Window Restoration After Shelling in Odesa: A Case Study from Bazarna St, 5/4
The shelling of a building at 5/4 Bazarna Street in Odesa’s Pryморskyi District left one of the apartments completely devoid of windows. The blast wave shattered frames and double-glazed units, scattering glass shards across neighboring floors. Restoring windows after shelling in such scenarios is never about picking a profile style or handle color. It’s a race against time: sealing openings, assessing the extent of damage, processing compensation documents, and avoiding spending the winter with plastic wrap instead of glass. The apartment owners turned to OKNODOM / Viknodim on the recommendation of friends. Here is how the restoration unfolded, from initial measurements to the final handover of finished slopes.
What to Do If Shelling Blows Out Your Windows: A First-Response Checklist
If an explosive wave blows out your windows during an attack, acting quickly is crucial—but rushing to call the very first window manufacturer you find is a mistake. The standard sequence looks like this:
- Cover the opening with plastic sheeting, plywood, or OSB to prevent the apartment from freezing and rain from pouring inside.
- Photograph the damage: frames, double-glazed units, slopes, and window sills. These photos will be needed for damage assessment reports.
- Call a specialist for measurements to determine the actual scope of damage: whether only the glass is broken, the hardware is damaged, or the entire structure is compromised.
- Immediately inform the contractor about your plans to use the eVidnovlennya program so that documents are prepared to meet program requirements right from the start rather than having to be redone retroactively.
- Do not wait for payouts if you have the means to start work sooner: compensation can sometimes take months to arrive, but a freezing apartment cannot wait.
This exact playbook was followed at 5/4 Bazarna Street.
Case Study: How Windows Were Restored at 5/4 Bazarna Street
Following the shelling, several floors of the building sustained severe damage. In one apartment, the blast wave blew out almost all the windows—frames were warped, and double-glazed units shattered into shards across the rooms.
Without windows, an apartment cools down within hours, leaving the owners unconcerned with aesthetics and focused entirely on sealing the openings before nightfall. Acting on friends’ advice, they contacted OKNODOM / Viknodim.
Measurements and Initial Consultation. Company specialists arrived at the site promptly—a detail the apartment owners specifically highlighted in their review—measured the damaged openings, and assessed the scope of work on the spot. In such situations, manufacturing windows is usually only half the battle.
Documents for eVidnovlennya. The owners planned to restore their housing through the state compensation program, meaning the project went beyond just windows: a properly compiled package of documents was required. Viknodim assisted in preparing damage assessment reports, invoices, receipts, delivery slips, and work completion certificates, while also answering questions that typically arise during the application process. When a person has just lost the windows in their own home, wading through bureaucracy is the last thing they want to do. Therefore, a contractor’s role here extends far beyond cutting glass to size: they must guide the client through the entire process rather than leaving them stranded with paperwork.
Wait for the Payout or Install Windows Immediately?
This presented a dilemma familiar to many Odesans following shellings: documents are submitted, but the payout hasn’t arrived yet. Meanwhile, the apartment sits windowless.
Formally, the simplest path is waiting for the funds before launching production. But for people who physically cannot live normally in a cold apartment with plywood instead of glass, that offers little comfort.
Viknodim met the clients halfway, putting the windows into production without waiting for every financial procedure regarding compensation to conclude. Apartment restoration was spared weeks of additional waiting.
What Windows Were Installed at 5/4 Bazarna Street
The project utilized the German KÖMMERLING 76 AD profile system with a 76 mm mounting depth and Winkhaus hardware. However, the double-glazed units were not identical across all windows—using a blanket solution simply for uniformity would have been unjustified, as balcony doors and street-facing windows face differing thermal insulation requirements.
| Parameter | Balcony Glazing | Exterior Windows |
| Profile | KÖMMERLING 76 AD, 76 mm | KÖMMERLING 76 AD, 76 mm |
| Hardware | Winkhaus | Winkhaus |
| Double-glazed Unit Thickness | 32 mm | 32 mm |
| Number of Panes | 2 | 3 (double-chamber) |
| Coating | Energy-saving | Energy-saving |
| Chamber Filling | Argon | Argon |
Even within a single apartment, hardware and glass configurations were tailored to the specific operational conditions of each individual structure rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach.
Why Full Window Replacement Isn’t Always Necessary After Shelling
This warrants a separate explanation because the question arises on nearly every project. The consequences of a blast wave vary wildly: one apartment might suffer total structural destruction, while a floor above, the frame survives intact though the glass shatters. Elsewhere, only a single pane breaks, or a window appears undamaged yet refuses to close properly due to warped geometry or broken hardware.
The first step is never “you need a new window”—it’s an inspection. If the profile and hardware remain undamaged, replacing the double-glazed unit is often sufficient. If a single pane is broken, Viknodim provides custom glass replacement and sales cut to size. If a window is simply warped and drafts appear, checking whether window repair and adjustment can fix it should come first; replacing a functioning frame entirely just because something exploded nearby isn’t always rational.
