Guides
Straight answers to the questions we hear most often, written by the team that surveys and fits steel screens.
How much does an internal steel screen cost in the UK?
A typical internal steel screen around 2.4m wide with a single door costs between £3,800 and £7,500 fitted, including VAT. Price depends mainly on the size of the screen, the number and type of doors, the glass, the finish and how easy the site is to work in.
Genuine steel or steel-look aluminium: which should you choose?
Genuine steel gives the slimmest glazing bars, the most solid feel and the most authentic look, while steel-look aluminium gives a similar appearance for roughly 40 to 50 percent less. The right choice depends on budget, where the screen goes and how closely it will be seen.
Do internal glazed screens need building regulations approval?
An internal glazed screen that simply replaces a non-structural partition usually does not need building regulations approval in its own right, but the glass must meet safety-glazing rules, and a screen on a protected escape route may need to be fire-rated. Removing a load-bearing wall always needs approval.
Can you replace steel windows in a listed building or conservation area?
You can, but listed buildings need listed building consent for almost any change to windows, and some conservation areas have Article 4 directions that control window replacements. Elsewhere, replacing steel windows is usually permitted development, subject to building regulations for energy and safety.
How do you prepare an opening for a steel screen?
Get the opening formed, any beam fitted and the reveals plastered before the final survey, decide your floor finish, and make sure there is solid structure to fix into. Steel is made to exact sizes, so measuring the finished opening is what makes a tight, square fit.
Short answers
How much does an internal steel screen cost in the UK?
A typical internal steel screen around 2.4m wide with a single door costs between £3,800 and £7,500 fitted, including VAT. Price depends mainly on the size of the screen, the number and type of doors, the glass, the finish and how easy the site is to work in.
Genuine steel or steel-look aluminium: which should you choose?
Genuine steel gives the slimmest glazing bars, the most solid feel and the most authentic look, while steel-look aluminium gives a similar appearance for roughly 40 to 50 percent less. The right choice depends on budget, where the screen goes and how closely it will be seen.
Do internal glazed screens need building regulations approval?
An internal glazed screen that simply replaces a non-structural partition usually does not need building regulations approval in its own right, but the glass must meet safety-glazing rules, and a screen on a protected escape route may need to be fire-rated. Removing a load-bearing wall always needs approval.
Can you replace steel windows in a listed building or conservation area?
You can, but listed buildings need listed building consent for almost any change to windows, and some conservation areas have Article 4 directions that control window replacements. Elsewhere, replacing steel windows is usually permitted development, subject to building regulations for energy and safety.
How do you prepare an opening for a steel screen?
Get the opening formed, any beam fitted and the reveals plastered before the final survey, decide your floor finish, and make sure there is solid structure to fix into. Steel is made to exact sizes, so measuring the finished opening is what makes a tight, square fit.