Covering Exeter and nearby
Our coverage of Exeter takes in the EX1, EX2 and EX4 postcode districts and the neighbouring parts of Devon. If your address sits close to a boundary, it is still covered: send the postcode with your enquiry about drive unit replacement and we will confirm the arrangements and the price in writing.
Town-centre buildings in Exeter range from modern units to older shopfronts. Older frontages can have uneven floors, limited head height and timber frames that need checking before an operator is fitted or adjusted, and the engineer looks at these on site.
Nearby towns we also list for drive unit replacement (straight-line distance): Exmouth (9.2 miles), Tiverton (12.4 miles), Newton Abbot (14.0 miles), Torquay (18.1 miles), Paignton (20.0 miles), Taunton (27.3 miles).
What to think about for drive unit replacement in Exeter
- Check the power supply. A dedicated fused spur and isolator near the door is usually needed, and older installations sometimes need electrical work before the new operator goes in.
- Business parks and office blocks in Exeter with several identical doors can replace operators in phases, keeping at least one entrance open at all times.
- Heavy glass leaves need an operator rated for their weight. The survey records the size and glass type of each leaf so the right drive unit is specified.
- Worn floor guides and rollers can shorten the life of a new operator. It is often worth replacing them during the same visit rather than coming back later.
- Battery backup is easier to add with a new drive unit. It lets the door open or close safely in a power cut, which matters most on escape routes.
Drive unit replacement in Exeter: guide prices
The site survey is free, including the measured drawing and a fixed, itemised written quote. Guide price: typically £1,995 to £3,995 ex VAT.
| Item | Guide price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| New drive unit on an existing automatic sliding door | £1,995 – £3,995 | existing leaves kept, installed, ex VAT |
| New operator on an existing automatic swing door | £1,795 – £3,995 | installed, ex VAT |
| Sensors replaced at the same time | £195 – £495 | per sensor, ex 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.
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
- Describe what you need. Whether the job is drive unit replacement 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 Exeter.
- 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.
If parts for your door in Exeter are obsolete, talk to us before replacing the entrance. A free survey shows what can be kept and what it will cost.
Drive unit replacement in Exeter: questions
What lead time should we expect in Exeter?
Once the quote is accepted, drive units are typically 2 to 4 weeks to arrive, depending on the length and weight rating needed. The changeover date is agreed with you as soon as the parts are confirmed, and it can be planned around your opening hours.
What is the guide price for drive unit replacement in Exeter?
Our guide is £1,995 to £3,995 excluding VAT (per door), the same guide prices we use across the UK. The free site survey in Exeter confirms the price as a fixed, itemised written quote, and the guide price tool gives you a range before anyone visits.
Can the replacement in Exeter include a service plan?
It can. After the changeover we recommend a service interval based on how heavily the door is used, and a service contract can be set up with a written record of each visit. Servicing is priced separately and agreed in writing before any visit takes place.
What if the frame of our door in Exeter is not worth keeping?
Then we will tell you. Damaged or corroded frames, glass that is not safety glass, or an opening that is too narrow for the people using it are all reasons to choose a new door instead. We can quote both options so you can compare them side by side.
What power supply is needed for drive unit replacement in Exeter?
Most powered doors need a fused spur close to the operator, and some activation and access control devices also need a low-voltage link. The survey checks what is already there. If a new supply is required, the quote says whether we arrange it or your own electrician does, so nothing is left unclear on the day.
How are payments structured for work in Exeter?
Payment stages are set out in the quote before you accept it. Larger or made-to-order jobs may involve a deposit and a balance on completion, while smaller jobs may be invoiced once the work is finished. Nothing is charged for the survey itself, and the terms you accept are the terms that apply.
Do businesses in Exeter have to fit automatic doors?
No law says every building must have automatic doors. Under the Equality Act 2010, service providers and employers must make reasonable adjustments for disabled people, and building regulations guidance in England calls for a powered door where an entrance door would otherwise be too heavy to open. An automatic door is often the simplest way to meet both.