Covering Ferndown and nearby
Our coverage of Ferndown takes in the BH22 postcode district and the neighbouring parts of Dorset. If your address sits close to a boundary, it is still covered: send the postcode with your enquiry about automating an existing door and we will confirm the arrangements and the price in writing.
Libraries, health centres and council buildings in Ferndown still need accessible entrances, whatever their size. A single automatic door with a push pad or touch-free switch is often enough to give everyone easy access.
Nearby towns we also list for automating an existing door (straight-line distance): Bournemouth (6.1 miles), Christchurch (7.2 miles), Poole (7.4 miles), New Milton (10.8 miles), Salisbury (18.7 miles), Totton (19.4 miles).
What to think about for automating an existing door in Ferndown
- Doors facing the weather in exposed parts of Ferndown are pushed about by wind. The survey checks whether a low-energy operator will cope or a stronger unit is needed.
- 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.
- 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.
- Schools and community buildings in Ferndown may prefer the work done in holidays or after hours. Ask for any out-of-hours working to be priced in the quote.
- Homes in Ferndown with uPVC or composite doors can usually be automated, but the multipoint lock needs to work smoothly first. A stiff lock is best fixed before fitting.
Automating an existing door in Ferndown: 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
- Describe what you need. Whether the job is automating an existing door 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 Ferndown.
- 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.
Want to automate an existing door in Ferndown? Start with a free survey, and decide once you have the fixed, itemised quote in front of you.
Automating an existing door in Ferndown: questions
Can you automate a fire door at our premises in Ferndown?
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 should I budget for automating an existing door in Ferndown?
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 Ferndown confirms the price as a fixed, itemised written quote, and the guide price tool gives you a range before anyone visits.
Can you automate the existing doors at our building in Ferndown?
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.
Can you look after the door in Ferndown once it is automated?
Yes. We can arrange servicing at intervals that suit how much the door is used, with the operator, safety devices and hinges checked and a written record left. Each visit has its price confirmed in writing before an engineer attends.
What does the free site survey in Ferndown 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 automating an existing door, with drawings where the door type needs them.
What happens once the installation in Ferndown is finished?
The engineer tests every function, including the safety sensors and the behaviour on power loss, and sets the door up with reference to BS EN 16005. You are shown how to use the controls and which simple checks to make, and you receive the handover documents, including the test record and any conformity paperwork that applies to the work.
Who is responsible for automatic doors on escape routes in Ferndown?
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.