What we do in Greater London
- Schools, councils and public buildings. Entrances for schools, libraries, leisure centres and civic buildings across Greater London, planned around term dates, opening hours and public access. See public buildings.
- Door openers at home. Automatic openers for front, back and internal doors in homes across Greater London, arranged around the person using them and their carers. The survey is free and the quote is fixed. See home door openers.
- 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 Greater London
- Croydon
- Hackney
- Harrow
- Kensington
- Camden Town
- Canary Wharf
- Islington
- Bromley
- Westminster
- Barnet
- Orpington
- Finchley
- Wembley
- Willesden
- Tottenham
- Wandsworth
- Enfield
- Ilford
- Hayes
- Wimbledon
- Ealing
- Barking
- Walthamstow
- Battersea
- Whitechapel
- Fulham
- Woolwich
- Sutton
- Edmonton
- Hammersmith
- Edgware
- Kingston upon Thames
- Streatham
- Romford
- Chelsea
- Kilburn
- Putney
- Twickenham
- Hounslow
- Eltham
- Hornchurch
- Peckham
- Acton
- Southall
- Ruislip
- Beckenham
- Surbiton
- Richmond
- Chiswick
- Canning Town
- Brixton
- Sidcup
- Tooting
- Chingford
- Clapham
- East Ham
- Bexleyheath
- Mitcham
- Holloway
- Thamesmead
- Catford
- Greenford
- Uxbridge
- Leytonstone
- Greenwich
- Shepherd's Bush
- Stratford
- Purley
- Lewisham
- Erith
- Carshalton
- Feltham
- Wood Green
- Dagenham
- Morden
- Welling
- the City of London
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 Greater London
How often should automatic doors in Greater London be serviced?
There is no fixed legal interval. We recommend a trained engineer checks the safety functions at least once a year, with service intervals set by the manufacturer's instructions and how heavily the door is used; busy doors are often serviced more often. Each service visit is priced in writing first and ends with a written record.
Can you fit automatic doors to listed buildings in Greater London?
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.
Who actually carries out the work in Greater London?
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 Greater London; engineers travel to each address.
Do automatic doors in Greater London 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.
Is the site survey in Greater London free?
For new automatic doors, upgrades, retrofits and home door openers, yes: the site survey is free and comes with a fixed, itemised written quote and no obligation. Repairs, servicing and safety inspections are different. For those, the visit price is agreed in writing before an engineer attends.
Can a home in Greater London get help paying for a door opener?
Possibly. In England a Disabled Facilities Grant of up to £30,000 can fund adaptations that make it easier to get in and out of a home. It is means-tested and must be approved by the council before work starts, so ask your council and occupational therapist.