Coverage across the West Midlands
Enquiries about automatic folding doors come to us from right across the West Midlands, and each one is handled the same way. Specialist automatic door engineers working under our management travel to the address, and we remain your contracting party throughout. The 24 towns we list below are a starting point, not a boundary: villages, business parks and rural sites in between are covered as well.
Towns listed in the West Midlands: Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton, Dudley, Walsall, Solihull, Sutton Coldfield, West Bromwich, Halesowen, Stourbridge, Smethwick, Willenhall, Tipton, Bloxwich, Oldbury, Wednesfield, Shirley, Bilston, Brierley Hill, Aldridge, Rowley Regis, Sedgley, Wednesbury, Kingswinford.
What to think about for automatic folding doors in the West Midlands
- Small units in the West Midlands 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 the West Midlands 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.
- Shops with roller shutters need the folded leaves to clear the shutter guide channels. Both are measured together so the door and shutter work side by side.
- Exposed corner plots catch the wind from more than one direction. A canopy, good seals and the right fold direction help a folding door run reliably in bad weather.
- 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.
Automatic folding doors in the West Midlands: 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
- Tell us about the entrance. Send the address, a few photos and a rough size of the opening, and say how the door is used. That is enough for us to suggest options for automatic folding doors and book a survey in the West Midlands.
- Free site survey. A specialist engineer working under our management measures the opening, checks the frame, floor, head height and power, and talks through how people use the entrance. There is no charge and no obligation.
- Fixed written quote. You receive a fixed, itemised written quote with the specification, lead time, payment stages and warranty terms. The price does not change unless the scope does, and any change is agreed in writing first.
- Installation and handover. The door is fitted on the agreed dates, then set up, tested and documented with reference to BS EN 16005. You are shown the controls and the simple checks to make, and receive the handover paperwork.
Try the guide price tool first, then let us measure your opening in the West Midlands and fix the price in writing.
Automatic folding doors in the West Midlands: questions
Can a folding door in the West Midlands open with a push button instead of a sensor?
Yes. Many shops use a radar sensor so the door opens as customers approach, but push pads, wave-to-open switches or a key switch can be used instead or as well. Internal doors often use push buttons, so the door only opens when someone needs it.
How much should I budget for automatic folding doors in the West Midlands?
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 the West Midlands confirms the price as a fixed, itemised written quote, and the guide price tool gives you a range before anyone visits.
What happens after the folding door in the West Midlands is installed?
You receive the test record, a site-specific risk assessment and user instructions, and staff are shown the programme switch and how to fold the door by hand. Planned servicing can then be arranged, with each visit priced in writing before an engineer attends.
Can you fit the door in the West Midlands 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 is the lead time for automatic folding doors in the West Midlands?
Lead times depend on the door type and what has to be made to order. As a guide, operators and accessible door kits are typically two to four weeks from order, and complete sliding entrances typically four to eight weeks from drawing approval. Curved, revolving and hermetic doors usually take longer. The expected lead time is stated in your quote.
Do I need permission from a landlord or the council before work in the West Midlands?
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.
Who is responsible for automatic doors on escape routes in the West Midlands?
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.