Facade glass replacement: how glass units are changed at height and what an owner should know
Author: Illia Kaprishanskyi, manager at VIKNODIM, handles glass unit replacement orders. Updated: October 2026.
In short
- A glass unit in a facade system is replaced one panel at a time, without removing the neighbouring panels. It is usually taken out from the outside, so you need a rope access technician, an aerial platform or a gondola.
- Tempered glass under EN 12150-1 has a bending strength of 120 N/mm², ordinary float glass about 45 N/mm². At height, where the wind is stronger, this matters.
- Tempered glass cannot be cut or drilled after tempering. The unit is made to the exact measured size, so a measuring error costs a whole new unit.
- Lead times: a unit with ordinary glass takes 14–15 working days, with tempered or laminated glass 21–28 working days. Tinted glass depends on whether the right shade is in stock.
- Replacing a facade glass unit in Odesa costs from 10,000 UAH per m² including labour. The final figure depends on the size and build-up of the unit.
- Broken tempered glass falls apart into small blunt pieces: the standard requires at least 40 particles in a 50×50 mm square. A cracked panel should be taped over before it drops onto the street.
- If the facade glass of your flat was damaged in an attack, the replacement can be paid for under Ukraine’s eVidnovlennia (eRecovery) programme.
A facade glass unit usually gets noticed once it is already cracked: a web of cracks across the whole panel, and the neighbours below asking whether it is going to fall on them. At that moment the flat owner or the head of the condominium association wants two things. First, that the glass does not come down today. Second, to replace it once and properly, without scaffolding the whole facade and without waiting a month. Below I explain how replacement works in different facade systems, which glass belongs at height and what the price is made of. The main example is our job at the Bilyi Parus residential complex in Arcadia, 6th floor above the sea.
Where to start: your situation and the first step
| Your situation | First step |
|---|---|
| The unit has just cracked, the glass is holding | Tape the outer pane with film or mesh tape and fence off the area below the window |
| Some of the glass has fallen out | Close the opening from inside with film or a board, call a surveyor for temporary closure |
| Damaged by shelling | Photograph the panel from inside and outside and file a report in the Diia app before replacement |
| Cracked for no visible reason | Keep the fragments or photos of the crack: it may point to spontaneous breakage of tempered glass |
| The building is under the developer’s warranty | Write to the developer or building manager, with photos and the date |
| Condensation between the panes | The seal has failed: the glass is intact, but the unit is still replaced as a whole |
Facade system types and where the glass is changed from
The type of system decides where the unit is removed from and how long it takes.
Stick (mullion and transom) system. The most common type on Odesa high-rises. The unit sits between vertical aluminium mullions and horizontal transoms, held from outside by a pressure plate under a decorative cap. To reach the glass, the cap and plate are removed from the street side. Neighbouring panels stay untouched.
Structural and semi-structural glazing. No plates are visible from outside; the unit is held by structural silicone or hidden fixings. The old unit is cut out along the silicone, the new one is bonded in and held with temporary clamps while the silicone cures. This takes longer, and in damp cold weather bonding work is postponed.
Unitised facade. The glass sits in factory-made modules. Replacement is possible, but part of the work is done from inside, and without the system documentation it is better not to start.
Windows set into the facade. If the facade band contains an ordinary opening sash or fixed window in aluminium or PVC, the unit is often changed from inside the flat by removing the glazing beads. This is the simplest and cheapest case.
Which glass to put into a facade unit
At height the outer pane must be safety glass: tempered or laminated. The choice depends on what matters more to you.
| Ordinary float glass | Tempered | Laminated | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bending strength | about 45 N/mm² | 120 N/mm² under EN 12150-1 | same as the glass it is made of |
| How it breaks | large sharp shards | small blunt pieces, at least 40 in a 50×50 mm square | cracks, the interlayer holds the fragments |
| Can it be cut after manufacture | yes | no | yes, before glazing |
| Where it fits on a facade | not recommended at height | outer pane, panels under wind load | inner pane, panels above walkways, blast protection |
Wind load grows with height; Ukrainian building code DBN V.1.2-2:2006 “Loads and Effects” accounts for this. On the 6th floor above the sea a gust hits the glass noticeably harder than at ground level, so we use tempered glass for the outer pane.
At Bilyi Parus both panes in the unit are tempered. The outer one is multifunctional: its coating reflects part of the solar heat in summer and keeps heat in during winter. The inner one is low-e. For a facade that faces the sun and the sea wind from early morning, this means less overheating in the flat and less condensation in winter.
