Coverage across Dorset
From large town centres to quiet villages, entrances across Dorset vary a great deal, and the right approach to curved automatic doors varies with them. A surgery door used by patients with walking frames needs different settings from a supermarket entrance, so the engineer looks at the actual door first. The towns we list in this area currently number 5.
Towns listed in Dorset: Bournemouth, Poole, Weymouth, Christchurch, Ferndown.
What to think about for curved automatic doors in Dorset
- A full-round door needs a roof or canopy that can be supported and drained. On exposed sites across Dorset, think about how rainwater will leave the canopy without running down the glass into the threshold.
- Listed buildings and conservation areas in Dorset may need consent for a curved entrance. Drawings showing the radius, frame colour and canopy detail help the planning authority understand the proposal.
- Department stores and shopping centres often have landlord fit-out rules for entrances. Ask centre management about approved working hours, hot works and fire alarm connections before the installation date is fixed.
- If the entrance is on an escape route, the fire strategy decides how the door must behave when the alarm sounds or the power fails. Confirm this with your fire risk assessor before the design is fixed.
- Curved glass cannot be cut to size on site. Allow for the longer lead time in any refurbishment programme, and do not book shopfitters or floor layers for the entrance until the door has a delivery date.
Curved automatic doors in Dorset: guide prices
The site survey is free, including the measured drawing and a fixed, itemised written quote. Guide price: from £14,995 ex VAT.
| Item | Guide price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Half-round curved sliding entrance | from £14,995 | installed, ex VAT; priced on survey |
| Full-round curved entrance or large radius | Priced on survey | glass and track are made to the radius |
| Battery backup for power-cut operation | £395 – £695 | per door, ex VAT |
| Card or fob reader tied into the door | £795 – £2,495 | per door, ex VAT |
Curved doors are designed and priced after a free site survey, because the glass, track and screens are made to the radius of your entrance.
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 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.
Under the Equality Act 2010, service providers and employers must make reasonable adjustments for disabled people, which can include altering a physical feature such as a heavy entrance door. New entrances and some alterations count as building work, so check with building control before the work is ordered.
How it works
- Get in touch. Call, email or use the form with the address and what you have in mind. If you are not sure which type of door suits, describe the entrance and we will suggest the options worth considering.
- Survey and advice. The survey costs nothing and carries no obligation. The engineer checks the site and explains which options suit the entrance, the people using it and the budget, before anything is priced.
- Quote in writing. You receive a fixed, itemised quote for curved automatic doors in Dorset, covering equipment, installation, testing and handover, with the lead time and payment stages set out clearly.
- Install, test, explain. The engineer installs and commissions the door, tests the sensors, safety functions and emergency behaviour, and walks you through the controls. The handover pack records what was installed and tested.
Get a guide figure from the price tool, then arrange a survey in Dorset to turn it into a fixed written quote for curved automatic doors.
Curved automatic doors in Dorset: questions
Is the site survey for a curved door in Dorset free?
Yes. For a new curved entrance, the survey costs nothing and carries no obligation. The engineer measures the frontage, checks the structure, floor and power, and discusses the options with you. You then receive drawings and a fixed, itemised written quote.
What do you charge for curved automatic doors in Dorset?
Our guide starts from £14,995 excluding VAT (per entrance), the same guide price we use across the UK. The free site survey in Dorset confirms the price as a fixed, itemised written quote, and the guide price tool gives you a range before anyone visits.
Can a curved door in Dorset replace a revolving door?
In many cases, yes. A full-round curved door gives similar draught protection with a straight, open path through, which many visitors find easier than a revolving door. The survey checks whether the existing drum position, floor recess and canopy can be reused or need altering.
How long does a curved door project in Dorset take?
Curved doors are typically 8 to 14 weeks from order once the drawings are approved, because the glass and frame are made to your radius. Installation then usually takes two to four days for a half-round door, and longer for a full-round door with a roof. The quote sets out the expected programme for your building.
What power supply is needed for curved automatic doors in Dorset?
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.
What does the free site survey in Dorset involve?
An engineer working under our management visits the building, measures the opening, checks the frame, floor, head height and power supply, and looks at how people use the entrance. The survey is free and carries no obligation. Afterwards you receive a fixed, itemised written quote for curved automatic doors, with drawings where the door type needs them.
Which building regulations apply to a new automatic entrance in Dorset?
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.