Getting FD60 fire doors right in Dorset
Our FD60 fire doors service runs throughout Dorset. Main towns include Bournemouth, Poole and Weymouth, and we cover the smaller places in between.
FD60 openings in Dorset buildings tend to be stair cores, plant rooms and bin stores in larger blocks and commercial premises. For FD60 work in Dorset we generally fit certified doorsets, so frame and leaf share the same test evidence.
Managing agents, landlords, schools, care providers, businesses and homeowners in Dorset can all use one team for survey, supply, installation and evidence. We plan work around occupants and hand over a record for every door.
When does a building need FD60 rather than FD30?
FD60 doors appear where the fire strategy asks a wall to resist fire for an hour: stair cores and lobbies in taller buildings, plant and boiler rooms, some service risers, refuse stores and compartment walls between different uses. The rating follows the wall. Fitting an FD30 door in a 60-minute wall leaves a weak point, and fitting FD60 everywhere wastes money and makes doors harder to open.
We work from your fire strategy, the building's drawings or the fire risk assessment. Where these disagree with what is on site, we flag it before ordering.
Rules and responsibilities in Dorset
England's framework applies in Dorset. Approved Document B guides the fire performance of new and replacement doors under the Building Regulations 2010. Day-to-day duties sit with the responsible person under the Fire Safety Order 2005, and for multi-occupied residential buildings, the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 add duties such as giving residents information about fire doors.
For blocks over 11 metres in Dorset, those regulations require communal fire door checks at least every three months and best-endeavours flat entrance door checks each year. In higher-risk buildings, building work is overseen by the Building Safety Regulator, so we check whether approval is needed before starting.
Our process in Dorset
- Confirm the 60-minute requirement against the fire strategy
- Survey structure, opening size and wall type
- Order the certified doorset with ironmongery to its evidence
- Install the frame, fix and seal it to the structure
- Hang, adjust and test the leaf, closer and latching
- Record evidence and make good
Budgeting for FD60 fire doors in Dorset
As a guide, budget £850–£1,800 per FD60 doorset supplied and fitted, ex VAT for FD60 fire doors. The figure for your Dorset building depends on the number of doors, the rating, the condition of the frames, finishes, hardware and access. We confirm a fixed price after the free survey.
FD60 fire doors questions
Do you provide FD60 fire doors across Dorset?
Yes. We cover all of Dorset, including Bournemouth and Poole. Surveys and written quotes are free.
Are FD60 doors harder to open?
They are heavier, so the closer has to be chosen and adjusted with care. A well-set closer will still close and latch the door while keeping the opening force reasonable for the people who use it.
Is FD60 just a thicker FD30?
No. FD60 doors are built and tested as a different product, usually with a thicker core, different seals and different ironmongery. Only the tested combination carries the 60-minute rating.