Covering Lerwick and nearby
We cover the whole of the ZE1 postcode district, along with nearby towns in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles. You book each visit for break-out escape route doors directly with us, and a specialist automatic door engineer working under our management travels to your site on the agreed date.
Island businesses, surgeries, schools and care homes rely on their entrances just as much as mainland ones, often with fewer alternatives nearby. For sites in Lerwick, visits are planned by arrangement and the price is agreed in writing before anyone travels.
What to think about for break-out escape route doors in Lerwick
- Hospitals and clinics in Lerwick 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.
- Shopping centre units in Lerwick 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Supermarkets and large stores in Lerwick 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.
Break-out escape route doors in Lerwick: guide prices
The site survey is free, including the measured drawing and a fixed, itemised written quote. For island addresses the survey is still free; travel and accommodation for the installation itself are shown as a separate line in the 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 Scotland
In Scotland, fire safety regulations say sliding or revolving doors must not be used for exits specifically intended as emergency exits, and Scottish guidance allows automatic and revolving doors on an escape route only where they fail safely to outward opening, or have a monitored fail-safe system that opens them on power failure, sensor failure and fire alarm. Whether a break-out door is suitable is decided by the fire strategy for the building and the person responsible for fire safety under the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005.
Scottish building standards guidance (the non-domestic Technical Handbook) expects an accessible entrance door to give a clear opening of at least 800 mm, says powered doors improve accessibility as long as they add no new hazard, and expects signage, sensors that hold the door open long enough, and guarding against collision or entrapment.
How it works
- Start with a short enquiry. Use the form, phone or email. Tell us whether the work is a new door, an upgrade or an opener for a home, and we arrange the next step for your site in Lerwick.
- Measured survey. The free survey confirms what will fit and what the entrance needs: opening width, door type, activation, safety sensors and behaviour on power loss or fire alarm, matched to how the building is used.
- Written price, no surprises. A fixed, itemised quote sets out the specification, the work involved, the expected lead time and the warranty terms. You can ask questions or change the specification before accepting it.
- Installed and commissioned. The door is installed with as little disruption as possible, then set up and tested for its hazard zones. Before leaving, the engineer explains the controls and hands over the documents for your records.
Ready to replace a sliding entrance in Lerwick 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 Lerwick: questions
Can you work with our fire risk assessor in Lerwick?
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.
How are prices worked out for break-out escape route doors in Lerwick?
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 Lerwick confirms the price as a fixed, itemised written quote, and the guide price tool gives you a range before anyone visits.
Will a break-out door in Lerwick 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.
We have an old sliding door in Lerwick. 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.
What does the written quote for break-out escape route doors in Lerwick 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.
What power supply is needed for break-out escape route doors in Lerwick?
Most powered doors need a fused spur close to the operator, and some activation and access control devices also need a low-voltage link. The survey checks what is already there. If a new supply is required, the quote says whether we arrange it or your own electrician does, so nothing is left unclear on the day.
Who is responsible for automatic doors on escape routes in Lerwick?
The person responsible for fire safety under the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 for those premises. Scottish guidance allows automatic doors on escape routes only where they fail safely to outward opening or have a monitored fail-safe system that opens them on power failure, sensor failure and fire alarm.