Emergency Fire Board Up in Berkeley, CA
To fight the fire, the engine company smashed out windows, pried open a door and opened up the roof. Tonight the house is open to weather, wildlife and whoever comes looking. Call Unify Fire Solutions and a dispatcher will connect you with an independent board-up crew near Berkeley.
- Windows, doors and roof openings covered
- The referral line is free and open 24/7
- Homes, rentals and storefronts
What to Expect From the Crew You Get
We're a free referral line, and every crew we dispatch is an independent local company. These are the points our dispatchers weigh before sending anyone your way.
Independent, Licensed and Insured
Climbing a fire-weakened roof after dark is risky work, and coverage matters. Ask the independent crew for proof of liability and workers' comp before they set a ladder.
A Written Quote First
The crew should count the openings, measure them and write a line-item estimate before cutting a single sheet. That document goes straight into your claim file.
Rapid Local Dispatch
The moment you call, a dispatcher starts contacting board-up crews close to Berkeley. Timing depends on availability and distance; same-night securing is often possible.
Tools Built for Securing
Expect a truck with sheet goods, 2x4s, carriage bolts, a circular saw, an impact driver, reinforced tarps and portable lights. Everything needed to close the building in one visit.
Closing Up Every Opening the Fire Left
Breaking glass, forcing doors and venting the roof are standard firefighting tactics that leave a building wide open. Here's the typical scope for an independent board-up contractor.
Window Openings Boarded Tight
Most crews cut 1/2" or 5/8" plywood or OSB to overlap the frame and hold it with 2x4 strongbacks inside, tied through with carriage bolts. Bolts can't be backed out from the street the way exterior screws can.
- Loose glass knocked out of the sash first
- Panel overlaps the opening on every side
- Upper-floor windows reached by ladder or lift
Doors Rebuilt as Locked Access
Forced-entry doors rarely close properly afterward. The crew can seal it completely or frame a hinged plywood door with a hasp and padlock. One lockable entry saves your adjuster and future contractors from prying panels loose.
Covering Roof Vent Holes
Vertical ventilation means a saw-cut hole in your roof, often several feet across. The crew stretches a heavy reinforced tarp well past the hole, wraps the edges around wood battens and fastens the battens down so wind can't get under it. Large holes may get plywood over the joists first, then the tarp on top.
Glass and Debris Removal
Broken glass and charred debris spread around the yard and walkways. Crews sweep and bag it, clear the walkways, and stack anything salvageable off to the side for the adjuster.
Temporary Fencing Around the Site
When a structure has collapsed sections or the whole lot is a hazard, temporary chain-link fence panels keep people out. Signage and battery motion lights are common add-ons. Ask whether fencing is rented weekly so you know how it will show up on the estimate.
Storefronts and Commercial Glass
Wide storefront glass calls for framed panels and extra bracing to cover the span. A locking service door lets you remove inventory, files and cash drawers while the front stays sealed.
The Cost of Leaving It Open Overnight
Almost every property policy includes a duty to protect the property from further loss. Rain through an untarped roof or a looted house can be treated as a separate, avoidable loss. Securing the building is how you meet that obligation, and the reasonable cost is typically covered.
Before any plywood goes up, photograph every broken window, the forced door and the roof hole from the ground. Those shots prove what the fire department had to do.
What You Can Do Before the Crew Arrives
You don't need to climb a ladder or handle broken glass yourself. Some quick steps from the ground will speed up the job and help the claim.
- Circle the building and make a list of each opening the fire crews left.
- Take photos and video of each opening, the roof from the street and glass on the ground.
- Clear the driveway so the crew can park near the house with their plywood.
- Retrieve medicines, IDs and important papers only when firefighters confirm you can.
- Let a neighbor know nobody is staying there and ask them to report anyone poking around.
- Keep dogs and cats out of the yard until the glass is cleaned up.
Scrappers and burglars look for empty burnt-out homes, where copper, wiring and tools sit unguarded. An open attic invites raccoons and birds almost immediately, and an open door invites squatters. Getting it closed tonight matters far more than making it pretty.
Doors and Windows Still Gone Tonight?
There's no need to sleep in the car to keep an eye on things. Call and dispatch starts looking for an independent crew in Berkeley right away.
Call +1-833-336-1630 TonightHow a Board-Up Call Goes
- 1
Call and Describe the Openings
Give a rough count of broken windows and forced doors, mention any roof opening and say whether it's one story or two. The crew uses those numbers to stock the truck.
- 2
The Board-Up Crew Arrives
You'll get a call from the contractor with a realistic window based on distance and workload. Lights go up first so they can see the openings and the glass on the ground.
- 3
Measurements and Written Quote
Every opening gets measured, the roof is checked from the ladder, and you get a line-item quote. Approve it, and they start cutting.
- 4
Building Secured, Final Walk
When the last panel is bolted and the tarp is battened down, walk the perimeter with the crew. Get the access-door key and ask for after photos to send to your insurer.
Nights the Building Got Closed Up
Our roof had a hole you could stand in after the firefighters vented it, and rain was forecast for the morning. The crew got a tarp wrapped on battens over it by flashlight, and it held through a hard storm two days later.
Every downstairs window was out and the front door wouldn't latch anymore. They bolted panels on with strongbacks inside and built a little plywood door with a padlock so my adjuster could get in. I didn't have to drive over every time someone needed access.
The fire started next door and took out our whole storefront window. The crew boarded the front with braced OSB and gave us a locked door to get our stock and register out. Nobody got in overnight.
Questions About Securing Your Property
Does homeowners insurance pay for emergency board-up after a fire?
In most cases, yes. Policies generally require you to protect the property from further damage, and the reasonable cost of boarding and tarping is normally treated as part of the fire claim. Keep the written estimate, the invoice and before and after photos together for your adjuster.
Why do board-up crews use carriage bolts instead of screws?
A thief with a drill can remove exterior screws in a minute. Carriage bolts pass through the panel and a 2x4 strongback inside the opening, with the smooth round head facing out, so there's nothing to grab or unscrew from the street. Screws are still used on some second-story openings where access is limited.
Should I take pictures before the house gets boarded up?
Yes, and do it before the first panel goes up. Shoot every broken pane, the damaged door frame, the roof opening and the debris on the ground. Once everything is covered, your adjuster can't see the original damage without removing panels.
How do adjusters and contractors get inside once everything is boarded?
Ask the crew to build at least one hinged access door with a hasp and padlock. Keep the key yourself or use a lockbox so your adjuster and future crews can get in without you. Without one, every visit means unbolting panels and bolting them back.
How long can plywood and a roof tarp stay up?
Properly fastened panels and a battened tarp can last for months during the claim process. Roof tarps break down quicker than plywood, so look at it after heavy wind or rain. If anything shifts, have the crew come back right away to resecure it.
Can a board-up crew keep squatters and animals out of a vacant fire house?
A tight board-up is the best deterrent you have. Every ground-floor opening gets bolted, vents and crawlspace holes get screened or covered, and fencing goes around the lot if needed. Check on it often and ask a neighbor to keep an eye out.
Board-Up Dispatch Across Berkeley
Our dispatchers send independent board-up contractors to homes and businesses throughout Berkeley and surrounding areas. Houses, rental units, detached garages and commercial storefronts are all common calls.
- Broken windows
- Forced-entry doors
- Roof vent holes
- Storefront glass
- Detached garages
- Vacant rentals
An unsecured house invites trouble by morning. Call now, and if the first contractor isn't the right fit, call back and we'll connect you with another one.
