Covering Ashford and nearby
We do not keep premises in Ashford. Instead, enquiries about automatic sliding doors come to us, we agree the price in writing, and a specialist engineer working under our management travels to the address in the TN23 and TN24 postcode districts on a date that suits the site.
Business parks around Ashford 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 sliding doors (straight-line distance): Faversham (11.6 miles), Canterbury (12.8 miles), Folkestone (13.5 miles), Sittingbourne (14.8 miles), Whitstable (16.2 miles), Maidstone (17.5 miles).
What to think about for automatic sliding doors in Ashford
- Surgeries and clinics need wide, easy access for wheelchairs, walking frames and the occasional stretcher. A clear opening of at least 1,000 mm is, in our view, a sensible starting point, and wider still where trolleys or beds pass through.
- Shops that use a roller shutter at night need the new header to sit below the shutter box and clear of its guide channels. Both are measured at survey so the door and shutter can work together.
- Older shopfronts in Ashford often have a timber or steel frame that was never designed to carry a sliding door header. The survey checks what sits above the opening and whether new support is needed before anything is ordered.
- Wind blowing straight at an entrance can make sliding leaves drag or cause the door to open when nobody is there. On exposed frontages across Kent, a partial opening mode or a draught lobby is worth considering.
- Business park offices around Ashford often have a reception door that is busy for an hour each morning and quiet for the rest of the day. A timer on the programme switch can lock it out of hours without anyone remembering to.
Automatic sliding doors in Ashford: guide prices
The site survey is free, including the measured drawing and a fixed, itemised written quote. Guide price: typically £4,495 to £12,995 ex VAT.
| Item | Guide price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Single-slide door set, about 1.0 to 1.2 m clear opening | £4,495 – £7,995 | framed aluminium and glass, installed, ex VAT |
| Bi-parting door set, about 2 m clear opening, with side screens | £6,995 – £12,995 | installed, ex VAT |
| Large, full-height or heavy-duty entrances | from £14,995 | Priced on survey |
| Break-out leaves and screens for an escape route | £995 – £3,995 | added to a sliding door, ex VAT |
| 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 |
| Battery backup for power-cut operation | £395 – £695 | per door, ex VAT |
Standards and rules 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. New entrances and some alterations count as building work, so check with building control before the work is ordered.
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
- Get in touch. Call, email or use the form with the address and what you have in mind. If you are not sure which type of door suits, describe the entrance and we will suggest the options worth considering.
- Survey and advice. The survey costs nothing and carries no obligation. The engineer checks the site and explains which options suit the entrance, the people using it and the budget, before anything is priced.
- Quote in writing. You receive a fixed, itemised quote for automatic sliding doors in Ashford, covering equipment, installation, testing and handover, with the lead time and payment stages set out clearly.
- Install, test, explain. The engineer installs and commissions the door, tests the sensors, safety functions and emergency behaviour, and walks you through the controls. The handover pack records what was installed and tested.
Book a survey in Ashford and an engineer will measure the opening, check the power and floor, and talk you through the sliding layouts that fit.
Automatic sliding doors in Ashford: questions
Will a new sliding door in Ashford work with our alarm and access control?
In most cases, yes. The operator can take signals from a fire alarm panel, a card reader, a keypad, an intercom or a timer. Tell us what you have at the survey, and the quote will show the interface work and who is responsible for each connection, whether that is us, your electrician or your alarm company.
What will automatic sliding doors in Ashford cost?
Our guide is £4,495 to £12,995 excluding VAT (per door set), the same guide prices we use across the UK. The free site survey in Ashford confirms the price as a fixed, itemised written quote, and the guide price tool gives you a range before anyone visits.
Do we need consent for a new entrance in Ashford?
It depends on the building. A change to how a shopfront looks may need planning permission, and listed buildings may need listed building consent. Your local planning authority decides. We flag the question at survey and can provide drawings and product details to support an application if one is needed.
Who checks that a new sliding door in Ashford is safe?
The installing engineer sets the speeds, forces and sensor zones, tests the door and completes a site-specific risk assessment before handing it over. You keep the test record and the risk assessment for your own files, and they form the baseline for every service visit and inspection after that.
What do you need from us for parking and access in Ashford?
Somewhere for the engineer's van as close to the entrance as possible, and a clear working area around the door. If parking is restricted, loading rules apply or the site has security procedures, tell us when you book. Those details go into the plan so the visit is not held up on the day.
Can automatic doors be fitted to a listed building in Ashford?
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 Ashford?
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.