Covering Eastbourne and nearby
Coverage for automatic entrance lobbies runs across the BN20, BN21, BN22 and BN23 postcode districts and out into the surrounding parts of East Sussex. Wherever the building is, the arrangements stay the same: one contracting party, a written price before work, and a specialist engineer working under our management on site.
Business parks around Eastbourne tend to have reception doors that see steady rather than heavy traffic, often with access control after hours. A swing or sliding operator linked to a card reader or intercom is a common arrangement for entrances like these.
Nearby towns we also list for automatic entrance lobbies (straight-line distance): Hailsham (6.6 miles), Seaford (7.9 miles), Bexhill-on-Sea (9.9 miles), Peacehaven (12.8 miles), Lewes (14.1 miles), Hastings (14.2 miles).
What to think about for automatic entrance lobbies in Eastbourne
- Consider deliveries and bulky items. If trolleys or stock come through the front entrance, a switch that holds both sets open for short periods saves staff waiting on the sequencing.
- Work on a lobby in Eastbourne takes longer than a door swap. Ask for the programme in writing, including which entrance stays usable each day and any out-of-hours working.
- Measure the depth you can give the lobby before settling on a layout. A lobby that is too shallow lets both sets open together and loses most of its benefit.
- Two operators mean two power supplies, or one supply sized for both. Check whether there is a suitable supply at ceiling height, as cable runs across a finished foyer add cost.
- Office buildings on business parks in Eastbourne often have a reception desk close to the entrance. Keeping the desk out of line with the doors, and making the lobby deep enough, keeps the receptionist out of the draught.
Automatic entrance lobbies in Eastbourne: guide prices
The site survey is free, including the measured drawing and a fixed, itemised written quote. Guide price: typically £14,995 to £34,995 ex VAT.
| Item | Guide price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Draught lobby: two sets of automatic sliding doors and glazed screens | £14,995 – £34,995 | doors and screens, installed, ex VAT |
| Lobby with curtain walling or building work | Priced on survey | larger public-sector lobbies have cost £50,000 or more |
| Card or fob reader tied into the door | £795 – £2,495 | per door, ex VAT |
| Battery backup for power-cut operation | £395 – £695 | per door, ex VAT |
Lobby prices cover the doors and glazed screens. Building work, flooring, heating and curtain walling are priced on survey.
Standards and rules in England
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.
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.
How it works
- Start with a short enquiry. Use the form, phone or email. Tell us whether the work is a new door, an upgrade or an opener for a home, and we arrange the next step for your site in Eastbourne.
- Measured survey. The free survey confirms what will fit and what the entrance needs: opening width, door type, activation, safety sensors and behaviour on power loss or fire alarm, matched to how the building is used.
- Written price, no surprises. A fixed, itemised quote sets out the specification, the work involved, the expected lead time and the warranty terms. You can ask questions or change the specification before accepting it.
- Installed and commissioned. The door is installed with as little disruption as possible, then set up and tested for its hazard zones. Before leaving, the engineer explains the controls and hands over the documents for your records.
Planning a refit or a new entrance in Eastbourne? Get in touch early and we will quote the lobby as one package with the rest of the entrance.
Automatic entrance lobbies in Eastbourne: questions
How will a lobby cope with the weather in Eastbourne?
The survey looks at which way the entrance faces and how exposed it is. In windy or wet spots, a deeper lobby, a right-angle layout or doors with stronger seals and wind settings help. A good matting well deals with the water that still comes in on shoes.
How much should I budget for automatic entrance lobbies in Eastbourne?
Our guide is £14,995 to £34,995 excluding VAT (per lobby, doors and screens), the same guide prices we use across the UK. The free site survey in Eastbourne confirms the price as a fixed, itemised written quote, and the guide price tool gives you a range before anyone visits.
Do you design lobbies for new buildings in Eastbourne?
Yes. We can work from the architect's drawings, suggest door types and depth, and quote the doors, screens and controls as one package for the main contractor or the client. Designing the lobby in at the start is usually simpler and cheaper than adding it later.
Can the lobby doors in Eastbourne be locked at night?
Yes. The outer set is usually locked out of hours, and the inner set can be locked too. Locks and any access control are wired to release on the fire alarm where the fire strategy requires, and the settings are recorded at handover.
Do I need permission from a landlord or the council before work in Eastbourne?
It depends on the building. Tenants usually need the landlord's written consent before changing an entrance, and some changes to a shopfront or external door need planning permission. The survey notes anything that may need consent. We can supply drawings and product details to support an application, but the owner or tenant makes it.
Can automatic doors be fitted to a listed building in Eastbourne?
Often, yes, but listed building consent is normally needed for changes that affect the character of the building, inside or out. Slim operators, concealed fixings and automating the existing door can all reduce the visual impact. Speak to the conservation officer at the local planning authority early; we can provide drawings and specifications to help.
Which building regulations apply to a new automatic entrance in Eastbourne?
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.