Aluminium Shopfronts
engineered, fabricated and fitted
for Birmingham retail.
Get a survey-backed shopfront installation with a fixed written quotation — delivered on programme, signed off against Part L and DDA, and guaranteed in writing for 12 months. Specified by the family that owns the install.
A clear picture of what we install, who it's for, when to specify it, and why it matters.
What it is
An aluminium shopfront is the structural glazed envelope at the front of a commercial unit — typically a thermally broken aluminium frame carrying toughened or laminated safety glass, an entrance door set, and the transom, mullions and fascia that tie the unit into the building line. On the high street it is the single most expensive piece of marketing a retailer owns; in a trade or industrial unit it is the boundary between the public, the insurer and the stock.
Who it's for
Independent retailers, multiples rolling out a new identity, landlords re-letting a vacant unit, restaurant and takeaway operators, dental and medical practices, jewellers requiring laminated security glazing, and main contractors on commercial fit-outs across the West Midlands and nationally.
When you need it
When a lease is signed and the unit needs to trade, when an insurance claim follows a ram-raid or vandalism, when a refurbishment changes the brand identity, when Building Control flags the existing frontage as non-compliant with Part L or DDA, or when the existing aluminium has reached the end of its serviceable life — typically 25–35 years.
Why it matters
A shopfront is a regulated, load-bearing, weather-tight structural element. Surveying the head detail, calculating wind load against the local exposure, specifying the right glass make-up for the use class, and installing without compromising the lintel or DPC is not a job for a general builder. Getting it wrong leaks heat, voids insurance, fails Building Control sign-off and — at worst — drops glass into a public footpath.
What it actually costs to leave a tired shopfront in place
A failing shopfront rarely fails politely. It compounds — financially, operationally and legally — until the bill is several multiples of what a planned replacement would have been.
- Heat loss through single-glazed or thermally-bridged frames typically runs 30–45% higher than current Part L targets, adding four-figure sums to a retailer's annual energy bill.
- Insurers routinely refuse claims where forced entry exploited a known-defective frame, sliding door track or compromised laminated pane.
- Worn door closers and dropped hinges create a DDA non-compliance issue the moment a wheelchair user cannot operate the entrance unassisted.
- DIY repairs — silicone patches, timber packers behind aluminium, generic ironmongery — invalidate the original system warranty and accelerate corrosion at the fixing points.
- A tired frontage measurably depresses footfall: independent retail studies put the conversion impact at 7–12% versus a refurbished unit on the same parade.
Survey to sign-off, handled by one accountable team.
- 01
Free site survey
A senior surveyor attends on request, measures the opening, checks lintel and DPC, photographs existing services and confirms access for the install team.
- 02
Fixed written quotation
You receive a line-item quotation — frame system, glass spec, ironmongery, powder-coat colour, programme dates and disposal — signed off in writing, with no provisional sums.
- 03
Fabrication
Frames are cut, punched and assembled in our Birmingham workshop using Kestrel, Smart and Exlabesa profiles, then powder-coated to any RAL colour at a Qualicoat-approved finisher.
- 04
Site installation
Two-man install crews remove the existing front, fit the new frame plumb and square, glaze, seal to current Part L cold-bridge details and commission ironmongery — typically inside 1–3 trading days.
- 05
Sign-off & guarantee
You receive the CE/UKCA documentation, Part L compliance paperwork, ironmongery test certificates and the written workmanship warranty in a single project file.
Six outcomes you can measure after handover.
Faster fit-out
Survey to trading inside 1–4 weeks of order on a standard parade unit — programme dates we hold, not aspire to.
Lower energy bills
Thermally broken profiles and argon-filled units cut frontage heat loss by up to 45% against single-glazed steel or first-generation aluminium.
Better security
Laminated 6.8mm or 11.5mm glass, multi-point locking and anti-snap cylinders specified to your insurer's wording — not a generic equivalent.
Long service life
Marine-grade powder-coat to BS EN 12206 carries a colour-fade warranty (manufacturer-dependent); the underlying aluminium typically serves 30+ years.
Single point of accountability
One contract, one programme, one phone number. We survey, fabricate, install and warrant — no sub-let middlemen.
Compliance handed to you
Part L, DDA, BS EN 16005, fire glass certificates and ironmongery sign-off arrive bound in one file ready for Building Control.
Specification detail — what actually goes into a Prestige aluminium shopfront
Below is the level of specification a Prestige shopfront installation is built to. We publish it openly so specifiers, landlords and insurers can compare like-for-like against any competing quotation.
