What we do in Cornwall
- Automating existing doors. Where a door and frame in Cornwall are sound, adding a sliding or swing operator can cost far less than replacing the entrance. The free survey checks whether it will work. See automating an existing door.
- Sensor and drive unit upgrades. New activation and safety sensors, or a replacement drive unit on the existing frame, when an older door in Cornwall is worn or its parts are hard to find. See drive unit replacement.
- 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.
- Planned servicing. Service visits at intervals set by the manufacturer's instructions and how heavily each door is used, with a written record left after every visit. See automatic door servicing.
Towns we list in Cornwall
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 Cornwall
Can you fit automatic doors to listed buildings in Cornwall?
Often, yes, with the right consent. Changes to a listed building, or to a shopfront in a conservation area, usually need approval from the local planning authority. Slim operators and automating the existing door can reduce the visual impact. Our guide to shop doors, planning and listed buildings explains what to check.
Do you cover all of Cornwall?
Yes. Specialist automatic door engineers working under our management travel to addresses throughout Cornwall, including smaller towns and rural sites. We are the contracting party for every job, so you arrange the work, agree the price and receive the paperwork through us.
Do automatic doors in Cornwall 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.
What types of automatic door can you install in Cornwall?
Sliding, telescopic, curved, frameless glass, folding, swing and revolving doors, plus hermetic doors for controlled environments, break-out doors for escape routes and entrance lobbies. We also fit accessible operators to existing doors and openers in private homes. Browse new automatic doors to compare the options.
How much do automatic doors cost in Cornwall?
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.
Which building regulations apply to a new automatic entrance in Cornwall?
In England the guidance is Approved Document M (Volume 2) for access, Approved Document B for fire safety and escape routes, and Approved Document K for glazing and powered doors. A new entrance can count as building work, so building control should be involved before it is ordered.