Scope
What comes out, and what does not
Hard water etching and mineral staining from sprinklers, planter runoff and leaking sealant joints.
Light scratching from cleaning grit, signage removal and vandalism.
Oxidation and early stage stain etch, before the surface of the glass has pitted.
Damage inspected up close first, so you know what result to expect before the rest is quoted.
Scratches deep enough to catch a fingernail in, and any damage through a surface coating, reported for replacement rather than polished.
Toughened glass polished wet and kept moving, so heat never builds up in one spot.
Two levels
Two levels of glass restoration
Which one your glass needs depends on whether the damage sits on the surface or has cut into it. We confirm which after looking at it up close, before anything is quoted.
Hard Water Stain Removal
For mineral staining and hard water etching on the surface of the glass.
Polished with soft foam buffing pads and cerium oxide, a super fine polishing compound made for glass.
Lifts the staining without cutting into the glass, so the pane stays optically clear.
The quicker of the two, and what most glass near sprinklers, planters and leaking joints needs.
Scratch Removal
For light scratches from cleaning grit, signage removal and vandalism.
Worked down through a series of abrasive discs, from coarse to super fine, to level the scratch out.
Finished with the same foam pads and cerium oxide to bring the glass back to clear.
More time per pane, and only for scratches shallow enough not to catch a fingernail.
Process
How a polish runs
01
Assessment and advice
We look at the damage up close, work out whether it sits on the surface or goes through a coating, and tell you what result to expect before you commit to anything.
02
Quote per pane
We price per pane, so you are only paying for glass that can genuinely be brought back.
03
Rig and polish
Soft foam buffing pads and cerium oxide for staining, with coarse to super fine abrasive discs first where there are scratches. Worked wet and checked against the undamaged glass beside them. Most jobs are one to three days for a team of two.
04
Check and report
Every polished pane is checked for optical distortion in daylight before we sign it off, and anything we could not bring back is listed with a photo.
Method
Polishing versus replacing
Replacing one pane on a high rise means a glazier, a crane or hoist, a lead time and usually a road closure. Polishing is two people on ropes.
Polishing on rope
Done in place, so the apartment stays sealed and nobody needs to be home.
A fraction of the cost of replacement on all but the worst damage.
No lead time waiting on a glass order that has to match the original spec.
Fails honestly: we tell you which panes will not come back before you spend money on them.
Replacing the pane
The right answer for deep scratches, holed glass and damage through a coating.
Needs matching glass, which on an older building is often no longer made.
Crane or hoist, traffic management and an access permit on top of the glass price.
Weeks of lead time, and the marked pane stays in the building the whole time.
Leaving it
Etching deepens the longer minerals sit on the glass, so a light polish becomes scratch removal, or a new pane.
Mineral staining spreads across the pane rather than staying where it started.
Owners notice marked glass long before they notice a clean facade.
Whatever is causing it, a sprinkler, a planter or a leaking joint, keeps adding to it every day.
Photos
On site
Related
Once the glass is repaired
Polishing fixes the damaged panes. Most buildings pair it with a full external clean so the whole facade matches afterwards, and so the next round of damage gets picked up early.
Why us
Why building managers call us back
Abseil Pro has been working Brisbane buildings since 2017. This is what that actually buys you.
Certified and insured
IRATA certified technicians on every job, supervised by a Level 3.
$20 million public liability and $10 million professional indemnity.
Work carried out to the Australian Standards for rope access and height safety.
SWMS, JSA and a job specific rescue plan in your hands before anyone arrives.
One crew, many trades
Rope access plus real trade tickets: arborist, painter and height safety installer.
Cleaning, gardening, painting, repairs and inspections from the same crew on the same ropes.
One mobilisation instead of four, which is where most of the saving actually comes from.
The same faces each visit, so nobody has to relearn your building.
It all gets documented
A free photo inspection at the end of every job, not just the big ones.
Anything we notice on the facade, flagged with a photo and a location.
Fixed prices, with variations quoted before the work rather than after it.
A fixed price with the assumptions written down, and a free on-site consult if you would rather we looked first.
FAQ
Questions building managers ask
Will the polished glass look different to the rest?
Done properly, no. Polishing removes a very thin layer of the glass surface, and the risk is optical distortion if too much is taken from one spot. We work the area wide rather than deep and check every pane against the undamaged glass beside it in daylight before signing it off.
How do I know if my glass can be polished?
Run a fingernail across the damage. If it catches, the scratch is usually too deep and the pane needs replacing. If it does not catch, it is almost certainly a surface deposit or a light scratch that will come out. We confirm it on site before quoting the job.
What does it cost?
We price per pane, because the cost depends entirely on how bad the damage is and how many panes carry it. As a guide, a team of two is $2,400 a day and most jobs run one to three days on site.
Can you do it while residents are home?
Yes. All the work is from outside on rope. Residents are asked to keep the balcony doors shut and blinds closed while we pass their level, the same as a window clean.
Do you do the whole building or just the marked panes?
Just the marked panes. The assessment lists exactly which glass we are polishing so there are no surprises. Most buildings pair it with a window clean so the whole facade matches afterwards.
How do we get a price?
Start with the free quote, or book an on-site consult if you would rather we looked at the building first. Most jobs can be quoted without a site meeting. Either way you get a fixed price with the assumptions written down, usually within two business days, with no charge and no obligation.
What areas do you cover?
Brisbane and south east Queensland, from the Sunshine Coast down to the Gold Coast, which is where the great majority of our work is. We travel further for portfolio clients and for buildings that are hard to get anyone else onto, including interstate. If you are not sure whether your building is in range, ask.
