Covering the City of London and nearby
For automating an existing door, coverage around the City of London is set by postcode and includes the EC2V, EC3M, EC3V, EC4N, EC4R and EC4V postcode districts, as well as nearby addresses in Greater London. Specialist engineers working under our management attend each site, and the price is agreed in writing beforehand.
Space for materials and tools is limited at many addresses in the City of London, especially on narrow or pedestrianised streets in Greater London. Larger door sets are delivered for the time of fitting, and access and parking restrictions are planned into the visit.
Nearby towns we also list for automating an existing door (straight-line distance): Whitechapel (1.1 miles), Islington (1.7 miles), Westminster (2.2 miles), Peckham (2.8 miles), Camden Town (2.9 miles), Holloway (3.1 miles).
What to think about for automating an existing door in the City of London
- Glass in a door that will be automated should be safety glass. Older doors in the City of London may have panes that need replacing before the work goes ahead.
- Older buildings in the City of London 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.
- 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.
- Shop fronts on high streets in the City of London 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.
Automating an existing door in the City of London: 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.
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 the City of London 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.
Get a fixed price for automating a door in the City of London. The quote covers the operator, safety devices, controls and any work the door needs first.
Automating an existing door in the City of London: questions
What if our door in the City of London 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 are prices worked out for automating an existing door in the City of London?
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 the City of London 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 the City of London?
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.
Will automating our door in the City of London 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 happens to the old door when a new one is fitted in the City of London?
If the work replaces an existing door, frame or operator, removal and disposal are listed in the quote. The old door comes out only when the new one is ready to go in, so the opening is not left empty for longer than necessary. Making good to the surrounding wall, floor or ceiling is included where the quote says so.
Do I need permission from a landlord or the council before work in the City of London?
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.
Can a home in the City of London get help paying for a door opener?
Possibly. In England a Disabled Facilities Grant of up to £30,000 can fund adaptations that make it easier to get in and out of a home. It is means-tested and must be approved by the council before work starts, so ask your council and occupational therapist.