Covering Exeter and nearby
Addresses anywhere in the EX1, EX2 and EX4 postcode districts can book break-out escape route doors through us. The engineer who attends works under our management and travels to the site. There is no branch in Exeter, so the price, the booking and the paperwork all come from one place.
Housing providers and managing agents in Exeter look after communal entrance doors that are used day and night. Reliable closing, good security and a written service record are usually the priorities, along with door entry or fob systems tied into the operator.
Nearby towns we also list for break-out escape route doors (straight-line distance): Exmouth (9.2 miles), Tiverton (12.4 miles), Newton Abbot (14.0 miles), Torquay (18.1 miles), Paignton (20.0 miles), Taunton (27.3 miles).
What to think about for break-out escape route doors in Exeter
- Check the swing zone outside the entrance. Planters, cycle stands, bins and A-boards that are harmless beside a normal door can stop a break-out leaf opening fully, so plan to keep that area clear.
- A break-out door needs a dedicated fused spur and, where the strategy relies on it opening without mains power, a battery unit. If there is no supply near the head of the door, an electrician will need to run one.
- If a canopy, ramp or steps sit close to the door, measure how far a broken-out leaf will travel. A leaf that clips a handrail or step edge will not give the escape width the strategy assumes.
- Entrances facing the prevailing wind can have break-out leaves pushed by strong gusts. The break-out fittings and the door's wind settings are chosen at survey to suit how exposed the entrance is.
- Hospitals and clinics in Exeter often want break-out entrances tied into the building management and fire alarm systems. Allow time for the alarm contractor to provide a signal and for the estates team to approve the interface.
Break-out escape route doors in Exeter: guide prices
The site survey is free, including the measured drawing and a fixed, itemised written quote. Guide price: from £7,995 ex VAT.
| Item | Guide price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Break-out sliding door set for an escape route | from £7,995 | installed, ex VAT; typically up to £16,995 |
| Converting an existing sliding door to break-out | Priced on survey | depends on the frame, leaves and operator |
| Battery backup for power-cut operation | £395 – £695 | per door, ex VAT |
| Touch-free switch or push pad, fitted | £145 – £395 | per switch, ex VAT |
Standards and rules in England
In England, fire safety law says sliding or revolving doors must not be used for exits specifically intended as emergency exits. Break-out sliding doors are used where an entrance also forms part of an escape route, as the fire strategy allows. Whether a break-out door is suitable is decided by the fire strategy for the building and the responsible person under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
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
- Describe what you need. Whether the job is break-out escape route doors for a busy entrance or for a single internal door, a brief description and some photos let us understand it and plan a survey visit in Exeter.
- Free visit to the site. An engineer working under our management assesses the opening, the existing door and frame, the floor and the electrical supply, and notes any access, consent or timing issues to plan around.
- Your fixed quotation. The quote is fixed for the work it describes and lists each item, including any removal, making good and electrical work. It also states the lead time, the payment stages and the warranty terms.
- Fitting and sign-off. Work goes ahead on dates agreed with you. Once fitted, the door is adjusted and its safety functions are tested and recorded with reference to BS EN 16005, and you are shown how to use it.
Ready to replace a sliding entrance in Exeter with one that breaks out? Book a free site survey and receive a written quote with the door, safety devices and lead time set out.
Break-out escape route doors in Exeter: questions
Will a break-out door in Exeter need building regulations approval?
It can. Replacing an entrance, especially one on an escape route, may count as building work that needs approval, and the rules differ in each UK nation. We tell you at survey when approval or landlord consent looks likely, so it can be arranged before the door is ordered.
What will break-out escape route doors in Exeter cost?
Our guide starts from £7,995 excluding VAT (per door set), the same guide price we use across the UK. The free site survey in Exeter confirms the price as a fixed, itemised written quote, and the guide price tool gives you a range before anyone visits.
Our shop in Exeter is inside a shopping centre. Can you still fit a break-out door?
In most cases, yes. Centre management usually sets rules on contractors, working hours and connections to the centre's fire alarm. We work within those rules, provide the method statements and insurance details they ask for, and plan the fitting so the unit can trade for as much of the time as possible.
Is a break-out door suitable for an exposed entrance in Exeter?
Usually, yes. Wind pressure on the leaves is one of the things the survey checks, along with which way the entrance faces and how sheltered it is. The break-out fittings and operator settings are chosen so the leaves hold in line in normal weather but still open by hand in an emergency.
Do you service doors in Exeter after installing them?
Yes. We recommend a trained engineer checks the safety functions at least once a year, with service intervals set by the manufacturer's instructions and how heavily the door is used; busy doors are often serviced more often. Servicing can follow on from the installation, with the price agreed in writing and a record left after every visit.
What happens to the old door when a new one is fitted in Exeter?
If the work replaces an existing door, frame or operator, removal and disposal are listed in the quote. The old door comes out only when the new one is ready to go in, so the opening is not left empty for longer than necessary. Making good to the surrounding wall, floor or ceiling is included where the quote says so.
Do businesses in Exeter have to fit automatic doors?
No law says every building must have automatic doors. Under the Equality Act 2010, service providers and employers must make reasonable adjustments for disabled people, and building regulations guidance in England calls for a powered door where an entrance door would otherwise be too heavy to open. An automatic door is often the simplest way to meet both.