Coverage across Hertfordshire
There is no branch to visit in Hertfordshire; instead, specialist engineers working under our management travel to you. That keeps automating an existing door available across the whole area, including smaller towns and rural addresses. The page for each of the 19 towns we list below sets out nearby places, guide prices and the questions people usually ask.
Towns listed in Hertfordshire: Watford, Hemel Hempstead, Stevenage, St Albans, Welwyn Garden City, Cheshunt, Hatfield, Bishop's Stortford, Borehamwood, Hitchin, Hoddesdon, Letchworth, Harpenden, Bushey, Hertford, Rickmansworth, Potters Bar, Berkhamsted, Ware.
What to think about for automating an existing door in Hertfordshire
- Doors facing the weather in exposed parts of Hertfordshire are pushed about by wind. The survey checks whether a low-energy operator will cope or a stronger unit is needed.
- 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.
- Schools and community buildings in Hertfordshire may prefer the work done in holidays or after hours. Ask for any out-of-hours working to be priced in the quote.
- Glass in a door that will be automated should be safety glass. Older doors in Hertfordshire may have panes that need replacing before the work goes ahead.
- 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 Hertfordshire: 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 Hertfordshire 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.
Keep the door you have and make it automatic. Book a free survey in Hertfordshire and receive a written, itemised quote.
Automating an existing door in Hertfordshire: questions
Can you automate a fire door at our premises in Hertfordshire?
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 Hertfordshire?
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 Hertfordshire confirms the price as a fixed, itemised written quote, and the guide price tool gives you a range before anyone visits.
How long will our door in Hertfordshire be out of use?
Usually half a day to a day per door. Where hinges, locks or glass are being changed as well, it can take longer. We plan the work so the building stays usable, and agree any out-of-hours working in the quote.
Do you provide the paperwork for an automated door in Hertfordshire?
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.
What does the free site survey in Hertfordshire 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.
Can installation in Hertfordshire happen outside opening hours?
Yes. Many shops, surgeries and offices prefer work early in the morning, in the evening or at weekends, when the entrance is quietest. Tell us your constraints when you enquire and they are built into the plan. Any extra cost for out-of-hours work is shown in the written quote rather than added afterwards.
Who is responsible for automatic doors on escape routes in Hertfordshire?
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.