The Short Answer
On our estimates, a made-to-measure fixed steel grille costs about £250 to £750 per window fitted; a retractable (concertina) grille £500 to £1,200. Installed prices for homes are rarely published, so treat these as a guide and get a measured quote.
Never fit a fixed grille over a window you might need to escape through. Retractable or removable grilles, or roller shutters, let you get out in a fire.
Grille prices
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Fixed steel grille, per window, fitted | £250 to £750 |
| Retractable grille, per window or door, fitted | £500 to £1,200 |
Fixed, removable or retractable?
- Fixed bars: the cheapest; for windows nobody needs to climb out of, such as a basement or rear utility room.
- Removable: can be taken off when you need the opening.
- Retractable: slide open in the day and lock at night; they cost more because of the mechanism.
- Roller shutters: cover the whole window when closed.
Security ratings and insurance
Grilles come in different strengths. The strongest are certified to LPS 1175, the Loss Prevention Certification Board's standard for testing and grading how well building components resist forced entry, and on our estimates rated grilles cost more than standard ones. If you're fitting grilles partly to satisfy your home insurance, I'd ask the insurer what rating it wants before getting quotes, so you don't pay for a higher grade than you need, or fit one it won't accept.
What the quote should show
Grilles are made to measure, so a proper quote comes after someone has measured the opening. I'd check it shows:
- the type: fixed, removable or retractable;
- the opening size, width and height;
- the material and finish (steel for strength, powder coating to resist the weather);
- the security rating, if any;
- fitting, making good and any extra fabrication;
- whether VAT is included: many grille firms quote before VAT.
Upstairs windows may need access equipment, which adds to the price.
Looking after them
Retractable and removable grilles have moving parts and locks, so I'd lubricate them and check the locks once a year. Makers' warranties on the grilles we looked at ran one to two years, so ask what yours comes with.
Grilles and fire escape
Building regulations guidance (Approved Document B) expects some upper-floor rooms to have an escape window: an unobstructed opening of at least 0.33m², at least 450mm high and wide. A fixed grille over that window blocks the way out. I'd only fit openable grilles to any window someone might need to escape through. More on escape windows: new windows.
Other security
See burglar alarms and CCTV.
Get window security grilles quotes
Grilles are priced per window or door, made to measure.
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Frequently asked questions
How much do window security grilles cost?
On our estimates, about £250 to £750 per window for fixed grilles and £500 to £1,200 for retractable ones, fitted.
Are window grilles a fire risk?
Fixed grilles on a window you'd escape through are. Use openable or retractable grilles on escape windows.
Are security grilles worth it?
For a ground-floor or basement window nobody needs to climb out of, a fixed grille is a cheap, visible barrier. For anything else I'd choose a retractable grille or a shutter.
Do security grilles need maintenance?
A little: lubricate the moving parts and check the locks once a year on retractable and removable grilles.
What is an LPS 1175 grille?
One certified by the Loss Prevention Certification Board (part of BRE) to LPS 1175, its standard for testing and grading resistance to forced entry. Rated grilles cost more than standard ones; if insurance is the reason, ask your insurer which rating, if any, it wants.
Grilles or roller shutters?
Grilles let light and air through; shutters cover the window completely when closed.
How we priced thisView sources (3, 1 official)
Rules come from the legislation and official guidance, read at source. Prices are our estimates: we check them against trade price data, retailer shelf prices and specialists' price lists, then build them up from their parts so the totals add up. Below are the sources behind the page; the trade price guides we only compare against aren’t listed. Where sources disagreed, we've said so. More on our method.
- OfficialApproved Document B: Fire safety, Volume 1 Dwellings (2019 edition incorporating 2020 to 2026 amendments), paras 2.10, 2.16 and 2.18 to 2.20, GOV.UK. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- IndustryWindow security grille, Atlantic Fabrications. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- IndustryLPS 1175 Issue 8.2: requirements and testing procedures for the LPCB certification and listing of intruder resistant building components (September 2024), BRE Global (Loss Prevention Certification Board). Checked 16 Oct 2026.
