Wind, rain and sun all gradually affect boards and coverings. We always recommend arranging permanent roof or skylight repairs as soon as practical.

Is roof boarding covered by insurance?

Every policy is different, but many home and commercial policies cover emergency securing after storm damage, impact, fire or criminal damage. We provide insurance-ready paperwork – photos, itemised invoice and a brief work statement – to support your claim, but we are not loss adjusters or legal advisors.

For more detail, see our insurance support for boarding up in South East London guide.

Can you board from the inside instead of going onto the roof?

Sometimes, yes. In some lofts or top-floor spaces we can install boards from the inside, fixing to rafters or framing. However, for many pitched roofs and skylights, safe external access is still needed to secure coverings and ensure proper weatherproofing. We’ll choose the safest, most effective method case by case.

Do you also repair the roof permanently?

We are boarding up contractors, not full-service roofers. Our role is to board up and secure and provide temporary weatherproofing. You or your insurer can then appoint a roofer for permanent repairs. We’re happy to explain to your roofer exactly how we’ve fixed the boards so they can be removed easily.

What if the weather is too bad to go on the roof?

Safety comes first. If high winds or lightning make roof access unsafe, we may:

Focus on internal protection and partial securing first.
Return as soon as conditions allow to complete full boarding and weatherproofing.

We will be transparent about what can and cannot be done safely during extreme weather.

Can you help with other damage at the same time?

Yes. We frequently combine storm damage boarding to roofs with emergency window boarding, door boarding up or shopfront boarding so your whole property is made safe in a single visit.

Need help now?
For fast, 24/7 roof & skylight boarding in South East London, Call 020 4538 1506 or Email us. We’ll secure your property and help you move on to permanent repairs with confidence.

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