Coverage across Hertfordshire
Multi-site organisations in Hertfordshire, such as councils, housing providers, schools and health providers, can arrange break-out escape route doors for every building through one contact. Each site gets its own written price and its own record. Smaller customers, from corner shops to private homes, follow exactly the same process. The towns we list here, 19 in all, appear below.
Towns listed in Hertfordshire: Watford, Hemel Hempstead, Stevenage, St Albans, Welwyn Garden City, Cheshunt, Hatfield, Bishop's Stortford, Borehamwood, Hitchin, Hoddesdon, Letchworth, Harpenden, Bushey, Hertford, Rickmansworth, Potters Bar, Berkhamsted, Ware.
What to think about for break-out escape route doors in Hertfordshire
- Supermarkets and large stores in Hertfordshire see trolleys, pallets and cleaning machines through the entrance. Those knocks can stiffen or loosen break-out fittings, so set service intervals with that traffic in mind.
- 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.
- 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.
- Shopping centre units in Hertfordshire usually need landlord approval for a new entrance and for any fire alarm connection. Ask centre management for their fit-out rules early, as they often set working hours and contractor requirements.
- Listed buildings and conservation areas in Hertfordshire may need consent before a new entrance goes in. Slim frames and the existing opening can often be kept, but check with the planning authority before ordering.
Break-out escape route doors in Hertfordshire: 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.
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.
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
- 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 Hertfordshire.
- 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.
Send us the opening size and what your fire strategy asks for, and we will arrange a free survey in Hertfordshire and a fixed, itemised quote for a break-out entrance.
Break-out escape route doors in Hertfordshire: questions
How long will our entrance in Hertfordshire be out of use?
Usually one to three days on site, depending on the size of the opening and any building or electrical work. Where the entrance is the only way in, we plan the sequence so a temporary door or a partly open entrance can be kept, and agree any out-of-hours working in the quote.
How much should I budget for break-out escape route doors in Hertfordshire?
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 Hertfordshire confirms the price as a fixed, itemised written quote, and the guide price tool gives you a range before anyone visits.
Our shop in Hertfordshire 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.
Will a break-out door in Hertfordshire 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.
How are payments structured for work in Hertfordshire?
Payment stages are set out in the quote before you accept it. Larger or made-to-order jobs may involve a deposit and a balance on completion, while smaller jobs may be invoiced once the work is finished. Nothing is charged for the survey itself, and the terms you accept are the terms that apply.
What is the lead time for break-out escape route doors in Hertfordshire?
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.
Who is responsible for automatic doors on escape routes in Hertfordshire?
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.