What we do in Kent
- Refurbishment. New glass, tracks, rollers, seals and floor guides to bring a tired automatic door back into good order, priced as a fixed, itemised quote after a free survey. See refurbishment.
- 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.
- Residential blocks. Communal entrance doors for housing providers and managing agents in Kent, linked to door entry or fob systems where needed and serviced to a written record. See residential blocks.
- New automatic entrances. Sliding, telescopic, curved, folding and revolving doors for shops, offices and public buildings in Kent, each starting with a free site survey and a fixed, itemised written quote. See new automatic doors.
Towns we list in Kent
- Maidstone
- Gillingham
- Chatham
- Tunbridge Wells
- Folkestone
- Margate
- Ashford
- Canterbury
- Sittingbourne
- Gravesend
- Dartford
- Ramsgate
- Dover
- Tonbridge
- Strood
- Whitstable
- Deal
- Sevenoaks
- Rochester
- Herne Bay
- Northfleet
- Broadstairs
- Faversham
- Swanley
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 Kent
Can work in Kent be done outside opening hours?
Yes. Early mornings, evenings and weekends can be arranged for shops, surgeries, offices and schools that need their entrance during the day. Tell us your preferred times when you enquire. Any extra cost is set out in the written quote or the agreed visit price before the work is booked.
Can you fit automatic doors to listed buildings in Kent?
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 Kent?
Yes. Specialist automatic door engineers working under our management travel to addresses throughout Kent, 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.
What types of automatic door can you install in Kent?
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.
What information helps when I contact you about a door in Kent?
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.
Who is responsible for automatic doors on escape routes in Kent?
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 the responsible person for the premises must make sure escape routes work and fire safety equipment is maintained. Automatic doors on an escape route need fail-safe opening or break-out, set by the fire strategy.