Covering Dover and nearby
Homes, businesses and public buildings throughout the CT16 and CT17 postcode districts can arrange fire door hold-open devices with us. We are the contracting party and organise every visit; the engineer, who works under our management, travels in to Dover for the job rather than working from premises in town.
Doors at quieter sites in Dover and elsewhere in Kent can go many years between checks. A safety inspection looks at how the sensors, closing behaviour and emergency functions are working, and gives you a written record to keep on file.
Nearby towns we also list for fire door hold-open devices (straight-line distance): Folkestone (7.0 miles), Deal (7.8 miles), Canterbury (14.6 miles), Ramsgate (15.2 miles), Broadstairs (17.0 miles), Margate (17.9 miles).
What to think about for fire door hold-open devices in Dover
- Background noise matters for acoustic units. Kitchens, plant areas and busy receptions may be too loud for a unit that listens for the alarm, so a wired or radio device is often better there.
- Busy office corridors suit wall magnets that hold doors right back against the wall, out of the way of people and trolleys, until the alarm releases them.
- Residential blocks often have communal corridor doors that residents prop open. Hold-open devices give the same convenience while letting the doors close when the alarm sounds.
- Doors that open too far from a wall for a wall magnet can use a floor-mounted unit or a magnet on an extension arm. The survey measures where each door rests when open.
- Listed buildings and conservation areas can make new cable runs difficult. Radio-triggered battery units avoid most wiring, although the transmitter still needs a connection at the alarm panel.
Fire door hold-open devices in Dover: guide prices
The site survey is free, including the measured drawing and a fixed, itemised written quote. Guide price: from £145 ex VAT.
| Item | Guide price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Battery acoustic hold-open unit | £145 – £295 | per door, fitted, ex VAT |
| Hard-wired hold-open magnet linked to the fire alarm | £245 – £595 | per door, ex VAT; alarm panel work extra |
| Free-swing door closer linked to the fire alarm | £395 – £895 | per door, fitted, ex VAT |
Which hold-open device is suitable depends on your fire risk assessment. Linking to the fire alarm may need work by your alarm engineer.
Standards and rules in England
Hold-open devices and door release units linked to the fire alarm need regular testing as part of the building’s fire safety checks, and the results should be recorded.
Workplace law (the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992) expects powered doors to have suitable and effective features to stop them trapping anyone and, where needed for safety, to open by hand unless they open automatically if the power fails. Doors at work must also be kept in efficient working order under a suitable system of maintenance.
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 fire door hold-open devices in Dover, 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.
For care homes, offices and schools in Dover, we survey, quote and fit alarm-linked hold-open devices. Get in touch to arrange a time that suits your building.
Fire door hold-open devices in Dover: questions
Will you test the hold-open devices before leaving our site in Dover?
Yes. Every door is released from fully open and checked to close and latch. Where the alarm connection is complete, the doors are also tested with the alarm itself. You receive a schedule of the doors and devices fitted, ready to keep with your fire safety records and weekly alarm test log.
What is the guide price for fire door hold-open devices in Dover?
Our guide starts from £145 excluding VAT (per door), the same guide price we use across the UK. The free site survey in Dover confirms the price as a fixed, itemised written quote, and the guide price tool gives you a range before anyone visits.
Which doors in my building in Dover can be held open?
That is decided by the fire risk assessment for the building, not by the installer. Many corridor, lounge and office doors can be held open on a device that releases on the alarm, while some stair and escape route doors cannot. If the assessment is unclear, check with your assessor before we finalise the quote.
Are battery hold-open units a good choice for older buildings in Dover?
Often they are. Radio and acoustic battery units avoid long cable runs, which helps in older or listed buildings and finished corridors. Acoustic units are only suitable where the fire risk assessment allows them and the alarm can be heard clearly at the door. Batteries need replacing at the interval the maker states.
What does the written quote for fire door hold-open devices in Dover include?
The quote lists each item separately: the door or equipment, installation, electrical connections where we provide them, removal of anything being replaced, testing and handover. It is a fixed price for the work described, so it does not change unless the scope changes, and any change is agreed with you in writing first.
Do you service doors in Dover after installing them?
Yes. We recommend a trained engineer checks the safety functions at least once a year, with service intervals set by the manufacturer's instructions and how heavily the door is used; busy doors are often serviced more often. Servicing can follow on from the installation, with the price agreed in writing and a record left after every visit.
Who is responsible for automatic doors on escape routes in Dover?
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.