Tempered glass has one property worth knowing about. Occasionally it breaks by itself, with no impact. The cause is nickel sulfide inclusions that change volume inside the glass over the years. To screen out such sheets before installation, tempered glass goes through a heat soak test under EN 14179-1: the glass is heated to about 290 °C and held there, and sheets with inclusions break in the oven. The test lowers the risk but does not remove it completely. For panels above a pavement, an entrance or a playground we recommend heat-soaked tempered glass or tempered plus laminated in one unit.
How the replacement goes: from survey to installation
- Inspection and photos. We photograph the damaged panel from inside and, where possible, from outside. We check the gaskets, plates and the profile itself.
- Measuring. The size is taken from the old unit, not from the opening by eye. The build-up is printed on the spacer bar or in the system data sheet. Tempered glass cannot be trimmed later, so we check the measurements twice.
- Temporary closure. The cracked glass is taped so it does not fall out while the new unit is being made.
- Manufacturing. The glass is cut and edged before tempering, then tempered and assembled into a unit. A heat soak test adds time. In our experience a unit with plain untinted glass is ready in 14–15 working days, with tempered or laminated glass in 21–28 working days. With tinted glass it depends on whether the right shade is in stock.
- Access to the panel. Rope access technician, truck-mounted platform or facade gondola. Work at height follows Ukrainian safety rules NPAOP 0.00-1.15-07, and the area under the facade is fenced off.
- Removal. We take off the cap and pressure plate and lift out the old unit. Cracked tempered glass comes out taped so no fragments fall.
- Installation. We clean the rebate, fit new setting blocks, the unit, gaskets and the plate. The plate is tightened evenly so the glass gets no point load.
- Check. We check gasket contact around the perimeter, fit the cap and clean up.
Case study: Bilyi Parus residential complex, Arcadia, 6th floor
At Bilyi Parus a glass unit cracked on the sea-facing facade. The cracks spread across the whole panel, and during inspection we also found a damaged profile next to it. Scaffolding is not an option on this facade: below the building is a promenade where people walk all day.
| Item | What we did |
|---|---|
| Site | Bilyi Parus residential complex, Arcadia, Odesa |
| Height | 6th floor, sea-facing facade |
| Damage | Unit cracked across the whole panel, damaged profile |
| Access | Rope access, no scaffolding or platform |
| New unit | Both panes tempered: outer multifunctional, inner low-e |
| Manufacturing time | 21–28 working days, normal for a tempered unit |
| What mattered | The cracked glass was removed so that no fragments fell onto the promenade |
The takeaway from this job: if facade glass cracks, think about the people below first and the price second. A taped panel can wait for replacement; an untaped tempered pane can let go at any moment.
Another project: Chornomorskyi business centre, Chornomorsk
The business centre is in Chornomorsk, half an hour from Odesa. The facade here runs along a curve and the units are dark-tinted. The damaged panel was on the first tier above the plinth, so no rope access was needed: two installers worked from the parapet. The large unit was handled with vacuum lifters; by hand you cannot hold it or set it straight into the rebate.
The business centre stayed open during the replacement, and so did the currency exchange under the window. For commercial buildings this matters: we plan the work so visitors do not have to walk around barriers all day.
Dark glass has its own catch. The new unit has to match its neighbours in shade, otherwise the replacement shows from the street. So the lead time here depends on whether glass of the right shade is in stock.
Third project: Elite Business Auto car showroom, Usatove
At a car showroom in Usatove, near the cloverleaf interchange, we replaced damaged oversized tempered glass units in the aluminium facade system at a height of 4 metres.
The glass was hit and the impact sent cracks across the panels. These units are larger than standard, so each one was made to its own measurement and installed in the facade system at height. The showroom chose its contractor through a tender. We also made and installed polycarbonate units that other contractors had turned down.
Here is what the client wrote about the job (translated from Ukrainian):
“We urgently needed to replace damaged, unusually large tempered glass units. … After a recommendation on Google and our own tender we chose Viknodim: their price turned out to be the best on the market. … The company provided a full set of documents (contract, invoices, certificates of completed work). … Everything was done quickly, reliably and professionally. Highly recommended!”
Two things mattered for the business here: paperwork for the accounts department, and the showroom staying open during the replacement.
Video from the showroom (captions in Ukrainian): the client’s review, the damaged unit, the facade before and after, the polycarbonate units.
