Covering Solihull and nearby
For automating an existing door, coverage around Solihull is set by postcode and includes the B91 and B92 postcode districts, as well as nearby addresses in the West Midlands. Specialist engineers working under our management attend each site, and the price is agreed in writing beforehand.
Around Solihull there is usually a mix of retail parks, business parks and town-centre shops, each with different door needs. A retail park unit may need a wide bi-parting door for trolleys, while a town-centre shop often has a narrow frontage better suited to a single slider or a folding door.
Nearby towns we also list for automating an existing door (straight-line distance): Shirley (1.6 miles), Birmingham (6.8 miles), Kenilworth (9.5 miles), Smethwick (9.5 miles), Redditch (10.2 miles), Sutton Coldfield (10.6 miles).
What to think about for automating an existing door in Solihull
- Older buildings in Solihull 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.
- 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.
- Glass in a door that will be automated should be safety glass. Older doors in Solihull may have panes that need replacing before the work goes ahead.
- Listed buildings and conservation areas in Solihull may need consent for an operator on an original door. Mounting it on the inside face usually keeps the street view the same.
- Schools and community buildings in Solihull may prefer the work done in holidays or after hours. Ask for any out-of-hours working to be priced in the quote.
Automating an existing door in Solihull: 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.
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.
How it works
- Get in touch. Call, email or use the form with the address and what you have in mind. If you are not sure which type of door suits, describe the entrance and we will suggest the options worth considering.
- Survey and advice. The survey costs nothing and carries no obligation. The engineer checks the site and explains which options suit the entrance, the people using it and the budget, before anything is priced.
- Quote in writing. You receive a fixed, itemised quote for automating an existing door in Solihull, covering equipment, installation, testing and handover, with the lead time and payment stages set out clearly.
- Install, test, explain. The engineer installs and commissions the door, tests the sensors, safety functions and emergency behaviour, and walks you through the controls. The handover pack records what was installed and tested.
Keep the door you have and make it automatic. Book a free survey in Solihull and receive a written, itemised quote.
Automating an existing door in Solihull: questions
Do you provide the paperwork for an automated door in Solihull?
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 price range should I expect for automating an existing door in Solihull?
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 Solihull confirms the price as a fixed, itemised written quote, and the guide price tool gives you a range before anyone visits.
Will automating our door in Solihull 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.
Can you automate a fire door at our premises in Solihull?
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.
What should I send before the survey in Solihull?
A few photos of the door from inside and outside, rough measurements of the opening, the address and a note of how the entrance is used. If the door already has an operator, a photo of any label on it helps. With that, the engineer arrives prepared, the survey takes less of your time and we can put the quote for automating an existing door together more easily.
Can automatic doors be fitted to a listed building in Solihull?
Often, yes, but listed building consent is normally needed for changes that affect the character of the building, inside or out. Slim operators, concealed fixings and automating the existing door can all reduce the visual impact. Speak to the conservation officer at the local planning authority early; we can provide drawings and specifications to help.
Who is responsible for automatic doors on escape routes in Solihull?
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.