Covering Exeter and nearby
Sites across the EX1, EX2 and EX4 postcode districts are visited by specialist automatic door engineers working under our management. They travel to Exeter for automating an existing door as bookings come in, so dates depend on the diary rather than a fixed local team, and we give you the earliest date we can offer when you book.
Housing providers and managing agents in Exeter look after communal entrance doors that are used day and night. Reliable closing, good security and a written service record are usually the priorities, along with door entry or fob systems tied into the operator.
Nearby towns we also list for automating an existing door (straight-line distance): Exmouth (9.2 miles), Tiverton (12.4 miles), Newton Abbot (14.0 miles), Torquay (18.1 miles), Paignton (20.0 miles), Taunton (27.3 miles).
What to think about for automating an existing door in Exeter
- Shop fronts on high streets in Exeter often have narrow aluminium frames. The survey checks the transom can carry the operator without flexing, and whether it needs reinforcing.
- Think about how the door is locked. If it is locked by key every night, an electric lock or keep may be worth adding so the door can be secured without switching the operator off.
- Listed buildings and conservation areas in Exeter may need consent for an operator on an original door. Mounting it on the inside face usually keeps the street view the same.
- Check how the door hangs now. A door that drops, rubs on the floor or needs a shoulder to close will need its hinges or frame sorted before an operator goes on.
- Power is needed at the head of the door. If there is no supply close by, an electrician will need to run one, ideally hidden in trunking or the wall.
Automating an existing door in Exeter: guide prices
The site survey is free, including the measured drawing and a fixed, itemised written quote. Guide price: from £1,795 ex VAT (£2,154 inc VAT).
| Item | Guide price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Low-energy operator on an existing swing door | £1,795 – £2,995 | installed, ex VAT; homes £2,154 – £3,594 inc VAT |
| Full-energy operator on an existing swing door, with safety sensors | £2,495 – £3,995 | installed, ex VAT; homes £2,994 – £4,794 inc VAT |
| Operators on an existing pair of swing doors | £3,795 – £6,495 | installed, ex VAT; homes £4,554 – £7,794 inc VAT |
| Automating an existing manual sliding door or screen | £2,995 – £5,495 | installed, ex VAT; homes £3,594 – £6,594 inc 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.
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. Fitting an automatic door helps, but does not on its own guarantee those duties are met.
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 automating an existing door and book a survey in Exeter.
- 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.
Tell us about the door, how it is used and who uses it, and we will plan a retrofit for your building in Exeter.
Automating an existing door in Exeter: questions
Can you automate the existing doors at our building in Exeter?
In most cases, yes. We check each door at a free survey, including the hinges, frame, glass, locks and power, and then quote a fixed price. If a door is not a good candidate, we explain why and what it would take to fix it, or quote a replacement instead.
What will automating an existing door in Exeter cost?
Our guide starts from £1,795 excluding VAT (per door), the same guide price we use across the UK. For homes that is from £2,154 including VAT. The free site survey in Exeter confirms the price as a fixed, itemised written quote, and the guide price tool gives you a range before anyone visits.
Can you automate a front door at a house in Exeter?
Yes. Front doors at home are often automated for wheelchair users and people with limited grip, usually with an electric keep or lock so the door locks itself as it closes. Home prices are quoted including VAT, and the survey is free.
Can you automate a fire door at our premises in Exeter?
Usually, using an operator designed for fire doors and wired to the fire alarm so the door closes when the alarm operates. We check the door's rating and condition first. A fire door that does not close and seal properly needs repairing before an operator goes on.
How much disruption should we expect while the work is done in Exeter?
Most installations take one visit or a short series of visits, with dust and noise kept to the area around the door. The engineer screens off the work area, keeps a route in or out where possible and clears up before leaving. Larger entrances, lobbies or structural changes take longer, and the quote explains how that work is phased.
How do you make sure the door works for disabled visitors in Exeter?
We look at who uses the entrance: wheelchair users, people with walking aids, parents with buggies and older visitors. That shapes the opening width, the opening speed, the hold-open time and where push pads or sensors go. Service providers and employers have duties to make reasonable adjustments under equality and accessibility law, and an automatic door is a common one.
Who is responsible for automatic doors on escape routes in Exeter?
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.