Fire exit doors: our service in Durham
We provide fire exit doors in Durham (DH1 and the surrounding postcodes), from the first survey through to a documented handover.
Fire doors in Durham protect escape routes in houses with integral garages, family homes after loft conversions and light industrial buildings alike. We adapt the programme to the building and its occupants, never the standard of the installation.
Shops, warehouses and schools in Durham each need exit hardware matched to who will use the door in an emergency. Exit doors in Durham can be fitted with outside access and alarm options that never stop people getting out.
Panic bars or emergency hardware?
Panic hardware to BS EN 1125, such as push bars, is designed for places where members of the public may be present and may not know the building. Emergency exit hardware to BS EN 179, such as push pads or levers, is for areas used by trained staff who know how the exit works. The right choice depends on who will be using the door in an emergency.
Each installation includes:
- Outside access devices and alarmed options
- Assessment of whether fire resistance is required
- BS EN 1125 panic hardware or BS EN 179 emergency hardware
- Commissioning and handover
Fire door law for Durham properties
Fire doors in Durham fall under English rules. New and replacement doors are covered by the Building Regulations 2010 and Approved Document B. In workplaces and the common parts of blocks, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, as clarified by the Fire Safety Act 2021, puts the duty on the responsible person to keep fire doors suitable and maintained.
For residential buildings in Durham above 11 metres, regulation 10 of the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 adds checks: communal fire doors at least every three months and best-endeavours checks of flat entrance doors at least every twelve months. Higher-risk buildings of at least 18 metres or seven storeys also come under the Building Safety Act 2022, where works may need approval from the Building Safety Regulator.
Who needs fire exit doors in Durham?
You are most likely to need fire exit doors if you look after warehouses, schools or shops. Whatever the building in Durham, we survey each opening and tell you which doors need work and which do not.
From enquiry to handover in Durham
- Check the fire strategy and who uses the exit
- Select door type, rating and exit hardware
- Order doorset and hardware set
- Remove the existing door and prepare the opening
- Install, seal and weather the doorset
- Test exit operation, closers and security features
Budgeting for fire exit doors in Durham
Budget around £1,100–£2,600 per exit doorset with hardware, supplied and fitted, ex VAT for fire exit doors. Our guide prices are the same in Durham as elsewhere; what changes the cost is the doors themselves. Use our guide-price tool for a quick estimate.
Covering Durham and nearby
Nearby towns we cover include Chester-le-Street, Houghton-Le-Spring and Stanley. Distance from Durham does not change our guide prices, and the survey and quote are free.
Questions from Durham
Do you work in Durham?
Yes, we take on fire exit doors in Durham and the surrounding area, including Chester-le-Street and Houghton-Le-Spring. Send your postcode and a few details and we'll come back with survey dates.
What happens on a survey in Durham?
We look at every door in scope: the leaf, frame, gaps, seals, hinges, closer, glazing and how the frame is fixed. You then get a written quote that prices each door separately.
Do fire exit doors have to open outwards?
Exit doors generally open in the direction of escape, especially where many people use them. Your fire strategy or risk assessment sets the requirement for each door.
Which is better, a push bar or a push pad?
Push bars (panic hardware) suit public areas; push pads and levers (emergency exit hardware) suit areas used by trained staff. The choice depends on who will use the door in an emergency.