Covering Portsmouth and nearby
We cover the whole of the PO1, PO2, PO3, PO4, PO5 and PO6 postcode districts, along with nearby towns in Hampshire. You book each visit for automating an existing door directly with us, and a specialist automatic door engineer working under our management travels to your site on the agreed date.
Mixed-use buildings in Portsmouth, with shops at street level and offices or flats above, often share an entrance or a fire route. Doors in those settings have to suit several users at once, and the managing agent or landlord is usually involved in approving work.
Nearby towns we also list for automating an existing door (straight-line distance): Gosport (1.7 miles), Fareham (5.3 miles), Havant (6.1 miles), Waterlooville (6.2 miles), Emsworth (7.5 miles), Hedge End (12.0 miles).
What to think about for automating an existing door in Portsmouth
- Glass in a door that will be automated should be safety glass. Older doors in Portsmouth may have panes that need replacing before the work goes ahead.
- 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.
- Listed buildings and conservation areas in Portsmouth may need consent for an operator on an original door. Mounting it on the inside face usually keeps the street view the same.
- Doors facing the weather in exposed parts of Portsmouth are pushed about by wind. The survey checks whether a low-energy operator will cope or a stronger unit is needed.
- 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 Portsmouth: 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
- 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 Portsmouth.
- 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.
Keep the door you have and make it automatic. Book a free survey in Portsmouth and receive a written, itemised quote.
Automating an existing door in Portsmouth: questions
What if our door in Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth?
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 Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth?
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.
Will automating our door in Portsmouth 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 do you need from us for parking and access in Portsmouth?
Somewhere for the engineer's van as close to the entrance as possible, and a clear working area around the door. If parking is restricted, loading rules apply or the site has security procedures, tell us when you book. Those details go into the plan so the visit is not held up on the day.
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.
Which building regulations apply to a new automatic entrance in Portsmouth?
In England the guidance is Approved Document M (Volume 2) for access, Approved Document B for fire safety and escape routes, and Approved Document K for glazing and powered doors. A new entrance can count as building work, so building control should be involved before it is ordered.