Covering Folkestone and nearby
Engineers working under our management travel to addresses across the CT19 and CT20 postcode districts for drive unit replacement. There is no depot or showroom in Folkestone; you arrange everything with us by phone, email or the form on this page, and we confirm the price in writing first.
Housing providers and managing agents in Folkestone look after communal entrance doors that are used day and night. Reliable closing, good security and a written service record are usually the priorities, along with door entry or fob systems tied into the operator.
Nearby towns we also list for drive unit replacement (straight-line distance): Dover (7.0 miles), Ashford (13.5 miles), Deal (14.1 miles), Canterbury (14.2 miles), Faversham (20.1 miles), Herne Bay (20.2 miles).
What to think about for drive unit replacement in Folkestone
- Doors linked to the fire alarm or access control in Folkestone need those links rewired to the new controller. Let us know which systems connect to the door.
- 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.
- Listed buildings and conservation areas in Folkestone 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.
- Older shopfronts in Folkestone may have headers made for discontinued operators. Adapter plates usually allow a new drive unit to fit, which the survey confirms before you commit.
Drive unit replacement in Folkestone: 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
- Send photos and the address. A few pictures of the door from both sides, the address in Folkestone 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.
Tired of repeat breakdowns at your entrance in Folkestone? 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 Folkestone: questions
Will you remove the old operator from our premises in Folkestone?
Yes. The old drive unit, sensors and any other replaced parts are taken away as part of the job, and the work area is left clean. Disposal is included in the fixed quote, so there is nothing extra to arrange or pay for afterwards.
What price range should I expect for drive unit replacement in Folkestone?
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 Folkestone 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 Folkestone?
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 Folkestone?
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.
Do you service doors in Folkestone 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.
What happens to the old door when a new one is fitted in Folkestone?
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.
Do businesses in Folkestone 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.