What we do in Hampshire
- 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.
- Upgrades after an inspection. Work that closes the gaps a safety inspection finds on older doors in England, from extra safety sensors to clearer signage, quoted item by item. See safety and compliance upgrades.
- Schools, councils and public buildings. Entrances for schools, libraries, leisure centres and civic buildings across Hampshire, planned around term dates, opening hours and public access. See public buildings.
- New automatic entrances. Sliding, telescopic, curved, folding and revolving doors for shops, offices and public buildings in Hampshire, each starting with a free site survey and a fixed, itemised written quote. See new automatic doors.
Towns we list in Hampshire
- Southampton
- Portsmouth
- Basingstoke
- Gosport
- Waterlooville
- Farnborough
- Eastleigh
- Winchester
- Havant
- Andover
- Fareham
- Aldershot
- Fleet
- Totton
- Chandler's Ford
- New Milton
- Bordon
- Hythe
- Yateley
- Alton
- Emsworth
- Hedge End
- Romsey
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 Hampshire
Do automatic doors in Hampshire 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 Hampshire?
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 Hampshire; engineers travel to each address.
Can you fit automatic doors to listed buildings in Hampshire?
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.
What information helps when I contact you about a door in Hampshire?
The address, the type of building, photos of the door from both sides and a rough size of the opening. For a fault, add what the door is doing and a photo of any label on the operator. For a new door, tell us how the entrance is used and by whom. That lets us book the right visit and agree the price in writing.
What happens to an automatic door in a power cut?
That depends on how the door is set up. Some doors open and stay open, some can be pushed open by hand, and some have a battery that keeps them working for a time or opens them once. Workplace health and safety law expects powered doors to be safe if the power fails. The right setting for a building in Hampshire is agreed before installation.
Can a home in Hampshire 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.