Covering Bournemouth and nearby
Coverage for break-out escape route doors runs across the BH1, BH2, BH3, BH4, BH7 and BH10 postcode districts and out into the surrounding parts of Dorset. 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.
Shopping centre and transport entrances in Bournemouth are often on escape routes, so doors there are usually break-out or fail-safe types set up to match the fire strategy for the building. Any work on them is planned with the building's management so the route stays usable.
Nearby towns we also list for break-out escape route doors (straight-line distance): Christchurch (4.4 miles), Poole (4.6 miles), Ferndown (6.1 miles), New Milton (9.7 miles), Totton (21.8 miles), Hythe (23.0 miles).
What to think about for break-out escape route doors in Bournemouth
- Think about night security alongside escape. A lock that stops a leaf breaking out while people are still inside causes problems, so choose one that releases on the fire alarm where the strategy calls for it.
- Get hold of the fire strategy, or ask your fire risk assessor, before the survey. Knowing whether the door must slide open on alarm, break out, or both, saves a second visit and a revised quote.
- 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 Bournemouth 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.
- Older entrances on high streets in Bournemouth may have uneven thresholds or sloping pavements. Break-out leaves need a level floor and solid fixing for the bottom pivots, and correcting that can add a day to the work.
Break-out escape route doors in Bournemouth: 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
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 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.
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 break-out escape route doors and book a survey in Bournemouth.
- 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.
Ask for a free survey of your escape route entrance in Bournemouth. You will get a fixed quote, and nothing is ordered until you accept it.
Break-out escape route doors in Bournemouth: questions
Is a break-out door suitable for an exposed entrance in Bournemouth?
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.
How much should I budget for break-out escape route doors in Bournemouth?
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 Bournemouth confirms the price as a fixed, itemised written quote, and the guide price tool gives you a range before anyone visits.
Can you work with our fire risk assessor in Bournemouth?
Yes, and it usually helps. We can send your assessor the proposed specification, the break-out arrangement and how the door will behave on power loss and alarm, so they can confirm it matches the fire strategy before you order. Any changes they ask for are reflected in a revised quote.
Can you look after break-out doors in Bournemouth once they are fitted?
Yes. We can arrange planned servicing, with the break-out fittings, alarm release and power failure behaviour tested at each visit and a written record left on site. Each visit is priced in writing before anyone attends, and the interval is set by how hard the door works.
What does the written quote for break-out escape route doors in Bournemouth include?
The quote lists each item separately: the door or equipment, installation, electrical connections where we provide them, removal of anything being replaced, testing and handover. It is a fixed price for the work described, so it does not change unless the scope changes, and any change is agreed with you in writing first.
Can installation in Bournemouth happen outside opening hours?
Yes. Many shops, surgeries and offices prefer work early in the morning, in the evening or at weekends, when the entrance is quietest. Tell us your constraints when you enquire and they are built into the plan. Any extra cost for out-of-hours work is shown in the written quote rather than added afterwards.
Who is responsible for automatic doors on escape routes in Bournemouth?
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.