Covering Dartford and nearby
We cover the whole of the DA1 and DA2 postcode districts, along with nearby towns in Kent. You book each visit for drive unit replacement directly with us, and a specialist automatic door engineer working under our management travels to your site on the agreed date.
Town-centre buildings in Dartford 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): Erith (3.0 miles), Bexleyheath (3.4 miles), Swanley (3.8 miles), Welling (4.7 miles), Northfleet (4.8 miles), Sidcup (5.0 miles).
What to think about for drive unit replacement in Dartford
- Doors linked to the fire alarm or access control in Dartford need those links rewired to the new controller. Let us know which systems connect to the door.
- Listed buildings and conservation areas in Dartford make it attractive to keep the existing frame. A new operator inside the existing header changes little that can be seen.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Drive unit replacement in Dartford: 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
- Send photos and the address. A few pictures of the door from both sides, the address in Dartford 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 drive unit replacement 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 frame, replace the drive. Arrange a free survey in Dartford and receive a fixed quote covering the new operator, sensors and paperwork.
Drive unit replacement in Dartford: questions
What if the frame of our door in Dartford 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.
Is there a guide price for drive unit replacement in Dartford?
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 Dartford confirms the price as a fixed, itemised written quote, and the guide price tool gives you a range before anyone visits.
Can you fit a new operator to a door another company installed in Dartford?
Yes. We replace drive units on doors whoever fitted them. The survey identifies the existing header, leaves and track, and adapter plates usually let a new drive unit from one of the major European operator brands fit without changing the frame.
Do you provide paperwork for the converted door in Dartford?
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 do you need from us for parking and access in Dartford?
Somewhere for the engineer's van as close to the entrance as possible, and a clear working area around the door. If parking is restricted, loading rules apply or the site has security procedures, tell us when you book. Those details go into the plan so the visit is not held up on the day.
What does the free site survey in Dartford 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.
Who is responsible for automatic doors on escape routes in Dartford?
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.