What we do in the Bristol area
- Access control and activation. Card readers, keypads, timers, push pads and touch-free switches tied into the door operator, so the entrance opens for the right people at the right times. See access control.
- New automatic entrances. Sliding, telescopic, curved, folding and revolving doors for shops, offices and public buildings in the Bristol area, each starting with a free site survey and a fixed, itemised written quote. See new automatic doors.
- Shops and high streets. Automatic doors that hold heat in and let customers with buggies, wheelchairs or full bags walk straight in, including older shopfronts where space is tight. See shops and retail.
- Accessible door operators. Low-energy swing operators, push pads and wave switches that make existing public doors easier to open for wheelchair users, people with buggies and anyone carrying shopping. See accessible door operators.
Towns we list in the Bristol area
Automatic doors and the law in England
Under the Equality Act 2010, service providers and employers must make reasonable adjustments for disabled people, which can include altering a physical feature such as a heavy entrance door.
Building regulations guidance in England (Approved Document M, Volume 2) says a powered opening system should be used where a self-closing entrance door would need more than 30 N at the leading edge to open, or more than 22.5 N between 30° and 60°, and expects external doors used by the public in new buildings to give at least 1000 mm of effective clear width.
In Great Britain a new or converted powered door must meet the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 before it is first used, and can carry the UKCA or the CE marking. Workplace law (the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992) expects powered doors to have suitable and effective features to stop them trapping anyone and, where needed for safety, to open by hand unless they open automatically if the power fails. Doors at work must also be kept in efficient working order under a suitable system of maintenance.
Doors on escape routes and fire doors are covered by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. In England, fire safety law says sliding or revolving doors must not be used for exits specifically intended as emergency exits.
Questions from the Bristol area
How much do automatic doors cost in the Bristol area?
Prices depend on the door type, the size of the opening and what is already there. We publish guide prices for every service on our prices page, and the guide price tool gives a range before anyone visits. The same guide prices apply across the UK, and the written quote confirms the figure for your building.
Can you repair an automatic door in the Bristol area that you did not install?
Yes. Engineers working under our management repair most makes of automatic door, whoever fitted them. Tell us what the door is doing and send a photo of any label on the operator. We agree the visit price in writing before anyone attends, and quote any parts before fitting them.
Do automatic doors in the Bristol area open when the fire alarm sounds?
They can, if they are linked to the fire alarm. Doors on escape routes are set up to open, break out or be openable by hand, as the fire strategy for the building requires, and fire doors that are held open must close automatically when the alarm operates. We set doors up to match the strategy you give us.
Who actually carries out the work in the Bristol area?
Specialist automatic door engineers working under our management. We are the contracting party: we arrange the survey or diagnosis, provide the written price, book the work and deal with any follow-up, so you deal with us throughout. We do not have premises in the Bristol area; engineers travel to each address.
How long does an automatic door installation in the Bristol area take?
Fitting an operator to an existing door often takes a day, and a complete sliding entrance typically takes one to three days on site once the door has been made. Lead times before that are typically two to eight weeks, depending on the door type. Your quote sets out the expected lead time and the time on site.
Do businesses in the Bristol area have to fit automatic doors?
No law says every building must have automatic doors. Under the Equality Act 2010, service providers and employers must make reasonable adjustments for disabled people, and building regulations guidance in England calls for a powered door where an entrance door would otherwise be too heavy to open. An automatic door is often the simplest way to meet both.