Emergency Property Securing in Chicagoland
24/7 Emergency Board-Up and Securing in Chicago
Restore Construction provides 24/7 emergency board-up and securing for homes and businesses across Chicago and its suburbs. After a fire, storm, break-in, or car crash leaves a window, door, wall, or roof open, our crews close it up, so less rain and fewer intruders get in while you plan what comes next. Then we handle the permanent repairs.
- 24/7 Emergency Response
- Windows, Doors, and Roof Openings
- Temporary Fencing
- Claim Documentation
Restore Construction’s Credentials
Qualified Emergency Board-Up Professionals
Restore Construction is licensed, bonded, and insured, so you can check out the company securing your building before our crew arrives.
IICRC Certified Firm
BBB A+ Rating
RIA Member
Best Fire Damage Restoration in Chicago
IREM Chicago Chapter
Emergency Board-Up and Securing
Why Call a Restoration Company to Board Up Your Property
A properly secured building lets in less weather and is harder for trespassers and thieves to get into, so more of what’s inside makes it through the damage. A handyman can nail plywood over a window, but our crews also check for unsafe floors, walls, and ceilings before anyone works near them, and we document the damage for your insurance claim.
Boarding up is also the first step of a full recovery with us. When fire spread through an apartment building in Oak Park, we boarded it up as soon as the flames were out, then managed the cleanup and rebuild until the tenants moved back into their units.
How It Works
What to Expect From Our Emergency Board-Up Service
Here’s what happens after you call, from the moment our crew arrives until we close up and secure the building.
Help is on the way fast
Get everyone out and call 911 if the damage is happening, anyone is hurt, or you smell gas. Then call us, and our crew typically arrives in about an hour once the scene is clear.
Less weather gets in
Our crews board up broken windows and doors, and we cover holes in the roof and walls, so less rain, snow, and wind gets inside.
The building is harder to break into
We secure the entry points and put up temporary fencing when the property needs it, so fewer people wander into a damaged building where they could steal or get hurt.
It stays secure until the repairs
Your building stays covered and secure until the permanent windows, doors, roof, and walls go in.
Common Causes
What Are the Most Common Reasons a Property Needs Board-Up?
These events open up a building in different ways, and each one leaves the property exposed to weather, intruders, and injuries until someone covers it.
Fires
Firefighters often break windows and doors and cut into the roof to put out a fire, leaving the building open to weather and passersby.
Storms
High winds, hail, and falling trees can shatter windows, tear off siding, and punch holes in a roof, letting rain straight into the building.
Vehicle Crashes
A car that hits a home or storefront can leave a gaping hole in the wall and weaken the surrounding structure, making the area unsafe to enter.
Explosions
A gas explosion can blow out windows and doors across a whole building at once and leave walls and ceilings unsafe to stand near.
Vandalism and Break-Ins
Smashed glass and forced doors leave a home or business open to a second break-in, and to the weather, until someone secures them.
Vacant Properties
An empty building with broken entries draws trespassers and vandals, who add new damage and hazards every time they get in.
Family Operated Since 1983
Our Story
Restore Construction began in 1983, when Patrick L. Santoro founded it. His sons, Patrick M. and Michael, now run it with him.
Over that time, we’ve restored more than 10,000 properties across the region, and our crews have boarded up homes, apartment buildings, storefronts, and industrial sites along the way.
As part of American Restoration, we have more resources behind us, and we answer at any hour when a storm or break-in opens up your building.
Building Left Open? Let Us Secure It
Call us day or night, and our crew will close up the openings and can estimate the repairs that come next.
Services
Restoration Services After a Board-Up
A board-up keeps the rain and intruders out, but it doesn’t fix the damage underneath. We take care of that too, so you aren’t hiring a new contractor for each repair.
Our specialty
Fire and Smoke Damage Restoration
Our crews haul out what burned once the building is secure, and we rebuild the structure, so you get your home or business back as it was.
Water Damage Restoration
We dry out the rain or snowmelt that got in before we covered the openings, so less of it soaks into your floors and walls.
Water Damage Restoration →Contents Cleaning and Storage
Our contents team packs out belongings from the open building and cleans the soot or rain off them, so you get back more of what was inside.
Contents Cleaning →Reconstruction and Repairs
We manage the permanent repairs to the windows, doors, and walls under the boards, so the plywood comes down and your building looks finished.
Reconstruction →Insurance Claim Management
We work directly with your adjuster on the board-up and the repairs that follow, so you can spend your time on your family or business.
Insurance Claims →Storm Damage Restoration
Our crews board up the windows a storm broke while we handle the roof and siding, so less rain gets inside until the permanent repairs go in.
Storm Damage Restoration →Biohazard and Trauma Cleanup
We handle trauma and biohazard cleanup in confidence, so the people using the building don’t have to face what happened there.
Biohazard Cleanup →Mold Removal and Remediation
We remove mold and the damp materials it grows on, so the people inside breathe less of it while we manage the rest of the repairs.
Mold Remediation →Reviews
Customer Reviews of Restore Construction
Service Area
Emergency Board-Up Across Chicagoland
Our board-up crews work across Chicago and its suburbs, including Blue Island and the surrounding communities.
Restore Construction
2035 N 15th Ave, Melrose Park, IL 60160 · Open 24/7
Communities we serve most
- Chicago
- Melrose Park
- Oak Park
- Elmhurst
- Maywood
- Cicero
- Park Ridge
- Schaumburg
- Naperville
- Oak Lawn
- Orland Park
- Joliet
Board-Up FAQs
Chicago Emergency Board-Up FAQs
Will my insurance pay for the board-up?
Often, yes, when the damage itself is covered. Board-up is the emergency step that keeps a covered loss from getting worse, and insurers generally treat it as part of the claim. When you hire us, we work directly with your adjuster on the board-up along with the rest of the repairs.
Should I wait for my adjuster to see the damage before you board up?
No. Most policies expect you to protect the property from further damage right away, even with temporary measures, and waiting gives the weather and trespassers time to add to the damage. We document the damage for your claim, so your adjuster has a record of what happened.
Can I board up my property myself?
You can, but it’s riskier than it looks. Broken glass, weakened walls, and damaged floors can hurt you, and a loose board lets the weather in. Our crews know how to work around a damaged building, and we fasten the boards securely to keep the weather out until the repairs.
How long do the boards stay up?
Until the permanent repairs go in. The timing depends on the damage and your claim, so there’s no set number of days. If you hire us for the repairs, we take the boards down as we finish each opening.
Can you secure my business after a break-in?
Yes, at any hour. We board up the smashed windows and forced doors, so your inventory and equipment stay protected until the new glass and locks go in.
What should I do if a car crashes into my home or storefront?
Make sure everyone is clear of the damaged area, then call us once the police and fire department release the scene. We cover the opening and secure the area, then handle the repairs to the wall and the structure behind it.
Can you secure a vacant or foreclosed property?
Yes. We board up the entries and put up temporary fencing where the property needs it, so trespassers and vandals have a harder time getting in while the building sits empty.
Not An Emergency?
Tell Us About Your Disaster
Need a vacant property secured, or fencing and lighting for a construction site? Tell us about the property, and a project coordinator will reach out to set it up.
Building open right now?
Call us now. Every night an opening stays uncovered gives the weather and trespassers another chance to get in.
We answer 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Tell us about your situation.
We will call you back the same day during business hours.