Shopfronts & Commercial Glazing
A shopfront is the glazed commercial frontage of a retail or office premises, typically built from thermally broken aluminium frames with toughened or laminated glass — designed to balance maximum visibility with security, kerb appeal and weather sealing. Absolute Window Co installs shopfronts, curtain walling and commercial entrance systems on the Exlabesa aluminium system, with powder-coating in any RAL colour and out-of-hours installation available across Greater Manchester.
Make Your Business Stand Out
Your shopfront is the face of your business. Our aluminium shopfront systems combine clean, modern aesthetics with robust construction — maximising visibility, security and kerb appeal for your premises.
- Custom designed to your building and branding
- Slim-profile aluminium systems for maximum glass area
- Manual and automatic entrance door options
- Anti-ram security options available
- Powder coated in any RAL colour
- Minimal disruption — fast installation
Commercial Glazing Solutions
From single shopfronts to multi-storey curtain walling systems, we have the expertise to deliver.
Aluminium Shopfronts
Slim-profile aluminium shopfront systems in any RAL colour, maximising your window display area and creating a strong visual identity.
Curtain Walling
Floor-to-ceiling glazed façade systems for commercial and mixed-use buildings. Structurally tested and thermally efficient.
Commercial Entrance Doors
Heavy-duty aluminium commercial doors in single, double and automatic configurations. Suitable for high footfall environments.
Security Screens & Shutters
Retractable security grilles and roller shutters that protect your premises out of hours without compromising daytime appearance.
Refurbishment & Replacement
Replacing an old or damaged shopfront? We handle full strip-out and replacement with minimal disruption to your trading day.
Bespoke Design
Our in-house design team will create CAD drawings and visualisations before any work starts, so you know exactly what you're getting.
Areas We Install Shopfronts
We supply and fit aluminium shopfronts and commercial glazing across Greater Manchester, from our manufacturing base in Worsley.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to the questions we get asked most about commercial shopfronts and glazing across Greater Manchester.
What's the typical lead time for a commercial shopfront installation?
From signed order, installation is typically 3–7 weeks, depending on scope, glazing specification and any powder-coating to brand colours. Larger curtain walling or multi-unit schemes that involve significant fabrication or statutory consent can sit outside this range — we map the programme to your opening date or landlord fit-out deadline at survey so everything is sequenced sensibly.
Can you fit roller shutters or other night closure security?
Yes — we supply and install insurance-rated aluminium roller shutters, perforated shutters that preserve window display visibility, and lattice grilles for jewellers and pharmacies. Shutters are available as face-fixed, built-in or underside-of-lintel installs, with electric operation and optional key-override or smart control. We co-ordinate the shutter with the shopfront glazing so lintel loadings, power supply and aesthetics all work together.
Do I need planning consent to change a shopfront?
Any substantial alteration to a shopfront — a new glazing system, changes to the architectural character, or anything visible from the street — usually needs planning consent, and advertisement consent is a separate approval for new signage. Conservation areas, listed buildings and locations under Article 4 directions have stricter rules on materials, framing colour and glazing bar profiles. We can prepare drawings and submit the planning application on your behalf, and flag listed-building consent requirements at survey stage.
Will my shopfront meet accessibility requirements?
Yes — public-entrance shopfronts are designed to meet the Equality Act 2010 (which replaced the DDA) and Approved Document M of the Building Regulations. That covers level or ramped thresholds, minimum clear door widths (usually 1000mm), lever or push-plate hardware, and visibility manifestations on full-height glazing. We document the accessibility provisions in the handover pack for your landlord and insurers.
Can you supply insurance-approved security glazing?
Yes — we regularly specify laminated glass to BS EN 356 (P1A–P8B) for attack resistance, with P4A or P6B upgrades where insurers require them for jewellers, pharmacies or cash-handling premises. We can also supply anti-bandit, fire-rated and bullet-resistant glazing where the risk assessment calls for it. The final glazing specification is signed off in writing so you have a clear record for your insurance broker.
Can the installation happen out of hours to avoid closing the shop?
Yes — we regularly work evenings, overnights and weekends for retail, hospitality and high-street clients who can't afford to close. We temporarily board and secure the opening during works, keep the premises watertight overnight, and can phase the install across multiple shifts if the glazing is too large to complete in a single session. Out-of-hours rates are quoted upfront so you can weigh the cost against a daytime fit.
Which aluminium shopfront systems do you install?
Our standard commercial shopfront installations use the Exlabesa aluminium system — a thermally broken, slim-profile range covering shopfronts, curtain walling, commercial entrance doors and all-glass automatic entrance systems. Exlabesa supports powder-coating in any RAL colour for brand-matching, accepts toughened, laminated and BS EN 356 security-rated glass, and integrates with manual, manual-assisted and full-automatic entrance door specifications. For larger curtain-walling projects we also work with stick-built aluminium systems offering 50mm or 60mm sightlines, and we supply roller-shutter and lattice-grille security closures from Insurance Approved manufacturers. Frame finishes can include anti-graffiti coatings, anodised finishes and dual-colour (different inside and outside) to match brand requirements.
Who's liable if my shop premises is damaged during shopfront installation?
Absolute Window Co carries public liability insurance of £5 million through Covea Insurance Plc and employer's liability insurance of £10 million for our own teams, so any accidental damage caused by our installers during the shopfront fit is covered by our policies, not yours. Before any commercial install begins, we provide a copy of our insurance schedule to the property owner, the tenant and — when requested — the building insurer, so the chain is clear. We also carry out a pre-install damage walkthrough with photographs of the existing condition, so any pre-existing wear is documented and not later disputed. For listed buildings, retail-park sites with managing-agent oversight, or jobs requiring out-of-hours access, we can arrange specific cover top-ups on request. Talk to our salesperson during the initial visit about your specific insurance requirements.