Coverage across Essex
We treat Essex as one service area for automating an existing door, so a site on the edge of the area gets the same written pricing and the same standard of work as one in the busiest town centre. Specialist automatic door engineers working under our management carry out each visit. Choose from the 24 towns below, or contact us with any address.
Towns listed in Essex: Southend-on-Sea, Basildon, Colchester, Chelmsford, Harlow, Grays, Braintree, Brentwood, Clacton-on-Sea, Benfleet, Canvey Island, Billericay, Rayleigh, Stanford-le-Hope, Loughton, Wickford, Leigh-on-Sea, Witham, Maldon, Waltham Abbey, South Ockendon, Harwich, Hadleigh, Walton-on-the-Naze.
What to think about for automating an existing door in Essex
- Glass in a door that will be automated should be safety glass. Older doors in Essex may have panes that need replacing before the work goes ahead.
- Doors facing the weather in exposed parts of Essex 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Automating an existing door in Essex: 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
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.
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.
Whoever motorises a manual door, or builds an automatic door from separate parts, may take on the manufacturer’s legal duties for the finished door: a risk assessment, a technical file kept available for the authorities, a Declaration of Conformity, the conformity marking and instructions. You receive the Declaration of Conformity and the instructions at handover. 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.
How it works
- Send photos and the address. A few pictures of the door from both sides, the address in Essex and a note of who uses the entrance help us understand the job before anyone visits the site.
- No-cost survey on site. We arrange a survey at a time that suits the building. The engineer records measurements, fixings and power, plus any constraints such as listed status, opening hours or access for deliveries.
- Itemised quote to approve. We price every element of the work on automating an existing door separately in a written quote that you can check, share and approve. Lead time and payment stages are stated, and nothing is ordered until you accept.
- Fit, test and hand over. On the agreed dates the engineer installs the equipment, commissions the operator and tests each safety function. You get a demonstration, the test record and any conformity paperwork that applies to the work.
Want to automate an existing door in Essex? Start with a free survey, and decide once you have the fixed, itemised quote in front of you.
Automating an existing door in Essex: questions
Will automating our door in Essex need planning permission?
Fitting an operator to an existing door does not usually need planning permission, but a listed building may need consent for fixings or new switches on the outside. In a conservation area, mounting the operator inside often avoids any change to the street view. Check with the planning authority if in doubt.
What will automating an existing door in Essex 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 Essex 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 fire door at our premises in Essex?
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.
Do you provide the paperwork for an automated door in Essex?
Yes. Motorising a manual door brings manufacturer's duties for the completed powered door, so when we automate a door we provide the risk assessment, test record, settings and conformity paperwork at handover. Keep them with your building records, as insurers, inspectors and future service engineers may ask to see them.
Is there a warranty on automating an existing door?
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.
What does the written quote for automating an existing door in Essex 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.
Who is responsible for automatic doors on escape routes in Essex?
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.