Curtain Walling Company

Stick, unitised and structural glazing for offices, schools, healthcare and homes. Compare the systems, price the elevation, then get matched with a curtain walling specialist that covers the project.

Get matched with a specialist

An introduction service, not a contractor. Nothing is passed on until you agree.

Three ways to build a curtain wall

Every curtain wall hangs off the floor slabs and carries only its own weight and the wind. How it is made and fitted is what changes the cost, the programme and how easy it is to repair.

Compare	AStick	BUnitised	CStructural and spider
Built	On site, piece by piece	In a factory, as storey-high panels	Glass bonded or bolted to hidden supports
Suits	Low and mid-rise, entrances, refurbishment	Seven storeys and up, repeat elevations	Entrances, atriums, feature walls
Access	Scaffold or mast climber outside	Crane or hoist, fitted from inside	Vacuum lifters, often from inside and out
Programme	Longer on site, short lead time	Long lead time, fast on site	Engineering-led, set by glass lead time
Typical cost	£450 to £525 per m²	£1,400 to £1,600 per m²	Flush face £75 to £85 per m² extra; bolted work priced per job
Repairs	One pane at a time from outside	Depends on the system; plan ahead	Specialist lifting for large panes

Need glazing that resists fire? See fire-rated curtain walling. Existing facade leaking or tired? See repair and refurbishment.

What curtain walling costs

Published cost data for proprietary aluminium systems, supplied and fitted on a flat elevation, excluding VAT, scaffolding, design fees and testing. Glass upgrades are priced on top.

Open the cost calculator

Item	Per m², ex VAT
Stick curtain walling, flat, powder coated	£450 to £525
Unitised curtain walling, flat	£1,400 to £1,600
Solar control coating instead of plain low-e (extra over)	+£65 to £75
Laminated inner pane (heat strengthened) (extra over)	+£65 to £75
Laminated outer pane instead of single pane (extra over)	+£65 to £75
Ceramic frit printed on the glass (extra over)	+£75 to £85
Flush glass face, no external caps (stick) (extra over)	+£75 to £85
Structural silicone flush face (unitised) (extra over)	+£90 to £100

Real jobs, as awarded

Public contract	Awarded
Replace curtain walling to a link corridor in two places Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, June 2022	£51,067
Take out rotten windows to a primary school hall, staff room and classrooms; supply and fit aluminium curtain walling, windows and doors St Helens Council, March 2022	£68,631
Replace inner and outer curtain walls and three sets of doors at a main reception entrance University of Salford, January 2024	£72,295
Replace a defective curtain wall screen and windows at a school, with asbestos soffit and gutter work Westmorland and Furness Council, July 2024	£159,531
Replace windows and curtain walling at a school, with classroom alterations Cumbria County Council, July 2022	£161,481

Where these figures come from

U-values, fire and testing

Three things building control, the warranty provider and the client will ask about. Get them into the specification before the package goes out to tender.

Thermal: U-values

The 2021 edition of Approved Document L, Volume 2, sets a limiting U-value of 1.6 W/m²K for new or replacement curtain walling in buildings other than dwellings in England. That is a backstop: the whole-building energy calculation usually needs better. Ask for the whole wall U-value, frames and spandrels included, not the centre-of-glass figure.

Fire

Glazed walls on escape routes, near boundaries or between compartments may need a tested E or EI fire rating. On residential and some other buildings of 18 m or more, regulation 7(2) limits the materials in the external wall; glass, frames and gaskets are exempt, spandrel insulation is not.

Testing to the CWCT standard

Stage	What is tested
Laboratory	Air, water (static and dynamic) and wind, in a set sequence, on a full-size sample
Mock-up	A project-specific sample, usual on unitised and bespoke walls
On site	Hose testing of installed joints, commonly at least 5% of critical joints

How CWCT testing works

Where our information comes from

How a curtain walling package runs

The facade is usually the longest lead item on a building. Most delays start in the first two stages, not on site.

Specify
The architect or facade consultant sets the look, performance and system type in drawings and a specification.
Tender and appoint
Specialists price the package and take on detailed design; compare test evidence, U-values and programme, not just price.
Design and make
Fabrication drawings, calculations and samples are approved; frames or panels are made and glass ordered.
Install and test
Brackets, frames, glass and panels go in; joints are hose tested before internal finishes.
Hand over and maintain
Manuals, warranties and a maintenance plan for gaskets, seals and glass are handed to the building owner.

Curtain walling by city

We look for specialists anywhere in England, Scotland and Wales. These cities have their own notes on local planning and building conditions.

Questions people ask

What is curtain walling?

A non-structural outer wall, usually aluminium framed and mostly glass, that hangs off the edges of a building's floors. It carries only its own weight and the wind, and passes those loads back to the structure. See what is curtain walling.

How much does curtain walling cost per m²?

Published cost data puts a proprietary stick system at £450 to £525 per m² and a unitised system at £1,400 to £1,600 per m², supplied and fitted on a flat elevation, before VAT, access and design. Use the cost calculator to size yours.

What is the difference between curtain walling and windows?

Windows sit in openings in a wall. Curtain walling is the wall: a continuous framed skin that runs past the floor slabs and is fixed to their edges, so it can glaze several storeys without a break.

What U-value does curtain walling need?

For buildings other than dwellings in England, the 2021 edition of Approved Document L, Volume 2 sets a limiting U-value of 1.6 W/m²K for new or replacement curtain walling. Most designs need better than that to pass the whole-building energy calculation.

Is curtain walling covered by the cladding rules?

Curtain walling is part of the external wall. On residential and some other buildings of 18 m or more in England, regulation 7(2) limits the materials that can be used. Glass, frames, gaskets and seals are exempt, but spandrel insulation and backing boards are not.

How long does curtain walling last?

The aluminium frame can last more than 60 years. Sealed glass units last about 25 years and gaskets 15 to 30, so a major refurbishment is typically due every 25 to 35 years.

Are you a curtain walling company?

No. Despite the name, we do not design, make or fit curtain walling. We introduce you to a specialist that covers the project, and tell you who they are before anything is passed on.

Tell us about the facade

Location first, then the package, then your contact details. Each step is short.

We are an introduction service, not a curtain walling contractor. We look for one that covers the project and name them to you first; nothing is passed on until you agree.

Step 1 of 3

Where is the building?

Postcode