Frame systems
We work primarily with Kestrel Aluminium (shopfront and commercial profiles), Smart Aluminium Systems (Alitherm Heritage and Alitherm 800) and Exlabesa. Profile selection is driven by sightline, U-value target and lead time — not by what's cheapest in the warehouse that week.
Glass make-up
Standard retail spec is a 28mm IGU comprising 6mm toughened outer, 16mm argon-filled cavity with warm-edge spacer, and 6.8mm laminated inner — meeting Building Regs Part K impact safety and giving acoustic and security uplift over single-glazed.
Doors & ironmongery
Commercial-grade aluminium door sets with Adams Rite or Briton closers, Yale or Mul-T-Lock cylinders, mid-rail or low-bottom-rail panic hardware to BS EN 1125, and floor-mounted or overhead transom closers depending on door weight and traffic.
Surface finish
All frames powder-coated to BS EN 12206-1 at a Qualicoat-approved facility. Standard textures (matt, satin, gloss), full RAL palette, anodised silver/bronze, and dual-colour (different inside vs outside) all available.
Variants & sub-types
Standard shopfronts, slim-sightline heritage shopfronts (for Conservation Area and listed-building consent), curved and bay shopfronts, double-height retail glazing, structurally bonded shopfronts with concealed framing, and integrated roller-shutter housings.
Commercial vs residential
Commercial shopfronts use heavier 1.6mm wall extrusions, EPDM gaskets rated for higher footfall, three-hinge door leaves and door closers calibrated for 200,000+ cycles. Residential aluminium doors run lighter extrusions, single closers and ironmongery rated to typical domestic use — not interchangeable.
Every line above appears on your written specification. Nothing material is hidden inside a 'provisional sum' or 'TBC'.
The questions estates teams, landlords and main contractors ask before signing the order.
How long does the installation take?+
From survey to trading is typically 1–4 weeks on a standard unit: 48 hours to survey, 5 working days to fabricate and powder-coat, 1–3 days on site to remove the old front, fit and seal the new one, and commission the ironmongery. Bespoke architectural profiles add 1–2 weeks.
What guarantee comes with the shopfront?+
Aluminium frames carry a written workmanship warranty. Sealed units carry a 5-year guarantee against misting and seal failure. Powder-coated finishes carry a colour-fade warranty (manufacturer-dependent). Workmanship is covered by our own written warranty for the same period.
Is the shopfront Part L and DDA compliant?+
Yes. All standard specifications are thermally broken to a U-value of 1.4 W/m²K or better, meeting current Part L. Entrance doors are specified with lever ironmongery, low-threshold detail and door-closer pressures inside the DDA Approved Document M envelope.
How long will an aluminium shopfront last?+
Powder-coated marine-grade aluminium in a typical Midlands urban environment has a serviceable life of 30–35 years before the frame itself needs replacement. Sealed units typically need replacing inside the frame at 18–25 years; ironmongery is maintained on a 5-yearly cycle.
Do you offer same-day surveys?+
Yes — where the diary allows we offer same-day site surveys, with a fixed written quotation back to you within 48 hours.
Can you match an existing shopfront on a row of units?+
Yes. We measure the existing sightlines, sample the powder-coat for an exact RAL/colour-match, and replicate the transom, mullion and fascia detail so a single replacement reads as part of the original parade — common on multi-let landlord refurbishments.
Do you handle landlord consent and planning?+
We supply the technical drawings, U-value calculations and CDM documentation a Licence for Alterations or planning application requires. Submission of the application itself sits with the leaseholder or their managing agent, but we will brief them directly if helpful.
Will the install disrupt trading?+
Most retail shopfront swaps are completed in 1–3 trading days. Where overnight or weekend work is required to keep the unit trading, we programme it in at quotation stage at no premium — we own the install crews.
What areas do you cover?+
Survey, install and aftercare across the West Midlands daily from Birmingham. Commercial contract work delivered nationally — London, the South East, North West, Yorkshire, Hull, Bristol and Cambridge are all regular routes.
Get a fixed written quotation for your aluminium shopfront on request.
No provisional sums. No site-day surprises. A senior surveyor on site within two working days, a line-item quotation back in writing, and a programme date your fit-out manager can plan against.
Aluminium Windows & Doors
Slim-sightline aluminium windows and doors specified for offices, retail and architectural new-build.
View service →Roller Shutters
Insurance-grade aluminium roller shutters for shops, warehouses, garages and industrial units.
View service →Automatic Doors
Swing, sliding and revolving automatic door systems compliant with BS EN 16005 and DDA standards.
View service →