Coverage across the Scottish Borders
From large town centres to quiet villages, entrances across the Scottish Borders vary a great deal, and the right approach to sensor upgrades and replacement varies with them. A surgery door used by patients with walking frames needs different settings from a supermarket entrance, so the engineer looks at the actual door first. The towns we list in this area currently number 3.
Towns listed in the Scottish Borders: Hawick, Galashiels, Peebles.
What to think about for sensor upgrades and replacement in the Scottish Borders
- Shiny, wet or newly polished floors can confuse infrared safety sensors. Mention any recent floor changes at your building in the Scottish Borders so the zones can be set for the new surface.
- Sensor changes on escape route doors must never stop the door opening when it needs to. The engineer checks the door's escape mode after any sensor work.
- Doors with side screens may need a light curtain on the leaf edge or post to protect the gap. This is one of the most common upgrades on older sliding doors.
- Entrances facing busy roads in the Scottish Borders can see false openings from passing vehicles and cyclists. A sensor with direction detection and a tighter zone usually helps.
- Swing doors in narrow corridors need sensors on the leaf to protect people on both sides. The engineer checks the swing path and any walls or fittings close by.
Sensor upgrades and replacement in the Scottish Borders: guide prices
The visit price is agreed in writing before an engineer attends; parts and any further work are quoted before they are done. Guide price: typically £195 to £495 ex VAT.
| Item | Guide price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Add or replace a safety or activation sensor | £195 – £495 | per sensor fitted, ex VAT |
| Touch-free switch or push pad | £145 – £395 | per switch, ex VAT |
| Side-screen or light-curtain protection | from £295 | per door, ex VAT; on survey |
Sensor prices cover the part, fitting and set-up. If a sensor is fitted on a visit of its own, the visit charge (from £95 ex VAT) is added, and we confirm the total in writing before an engineer attends. Each sensor is set up for the door and tested before the engineer leaves.
Standards and rules in Scotland
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. HSE guidance on those regulations says the frequency of maintenance depends on the equipment and the manufacturer’s information.
No law sets a fixed service interval. We recommend that 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, and that someone on site carries out simple regular checks and keeps a record.
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. 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.
How it works
- Share the details. Send the address in the Scottish Borders, the door type and make if you know it, and a description or video of the problem. For servicing, tell us how many doors there are and how busy each one is.
- Price confirmed in writing. We agree the visit price in writing before an engineer attends. Some straightforward repairs can be priced in full from photos and the make and model of the door.
- Diagnosis and repair. A specialist engineer attends on the agreed date, finds the cause, repairs or services the door, and tests its operation, sensors and safety functions with reference to BS EN 16005.
- Written record. Each visit ends with a written record for your files. Anything still outstanding, such as parts on order or recommended upgrades, is quoted before any further work is done.
For doors that open for passers-by or close too soon in the Scottish Borders, talk to us about new sensors and detection zones set for your entrance.
Sensor upgrades and replacement in the Scottish Borders: questions
Will you record the sensor settings for our building in the Scottish Borders?
Yes. The job report lists each sensor fitted, its position, the settings used and the test results. Keep it with your service records, as it helps future engineers and shows the door's safety set-up was checked after the work. The same details are useful if an insurer or inspector asks.
What do you charge for sensor upgrades and replacement in the Scottish Borders?
Our guide is £195 to £495 excluding VAT (per sensor fitted), the same guide prices we use across the UK. We agree the visit price in writing before an engineer attends in the Scottish Borders, and quote any parts or further work before doing them. The price guide lists typical repair and service costs.
Can you price new sensors for my door in the Scottish Borders from photos?
Often, yes. Photos of the sensor, the door from both sides and the label on the operator cover usually tell us which sensor is needed and whether it suits the controller. We can then quote the sensor and fitting in advance, with the visit price confirmed before anyone travels.
Can you upgrade sensors on an old door in the Scottish Borders?
Most older doors can take modern sensors. A few very old controllers cannot monitor current safety sensors. If yours is one of them, we explain whether a controller upgrade or a new drive unit is the better option, and quote it, before any work is done.
What if a door in the Scottish Borders is found to be unsafe?
The engineer explains the problem and, where needed, leaves the door in a safe state, for example switched off or set so it cannot trap or strike anyone. You receive a written note of the issue. The repair or upgrade that would put it right is quoted before any further work is carried out.
Can visits in the Scottish Borders be arranged outside working hours?
Yes, where the site needs it. Early-morning, evening and weekend visits can be arranged for shops, surgeries and offices that cannot lose their entrance during the day. Any difference in price for out-of-hours attendance is agreed in writing before the visit is booked, alongside the standard visit price.
Do businesses in the Scottish Borders have to fit automatic doors?
No law requires automatic doors everywhere. Under the Equality Act 2010 service providers and employers must make reasonable adjustments for disabled people, and Scottish guidance says powered doors improve accessibility at entrances. An automatic door is often the practical answer.