Cracked phone screen in Dundee: repair costs, timings and what to check first

A cracked screen is the single most common repair through our door on Strathmartine Road. Most phones are back in the owner's hands the same day, but the price and the outcome depend on what exactly broke — glass, display, digitiser or the frame underneath.

This guide explains how we assess a broken screen, what the different part grades mean, and the two-minute checks you can do at home before you decide whether it's worth repairing.

Glass, display or digitiser? The damage decides the price

Modern phones bond the outer glass, the display panel and the touch layer into one assembly. If only the outer glass is spider-webbed but colours and touch still work perfectly, the panel underneath may be fine — on some models the glass can be separated and re-laminated, which is cheaper than a full assembly.

Black patches, green or purple lines, flickering or dead touch zones mean the panel itself is damaged and the whole assembly needs replacing. That's why two phones with identical-looking cracks can be quoted very differently.

• Touch works, colours normal — glass-only damage, often the cheapest route
• Lines, blotches or bleeding colour — display panel replacement
• Dead touch or ghost touches — digitiser failure, assembly replacement
• Lifted or bent frame — the housing needs straightening or the new screen won't seat

Part grades: OEM, service pack and high-grade equivalents

On OLED phones (most recent iPhones and Samsung flagships) we quote genuine service-pack assemblies where available, plus high-grade equivalent options where you'd rather keep the cost down. On LCD models the equivalent panels are excellent value and hard to tell apart in daily use.

We tell you which grade the quote is based on before we start, so nobody gets a surprise. Every screen we fit is tested for brightness, true tone behaviour where supported, touch accuracy across the full panel and face unlock before the phone is handed back.

How long a screen repair takes

Common iPhone and Samsung models are usually a same-day, often within-the-hour job when the part is in stock. Folding devices, older Sony and Huawei models and anything needing glass re-lamination are typically 24 to 72 hours because of curing time or part ordering.

• Popular iPhone / Samsung screens: same day, frequently under an hour
• Folding phones and rarer models: 1–3 working days
• Screen plus battery or charging port: same day in most cases
• Mail-in from outside Dundee: repaired the day it lands, posted back tracked

Before you hand the phone over

• Back up to iCloud, Google or a laptop — screen work rarely touches data, but backups are free peace of mind
• Note your passcode; we need it to test face unlock, touch and cameras after the repair
• Turn off Find My iPhone only if we ask — usually it isn't needed for a screen
• Remove the case and any cracked screen protector so we can see the frame edges
• Tell us about previous repairs or water damage; it changes what we check first

When a screen repair isn't the right call

If a phone has a bent chassis, heavy water corrosion or a failing board, a new screen can be money badly spent. We'll say so, quote the board-level work separately if it's viable, and let you weigh it against a refurbished handset from the shop. Quality workmanship means telling you when to stop spending.