Turnkey Windows with Finished Slopes
At 5/4 Bazarna, the work didn’t stop at installing new frames. Immediately following installation, specialists finished the window slopes.
For an apartment recovering from severe damage, this matters just as much as the profile brand: the homeowner doesn’t want an opening rimmed with mounting foam that requires another crew to patch up a month later—they want a finished result ready for immediate use. Demolition, manufacturing, installation, sealing, and slope finishing are handled by Viknodim as a unified process, avoiding a hand-off between multiple separate contractors.
More Than Just Windows: What Else Blast Waves Can Damage
Recent years’ reality shows that blast waves rarely limit themselves to broken glass alone. An apartment may also suffer damage to balconies, slopes, ceilings, and interior finishes.
Consequently, alongside manufacturing and replacing windows through eVidnovlennya, Viknodim handles related scopes: glass and double-glazed unit replacement, window and hardware repairs, balcony restoration, and—if ceilings are affected—stretch ceiling replacement. For a property owner, this translates to dealing with fewer contractors and running around less: there’s no need to hunt down a separate crew for slopes, another for the balcony, and a third to figure out how to fix ceiling cracks caused by the shockwave.
What the Apartment Owners on Bazarna Street Received
Ultimately, the project featured KÖMMERLING 76 AD profile windows equipped with Winkhaus hardware and 32 mm energy-saving double-glazed units filled with argon—triple-pane variants on exterior windows and expanded double-pane units on the balcony, complete with full installation and finished slopes.
Yet the most valuable aspect of this case isn’t the profile brand or glass thickness. The residents got their windows back without waiting out the entire compensation payout procedure—which is arguably the most meaningful contribution a contractor can make in such circumstances.
Customer Review
Upon project completion, the client left this review:
“Following the horrific shelling in our building at 5/4 Bazarna St in Odesa’s Pryморskyi District, several floors burned out. Our apartment was left without windows; it was freezing and unbearable to live in.
On friends’ advice, we turned to ‘VIKNODIM’. The company responded quickly: specialists arrived, took measurements, and consulted us in detail regarding the ‘eVidnovlennya’ program.
They helped us properly prepare and submit all necessary documents: damage assessment reports, invoices, receipts, delivery slips, and work completion certificates.
And most importantly—they met us halfway. While we were submitting documents and awaiting payouts, the company agreed to manufacture and install windows for us, as well as complete turnkey slope finishing.
Such a humane attitude! We were heard and supported at every stage of our interaction with the company.”
Those final words make this review especially meaningful to us. In a difficult situation, people don’t just need a window seller—they need to be heard and helped through a problem.
Restoring Windows After Shelling in Odesa: How to Reach Out
If you find yourself in a similar situation, don’t rush to order a full replacement of all structures immediately. First, assess the nature of the damage: is only the glass broken, is the double-glazed unit compromised, is the hardware jammed, or is the entire frame destroyed? A specialist will take measurements, calculate the restoration scope, and prepare an estimate.
If you plan to apply for eVidnovlennya compensation, mention it immediately upon contacting us so that the paperwork package is compiled to meet program requirements from day one rather than requiring retroactive correction.
OKNODOM / Viknodim restores damaged windows, doors, double-glazed units, and balcony structures across Odesa and the Odesa region. To arrange a free measurement and cost estimate, leave a request on the official OKNODOM website or call directly—having your address and photos of the damage ready will speed up the conversation.
FAQ
Can I replace windows after shelling through the eVidnovlennya program?
Depending on the nature of the damage and program rules, eVidnovlennya compensation can cover the restoration of damaged housing, including windows, doors, and balcony structures. Photograph the damage immediately after the shelling and inform your contractor that you plan to apply for compensation—this ensures the paperwork is assembled correctly from the outset rather than needing retroactive fixes.
Is it mandatory to replace the entire window if the double-glazed unit breaks?
No. If the profile, hardware, and frame geometry remain undamaged, replacing just the double-glazed unit is usually sufficient—it’s faster and noticeably cheaper than a full window replacement. Replacing a functioning structure entirely makes sense only if the frame itself is damaged or can no longer be properly sealed.
What profile and hardware were installed at 5/4 Bazarna Street?
The project utilized the German KÖMMERLING 76 AD profile system with a 76 mm mounting depth and Winkhaus hardware—a configuration engineered to meet elevated thermal insulation, soundproofing, and airtightness standards, which are vital for street-facing windows.
What double-glazed units were installed on the balcony and exterior windows?
For exterior windows: 32 mm energy-saving double-chamber double-glazed units featuring three panes and argon gas between chambers. For balcony glazing: expanded 32 mm double-glazed units with two panes, also energy-saving and argon-filled, but tailored to a less load-bearing section of the facade.
What should I do first if shelling blows out my windows?
Cover the opening with plastic wrap, plywood, or OSB, photograph the damage from all angles, and call a specialist for measurements. They will determine what specifically was affected—glass, hardware, or the entire frame—and advise on next steps, including how to process eVidnovlennya compensation documents.
