Covering Canterbury and nearby
We do not keep premises in Canterbury. Instead, enquiries about drive unit replacement come to us, we agree the price in writing, and a specialist engineer working under our management travels to the address in the CT1 and CT2 postcode districts on a date that suits the site.
Schools and colleges in and around Canterbury often want work done in the holidays, when entrances can be taken out of use without disrupting pupils. Planning ahead for half-term or summer dates makes it easier to find a slot that suits the timetable.
Nearby towns we also list for drive unit replacement (straight-line distance): Whitstable (6.1 miles), Herne Bay (6.8 miles), Faversham (8.6 miles), Ashford (12.8 miles), Folkestone (14.2 miles), Deal (14.5 miles).
What to think about for drive unit replacement in Canterbury
- Doors linked to the fire alarm or access control in Canterbury need those links rewired to the new controller. Let us know which systems connect to the door.
- Busy retail entrances in Canterbury may prefer the changeover after closing time or on a quiet trading day. Tell us your hours when you book the survey.
- 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.
- 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.
- If the door is on an escape route, the new drive unit must be set up to open, break out or be openable by hand, as the building's fire strategy requires.
Drive unit replacement in Canterbury: 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
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.
Standards are not retrospective, so an older door does not become unlawful when a standard is updated; a site-specific risk assessment shows whether any upgrades are sensible. BS EN 16005 is the current standard for the safety in use of powered pedestrian doors, and BS 7036-0:2014 is the British code of practice for risk assessment and risk reduction used alongside it. Standards are not law in themselves, but they are the recognised benchmark for showing an automatic door is safe to use, and we set up, test and document doors with reference to them.
How it works
- Tell us about the entrance. Send the address, a few photos and a rough size of the opening, and say how the door is used. That is enough for us to suggest options for drive unit replacement and book a survey in Canterbury.
- Free site survey. A specialist engineer working under our management measures the opening, checks the frame, floor, head height and power, and talks through how people use the entrance. There is no charge and no obligation.
- Fixed written quote. You receive a fixed, itemised written quote with the specification, lead time, payment stages and warranty terms. The price does not change unless the scope does, and any change is agreed in writing first.
- Installation and handover. The door is fitted on the agreed dates, then set up, tested and documented with reference to BS EN 16005. You are shown the controls and the simple checks to make, and receive the handover paperwork.
Tired of repeat breakdowns at your entrance in Canterbury? Ask us to compare a new operator with a new door, so you can choose with both prices in front of you.
Drive unit replacement in Canterbury: questions
What if the frame of our door in Canterbury 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 will drive unit replacement in Canterbury cost?
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 Canterbury confirms the price as a fixed, itemised written quote, and the guide price tool gives you a range before anyone visits.
What lead time should we expect in Canterbury?
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.
Do you provide paperwork for the converted door in Canterbury?
Yes. When we fit a new drive unit we prepare the paperwork for the finished door, including the risk assessment, Declaration of Conformity and user instructions, and hand it over with the test results and settings. It belongs with your building records.
What does the free site survey in Canterbury 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 drive unit replacement, with drawings where the door type needs them.
What happens to the old door when a new one is fitted in Canterbury?
If the work replaces an existing door, frame or operator, removal and disposal are listed in the quote. The old door comes out only when the new one is ready to go in, so the opening is not left empty for longer than necessary. Making good to the surrounding wall, floor or ceiling is included where the quote says so.
Who is responsible for automatic doors on escape routes in Canterbury?
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.