Coverage across Lancashire
Not every part of Lancashire is easy to reach, and some sites need planning around access, parking or opening hours. We take that into account when arranging automatic folding doors, and the engineer, working under our management, arrives with what the job is likely to need. The towns below, 21 in all, each have their own page, but any address in the area can be covered.
Towns listed in Lancashire: Preston, Burnley, Blackburn, Blackpool, Morecambe, Lancaster, Lytham St Annes, Skelmersdale, Bamber Bridge, Leyland, Accrington, Chorley, Darwen, Thornton-Cleveleys, Nelson, Fleetwood, Ormskirk, Rawtenstall, Colne, Poulton-le-Fylde, Heysham.
What to think about for automatic folding doors in Lancashire
- Folding doors have more hinges than sliding doors. Planned servicing at intervals based on how busy the door is keeps hinges, pivots and finger guards in good order.
- Small units in Lancashire often have their only power supply at the back of the shop. The operator needs a fused spur at the head of the door, so allow for a cable run.
- Busy food and drink outlets in Lancashire may want the door to stay folded open in summer and run automatically in winter. Hold-open and automatic modes on the programme switch make that easy.
- Check what sits beside the doorway. Displays, A-boards, bins and queues in the area where the leaves fold can stop the door or set off its sensors, so plan a clear zone.
- Terraced shopfronts across Lancashire sometimes have timber frames and fascias that need strengthening to carry a header. The survey checks what the operator can be fixed to.
Automatic folding doors in Lancashire: guide prices
The site survey is free, including the measured drawing and a fixed, itemised written quote. Guide price: from £5,995 ex VAT.
| Item | Guide price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic folding door, up to about 2 m clear opening | £5,995 – £10,995 | installed, ex VAT |
| Folding door with break-out for an escape route | top of range or on survey | depends on the fire strategy |
| Touch-free switch or push pad, fitted | £145 – £395 | per switch, ex VAT |
| Card or fob reader tied into the door | £795 – £2,495 | per door, ex VAT |
Standards and rules in England
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.
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. New entrances and some alterations count as building work, so check with building control before the work is ordered.
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 Lancashire.
- 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.
For a wide, hands-free entrance on a narrow shopfront in Lancashire, talk to us. The survey is free and there is no obligation to go ahead.
Automatic folding doors in Lancashire: questions
Can you fit the door in Lancashire without closing the shop?
Usually. Most folding doors take about a day on site, and we can start early, work in the evening or at a weekend so trading carries on. The opening is secured if work runs past closing time, and any out-of-hours cost is shown separately in the quote.
What do you charge for automatic folding doors in Lancashire?
Our guide starts from £5,995 excluding VAT (per door set), the same guide price we use across the UK. The free site survey in Lancashire confirms the price as a fixed, itemised written quote, and the guide price tool gives you a range before anyone visits.
Do we need permission to change the shop door in Lancashire?
It depends on the building. Changing how a shopfront looks may need planning permission, and listed buildings may need listed building consent. Your local planning authority decides. If you rent the unit, the landlord will usually need to approve the work too. We flag both at the survey.
Will a folding door fit our narrow shopfront in Lancashire?
Very often, yes. Folding doors need almost no wall space beside the opening, so they suit frontages that run from wall to wall. The survey checks the opening, the structure above and the space for the folded leaves, and the drawing shows exactly how much clear width you will get.
Is there a warranty on automatic folding doors?
Yes. The warranty terms for the equipment and the installation are set out in your written quote, so you can see exactly what is covered before you accept. Keeping the door serviced at the recommended intervals helps keep it in good order, and the quote explains any conditions that apply to the warranty.
Can automatic doors be fitted to a listed building in Lancashire?
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.
Who is responsible for automatic doors on escape routes in Lancashire?
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.