This video on social media:
Fourth project: Aqua Marine residential complex, 16th station of Bolshoy Fontan
In the new Aqua Marine residential complex at the 16th station of Bolshoy Fontan we replaced damaged units in a flat’s panoramic glazing.
The flat is still unfinished; the glazing is panoramic, with a corner at height. The damaged unit was taken out and leaned against the wall, and a new one of the same size went in its place. If glass cracks in a new building and the developer has already handed it over, the flat owner orders the replacement, and the build-up and size of the unit must be matched exactly so it fits the system without rework.
How much facade glass replacement costs
Replacing a facade glass unit in Odesa costs from 10,000 UAH per m² including labour. We give the exact figure after measuring, because it has several parts and each varies a lot from site to site:
- size and weight of the unit, since large panels cannot be lifted without equipment;
- build-up: double or triple glazed, tempered, laminated, low-e coating;
- heat soak test, if the panel is above a walkway;
- access method: rope access, platform or gondola, and the floor;
- how many panels we replace in one visit;
- extra work: new gaskets, plates, profile repair.
Replacing several panels at once saves the most. Lifting and the rope technician’s time cost the same for one unit as for three neighbouring ones.
Who pays for the replacement
You, as the owner, pay for a unit within your flat. Glass in common areas, such as stairwells, the lobby or technical floors, is the job of the condominium association or the building manager. If the building is under warranty and the glass cracked by itself, contact the developer in writing.
Most of our facade orders come from private flat owners. We also work with condominium associations, banks and business centres: for them we prepare a contract, certificates of completed work and a schedule so the replacement does not disrupt the branch or office.
A separate case is glass blown out by a blast wave. The facade glazing of your flat is then included in the inspection commission’s report, and the replacement can be paid for from eVidnovlennia funds. How to apply and what to show the commission is covered separately: eVidnovlennia in Odesa and Mykolaiv and windows under eVidnovlennia in Kyiv.
Mistakes that make you do the job twice
- The opening was measured with a tape by eye instead of measuring the old unit. Tempered glass cannot be trimmed, so the unit is made again.
- Ordinary glass went in instead of tempered because “it is cheaper and faster”. At height it cracks from wind or temperature swings.
- The old gaskets were left in. The new unit leaks around the perimeter in the first downpour.
- The pressure plate was overtightened in one spot. The glass breaks from the point load a few weeks later.
- The cracked panel was left untaped while the new unit was being made. Fragments fell out, and damage below was added to the glass repair.
Video from the site
What replacement on the 6th floor of Bilyi Parus looks like, in our video (captions in Ukrainian):
This video on social media:
Frequently asked questions
Can one unit in a facade system be replaced without touching the neighbouring ones?
Yes. In a stick system each panel has its own pressure plate. Only that plate is removed; the neighbouring units stay in place.
Is a facade unit changed from inside or outside?
In stick and structural facades from outside, so you need a rope access technician, a platform or a gondola. Units in windows set into the facade are often changed from inside the flat.
Why did tempered glass crack by itself?
The most common cause is nickel sulfide inclusions in the glass. To screen out such sheets, tempered glass is checked with a heat soak test under EN 14179-1. Other causes are point load from the plate, an impact or a distorted frame.
Which is better for a facade: tempered or laminated glass?
Tempered glass is stronger in bending and handles wind better. Laminated glass does not fall apart because the interlayer holds the fragments. At height both are often used in one unit: tempered outside, laminated inside.
Is scaffolding needed to replace a facade glass unit?
No. We work with rope access or from a truck-mounted platform. That is faster and cheaper than scaffolding the whole facade.
How long does a new tempered glass unit take?
A unit with tempered or laminated glass takes 21–28 working days, with plain untinted glass 14–15 working days. With tinted glass it depends on stock of the right shade. While the unit is being made, we tape the cracked panel so it does not fall out.
How much does facade glass replacement cost in Odesa?
From 10,000 UAH per m² including labour. The price depends on the unit size, glass build-up and how the panel is accessed. We give the exact figure after measuring.
Can a facade glass unit be replaced under eVidnovlennia?
Yes, if the glass of your flat was damaged in an attack and the commission included it in the inspection report. The eVidnovlennia card can only pay a contractor taking part in the programme.
What to do today if facade glass has cracked
- Tape the cracked glass with film or mesh tape and fence off the area below.
- Photograph the panel from inside and outside; if the damage is from shelling, file a report in Diia.
- Tell the condominium association or building manager if the glass is in a common area.
- Call a surveyor to start manufacturing the unit.
More about the service: glass unit replacement in Odesa.
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