Covering Solihull and nearby
From shops and surgeries to schools, care homes and private houses, any building in the B91 and B92 postcode districts can be covered for drive unit replacement. Specialist engineers working under our management carry out the work, and you deal with us as the contracting party from start to finish.
Schools and colleges in and around Solihull 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): Shirley (1.6 miles), Birmingham (6.8 miles), Kenilworth (9.5 miles), Smethwick (9.5 miles), Redditch (10.2 miles), Sutton Coldfield (10.6 miles).
What to think about for drive unit replacement in Solihull
- Doors linked to the fire alarm or access control in Solihull need those links rewired to the new controller. Let us know which systems connect to the door.
- 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.
- 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.
- Business parks and office blocks in Solihull with several identical doors can replace operators in phases, keeping at least one entrance open at all times.
- Busy retail entrances in Solihull may prefer the changeover after closing time or on a quiet trading day. Tell us your hours when you book the survey.
Drive unit replacement in Solihull: 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.
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
- 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 drive unit replacement in Solihull, 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.
Tired of repeat breakdowns at your entrance in Solihull? 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 Solihull: questions
Do you replace automatic door drive units in Solihull?
Yes. We are the contracting party for drive unit replacements in Solihull, and the survey and changeover are carried out by specialist engineers we manage. The survey is free and checks that the frame and leaves are worth keeping. You then receive a fixed, itemised quote for the new operator, sensors and any other parts the door needs.
How are prices worked out for drive unit replacement in Solihull?
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 Solihull 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 Solihull 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.
Can you fit a new operator to a door another company installed in Solihull?
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.
How much disruption should we expect while the work is done in Solihull?
Most installations take one visit or a short series of visits, with dust and noise kept to the area around the door. The engineer screens off the work area, keeps a route in or out where possible and clears up before leaving. Larger entrances, lobbies or structural changes take longer, and the quote explains how that work is phased.
Can installation in Solihull happen outside opening hours?
Yes. Many shops, surgeries and offices prefer work early in the morning, in the evening or at weekends, when the entrance is quietest. Tell us your constraints when you enquire and they are built into the plan. Any extra cost for out-of-hours work is shown in the written quote rather than added afterwards.
Who is responsible for automatic doors on escape routes in Solihull?
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.