Covering Gravesend and nearby
From shops and surgeries to schools, care homes and private houses, any building in the DA12 postcode district can be covered for break-out escape route doors. Specialist engineers working under our management carry out the work, and you deal with us as the contracting party from start to finish.
Supermarkets and larger stores in and around Gravesend often trade long hours, so work on their entrances is usually planned for early mornings or late evenings. Where a store has more than one entrance, keeping one in use while the other is worked on is part of the plan.
Nearby towns we also list for break-out escape route doors (straight-line distance): Northfleet (2.0 miles), Grays (3.0 miles), Strood (5.7 miles), South Ockendon (5.9 miles), Stanford-le-Hope (6.2 miles), Dartford (6.8 miles).
What to think about for break-out escape route doors in Gravesend
- Listed buildings and conservation areas in Gravesend 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.
- Work on a busy entrance in Gravesend is often best done early in the morning, in the evening or over a weekend. Any out-of-hours working is agreed and priced in the written quote rather than added later.
- 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.
- Hospitals and clinics in Gravesend 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.
- 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.
Break-out escape route doors in Gravesend: 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 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
- 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 Gravesend.
- 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 Gravesend 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 Gravesend: questions
How long will our entrance in Gravesend 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.
What is the guide price for break-out escape route doors in Gravesend?
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 Gravesend confirms the price as a fixed, itemised written quote, and the guide price tool gives you a range before anyone visits.
Is a break-out door suitable for an exposed entrance in Gravesend?
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.
We have an old sliding door in Gravesend. Do we have to replace all of it?
Not always. If the frame and operator can take break-out leaves and parts are still available, a conversion may be possible. If the door is older or its parts are unsupported, replacing the whole entrance is usually more reliable. The survey looks at both and the quote explains the difference.
Is there a warranty on break-out escape route doors?
Yes. The warranty terms for the equipment and the installation are set out in your written quote, so you can see exactly what is covered before you accept. Keeping the door serviced at the recommended intervals helps keep it in good order, and the quote explains any conditions that apply to the warranty.
Will the building stay secure while the entrance is being changed?
We plan to keep the entrance usable or secure throughout. Where a door has to come out, the work is sequenced so the opening is closed up before the engineer leaves, or a temporary door or hoarding is arranged when a longer gap cannot be avoided. How this is handled for your site in Gravesend is agreed before work starts.
Which building regulations apply to a new automatic entrance in Gravesend?
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.