Broken windows, shattered doors, storm damage, or vandalism when the opening must be secured now - post free with Genie 911 urgency, which skips the bidding process and connects you directly with the next available local board-up pro.
What a Board-Up Job Actually Is
A board-up is a temporary fix, not a permanent repair -- a Service Professional arrives, safely clears the broken glass, and secures the opening with plywood (sometimes braced with 2x4 crossbeams for a larger opening) so your home or storefront is weatherproof and secure until the actual glass replacement can be scheduled separately. Knowing this distinction upfront matters: post a board-up job when you need the opening secured today, and expect a second, separate job (or a follow-up quote from the same pro) for the permanent glass replacement.
Residential vs. Commercial Board-Ups
A broken window at home is mainly a weather and security issue -- keeping rain and intruders out until the glass is replaced. A storefront glass breach carries a different kind of urgency: inventory exposure and business security, often on a tighter timeline since a storefront can't stay open with an unsecured opening. Both are covered here, along with general emergency board-up for doors or other openings -- note which situation you're in when you post, since it changes what a pro needs to bring (storefront openings are often larger and need more material).
Before the Pro Arrives
Keep people and pets away from the affected area until it's boarded up -- broken glass spreads further than it looks, especially after a storm or impact. If you can safely photograph the damage from a distance before anything is moved, that helps both the board-up quote and any insurance claim you file separately. Don't attempt to remove large glass sections yourself; that's exactly the job a Service Professional is equipped and insured to do.
Genie 911 for Board-Up Services
Posting through Genie 911 gets your job in front of board-up professionals who are available now, so the ones who can respond quickly see it -- there's no guaranteed response window here, just a faster path to whoever's actually free. If broken glass is involved, avoid handling large shards directly and keep the area clear until a pro arrives. For storm-related breakage specifically, see the broader home emergency guide. Once bids come in, here's how to compare them beyond just price.
After the Board-Up: Scheduling the Permanent Fix
A board-up is meant to hold for days, not weeks -- plywood and crossbeams secure an opening well enough to keep weather and intruders out, but they're not a substitute for actual glass. Leaving a board-up in place longer than necessary carries its own downsides: reduced natural light and ventilation, a less finished-looking property in the meantime, and in a commercial setting, a storefront that reads as closed or vacant to passersby and can affect foot traffic. Once the opening is secured, it's worth posting the actual glass-replacement job separately and soon, rather than treating the board-up as a finished repair on its own.
If the break happened during a storm, an attempted break-in, or any other incident likely to involve an insurance claim, a few photos of the damage -- taken from a safe distance before the board-up crew arrives, if it's safe to do so -- are worth keeping. They're not something Project Genie collects or needs, but they're often exactly what an insurance adjuster asks for later, and much harder to get once the opening is already boarded and cleaned up. It's also worth keeping the board-up invoice separate from the later glass-replacement invoice, since some policies process temporary mitigation and permanent repair as distinct claim items.
For a commercial storefront specifically, it's also worth checking with your insurer or property manager about any notice requirements while the board-up is in place -- some leases and policies address how long a storefront can display exposed plywood before it needs to be resolved, separate from the repair itself. If the storefront is in a shared retail center, it's worth letting property management know regardless of who's responsible for the repair, since a boarded unit can affect neighboring tenants' visibility and access too.