Property managers and strata managers ask us this every week. “If we have a break-in tonight, how fast can you actually get there?” The marketing answer is “very fast”. The honest answer has a few moving parts. This post gives you the realistic timeline from the first call to a permanent repair, with the things that speed it up or slow it down.
Knowing the real numbers helps you set expectations with tenants, owners and insurers when something happens.
The short answer
For a break-in within Penrith, Jamisontown or the immediate Western Sydney suburbs, expect a glazier on site within 30 to 60 minutes of the call. Make-safe usually takes 30 to 90 minutes depending on damage. Permanent replacement is typically next morning if the glass is in stock, or 2 to 5 days if it has to be cut and toughened. Insurance paperwork runs in parallel.
The first phone call (minute 0 to 5)
The clock starts when you call us. Our after-hours phone goes through to a glazier, not a call centre. On the call we ask:
- Address and access details.
- Type of damage (window, door, shopfront, splashback).
- Approximate panel size and location.
- Whether the property is secure right now.
- Whether anyone is on site to let us in.
- Police event number if applicable.
- Insurance details for the invoice.
That call is two to three minutes. By the time we hang up, the closest van is moving toward the property.
Travel time (minute 5 to 60)
Realistic travel times for our 24/7 emergency glass service from Jamisontown base to common Western Sydney destinations, after hours with light traffic:
- Penrith CBD, Kingswood, South Penrith, Jamisontown: 15 to 25 minutes
- Emu Plains, Glenmore Park, Cambridge Park: 20 to 35 minutes
- St Marys, Cranebrook, Werrington, Castlereagh: 25 to 45 minutes
- Erskine Park, Colyton, Mount Druitt: 35 to 50 minutes
- Blacktown, Doonside, Glendenning: 45 to 60 minutes
Add 10 to 20 minutes during peak traffic, on wet nights, or after long weekends. We give you a realistic ETA on the call, not a hopeful one.
On-site assessment (minute 60 to 70)
When the glazier arrives:
- Walks the damage with the tenant or property manager.
- Photographs the scene before touching anything.
- Identifies the broken panels, frame damage and entry points.
- Confirms the make-safe plan (boarding, temporary glass or polycarbonate).
- Notes any debris, contents damage or safety hazards.
- Gives a realistic time for completion of the make-safe.
This step takes 5 to 15 minutes for a single broken window, longer for multiple damage or shopfront breaches.
Make-safe (minute 70 to 160)
The make-safe itself takes 30 to 90 minutes depending on:
- How many panels are damaged. One pane in a bedroom, fast. Three panels in a shopfront, slower.
- Type of make-safe. Timber board over a small window, quick. Custom-cut polycarbonate for a glass entry door, longer.
- State of the frame. If the frame is intact, fast. If it is damaged or twisted, longer.
- Cleanup. Glass shards in carpet, on the floor, or scattered outside take time to vacuum and sweep.
- Access. Working at ground level is fast. Working up a ladder or on a balcony is slower.
For a typical residential break-in with one or two broken windows, expect 45 to 75 minutes on site. For a smashed shopfront with multiple panels, 90 to 180 minutes.
Documentation (minute 160 to 175)
Before the glazier leaves, the documentation pack gets sorted:
- Before, during and after photos.
- A short written description of the damage and the make-safe.
- A quote for the permanent replacement.
- A booking time for the permanent install.
- An invoice for the make-safe (or a note that it will be claimed through insurance).
The property manager and the insurer receive this by email or text within the hour.
Total time on the night
For a standard Penrith break-in:
- Travel: 25 to 45 minutes
- Assessment: 5 to 15 minutes
- Make-safe: 45 to 75 minutes
- Documentation: 10 to 15 minutes
- Total from call to leaving: 1.5 to 2.5 hours
We have done jobs faster. We have done jobs slower. The 2-hour average is the honest median.
The next morning
The permanent replacement happens within 1 to 5 days depending on glass type.
- Stock 4mm or 6mm clear toughened: next-day install, often before lunch.
- Custom-cut toughened: 3 to 5 working days.
- Laminated, low-iron or specialty: 5 to 10 working days.
- Double glazing: 10 to 20 working days.
For a Cranebrook rental property with a broken double-hung window, the typical pattern is: make-safe Tuesday night, permanent install Thursday morning. Tenant in the bedroom Thursday evening.
What slows things down
Things that push the timeline out, and what to do about them.
- No one on site to give access. Drop a key with us in advance for portfolio clients.
- Insurance approval needed before work. Get the claim lodged on the same night if possible.
- Custom glass requirement. We make-safe the same night and order the panel.
- Frame or wall damage. May need a carpenter before glass can be refitted.
- Multiple sites in one night during storms. We prioritise by safety, then by trading impact.
- Police investigation in progress. We wait until they clear the scene before make-safe.
What speeds things up
Things that get you a faster response:
- A call from a known property manager or strata manager with an account with us.
- A clear address and access notes.
- Photos sent through during the call.
- A key on file at our office or with a tenant on site.
- Insurance details ready.
- A police event number if applicable.
For portfolio managers, the difference between an account and a one-off call is 15 to 30 minutes. Worth the five-minute setup phone call during business hours.
Setting up an account
For real estate offices, strata managers and commercial property managers in Penrith and Western Sydney, we offer account access with:
- Priority phone routing.
- Pre-agreed pricing schedule.
- Photo and report format to suit your software.
- Single monthly invoice if preferred.
- Direct dispatch on confirmed sites.
Setting this up takes one phone call and one form. Once it is live, the next break-in call is half the time and twice as smooth.
Common scenarios
A few real-life patterns from our call log.
- Rental in Penrith, 11pm Friday. Front window broken on entry. Call at 11:05pm. On site 11:35pm. Boarded by 12:15am. Permanent panel installed Saturday morning at 10am.
- Cafe in Emu Plains, 4am Sunday. Shopfront smashed by rolling bin during storm. Call at 4:30am. On site 5:10am. Boarded with polycarbonate by 6:30am. Cafe trading at 7:30am with temporary panel. Permanent panel installed Monday morning before opening.
- Strata building in St Marys, 2am Wednesday. Glass entry door smashed by intruder. Call at 2:30am. On site 3:10am. Door temporarily glazed by 4:30am. Permanent door panel installed Thursday afternoon.
The pattern repeats. Two hours on site overnight, two to three days to a permanent finish.
When to call us
Call us immediately if:
- A tenant has called about a break-in or vandalism.
- A shopfront has been smashed.
- A glass entry door is no longer secure.
- An exterior window has been broken and the property is exposed.
- Glass damage is preventing trading or occupation.
Phone 02 4722 2787 any time. For non-urgent quotes, the contact form is the fastest way to start.
FAQ
Do you charge a call-out fee on top of the work? Yes. After-hours work has a call-out fee that covers the dispatch and travel. We tell you the fee on the call. Repair cost is quoted on top.
Can you respond if the police are still on site? Yes. We work around investigations. Sometimes we wait outside until forensics finish.
What if I cannot get to the property to let you in? We can usually work with a tenant on site, a neighbour with a key, or a key kept at our office. Tell us on the call and we will work it out.
Do you respond on Christmas Day and public holidays? Yes. Glass damage does not respect calendars and neither do we.
The honest answer is that a Penrith break-in gets a glazier in 30 to 60 minutes and a make-safe within two hours of the first call. The permanent fix follows a day or two later. The number to save in your phone is 02 4722 2787.
