How to measure a shopfront opening

5 minute read. Last updated November 2026.

What do I need to measure a shopfront?

You need a 5 m tape, a phone camera, a pencil and someone to hold the far end. A stepladder helps with the fascia, but stay off it if you are on your own or the pavement is busy. A laser measure is quicker on a wide frontage, though a tape reads more reliably in bright sun.

Pick a quiet time of day and measure in millimetres. Builders' drawings use millimetres, and writing 2.4 m when you mean 2,437 mm hides the detail that matters. Your figures are for a guide price only. We take our own measurements at survey, and nothing is ordered until you accept the quotation.

How do I measure the width of a shopfront?

Measure the width at the top, the middle and the bottom of the opening, then use the smallest figure. Old buildings are rarely square, and a difference of 20 mm or more between readings tells us something about the structure.

1. Measure between the two solid sides of the opening, such as the brick or the pilasters.
2. Do this three times: just under the fascia, at waist height and just above the stallriser or floor.
3. Note whether the sides are straight, or stepped by a plinth or a pipe.
4. If the frontage turns a corner, measure each face and add them together.

Then find your band. Our guide prices run in four bands: up to 3 m, 3 to 4 m, 4 to 5 m and 5 to 6 m. If you are within 100 mm of a band edge, check the next band as well in the quote tool. Anything wider than 6 m is priced from the survey.

How do I measure the height of a shopfront?

Measure from the finished floor or pavement to the underside of the fascia, at the left, the centre and the right. Use the smallest figure for a new frontage. For a shutter, also measure to the point where the box or the top of the guide would sit.

Pavements often slope along a shop, so the left and right heights can differ by a surprising amount. That affects the bottom rail of a shutter, the threshold of the door and how the stallriser is cut. Note which end is lower. Our prices assume a standard height of up to about 3 m, and a taller frontage is priced at survey.

What else should I measure for a shutter?

For a shutter, measure the space around the opening as well as the opening itself. The curtain needs guides at the sides and a box at the head, so these figures decide whether it can go there.

• Side room. Clear wall on each side of the opening, for the guide channels.
• Head room. From the top of the opening to the first obstruction above.
• Fascia depth. Top to bottom of the fascia, and whether it is hollow behind.
• Inside head space. For an internal shutter, ceiling height above the glass.
• Recess. Depth of any set-back doorway.
• Power. Where the nearest socket or board is inside.

The size of the box follows the height and the curtain type, so we confirm it at survey. If a hidden box is your aim, our box guide explains what we look for.

What should I photograph for a quote?

Take six photographs, because they answer more questions than a page of notes.

1. The whole frontage, from across the road if you can.
2. The fascia and the head of the opening, up close.
3. The left side, floor to fascia.
4. The right side, floor to fascia.
5. The threshold and the stallriser.
6. The inside of the head, with any ceiling tiles lifted if that is easy.

Take them on a dry day in flat light if possible. Note any satellite dishes, alarm boxes, lights, cameras, pipes and cables that cross the frontage. Each may need to be moved. If the neighbouring shop shares a pilaster, say so, because fixings cannot go into a neighbour's side without agreement.

What mistakes should I avoid when measuring?

The most common mistake is measuring the old frame and not the opening behind it, because the frame sits inside the true opening. If you can, measure both and say which is which.

• Do not measure over a sign or a cover strip that hides the true edge.
• Do not round to the nearest 100 mm. Write the exact figure.
• Do not guess the fascia depth from the ground. Say that you could not reach it.
• Do not measure only one height on a sloping pavement.
• Do not forget the door. Note which way it opens and how wide the clear gap is.
• Do not assume a neighbouring shop's shutter proves yours will fit in the same way.

How do I record the measurements?

Write the figures on one sheet with the same headings as this table, so nothing is missed. The third column shows a worked example.

In this example the shop falls in the 3 to 4 m band and under the standard height. An aluminium shopfront in that band has a guide price of £3,195 to £5,195 plus VAT, and a solid electric shutter has a guide price of £1,895 to £2,595 plus VAT. The 40 mm height difference tells us the pavement slopes, and the 95 mm side room is worth checking against the guide size.

Enter your smallest width in the quote tool for a guide figure, then send the sheet and photographs by WhatsApp or email, using the details on our contact page. We will book a free survey for new work.

Common questions

Related services

• Shopfront and shutter packages
• Adding a shutter to your shopfront
• Full frontage replacement

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