Covering Cheltenham and nearby
For automating an existing door, coverage around Cheltenham is set by postcode and includes the GL50, GL51, GL52 and GL53 postcode districts, as well as nearby addresses in Gloucestershire. Specialist engineers working under our management attend each site, and the price is agreed in writing beforehand.
Council offices, libraries, leisure centres and other public buildings in Cheltenham usually buy through procurement rules. Itemised written prices, method statements and the paperwork a buyer needs can all be provided, and the work is carried out by specialist engineers working under our management.
Nearby towns we also list for automating an existing door (straight-line distance): Tewkesbury (7.2 miles), Gloucester (7.4 miles), Stroud (11.6 miles), Cirencester (13.3 miles), Evesham (14.4 miles), Malvern (18.0 miles).
What to think about for automating an existing door in Cheltenham
- Doors facing the weather in exposed parts of Cheltenham 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.
- Older buildings in Cheltenham often have heavy timber doors on floor springs. Some floor springs can be adapted, but many need replacing with hinges, which adds to the cost.
- If the door is on an escape route, keep the existing panic or emergency hardware working. The operator should not stop the door opening by hand in an emergency.
Automating an existing door in Cheltenham: 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
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.
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.
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 Cheltenham.
- 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.
Send us a photo of the door and we will arrange a free survey in Cheltenham to confirm whether it can be automated, followed by a fixed quote.
Automating an existing door in Cheltenham: questions
What if our door in Cheltenham turns out to need replacing?
Then we will say so and explain why. If you want to go ahead, we can quote a new automatic door, or a new door ready for an operator. If both options are reasonable, we price each so you can choose, and the survey costs nothing either way.
How much should I budget for automating an existing door in Cheltenham?
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 Cheltenham 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 Cheltenham?
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.
Can you look after the door in Cheltenham 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 is the lead time for automating an existing door in Cheltenham?
Lead times depend on the door type and what has to be made to order. As a guide, operators and accessible door kits are typically two to four weeks from order, and complete sliding entrances typically four to eight weeks from drawing approval. Curved, revolving and hermetic doors usually take longer. The expected lead time is stated in your quote.
Do I need permission from a landlord or the council before work in Cheltenham?
It depends on the building. Tenants usually need the landlord's written consent before changing an entrance, and some changes to a shopfront or external door need planning permission. The survey notes anything that may need consent. We can supply drawings and product details to support an application, but the owner or tenant makes it.
Who is responsible for automatic doors on escape routes in Cheltenham?
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.