Repairs & servicing
Springs, cables, rollers and operators. Most are a same-visit fix.
Automation
Electric garage doors and operators
Most doors can be automated without replacing them. If yours is sound and the gear is right, an operator is a fraction of the cost of a new door.
An operator is a motor on the ceiling driving a rail, or in the case of a roller door a motor inside the barrel. It lifts the door, holds it shut, lights the garage while you walk through, and stops if something is in the way.
Whether yours can be automated comes down to the gear. Retractable up-and-over and sectional doors take an operator well. Canopy gear does not, and we will tell you that rather than sell you a conversion kit that disappoints.
Detail
What that means on the job
Retrofit to an existing door
If the door and the gear are sound, an operator is far cheaper than replacing it. We check the door first and say honestly whether it is worth it.
Soft start and soft stop
The door eases into motion and eases to a halt. Quieter, and much kinder to the springs and the panels.
Obstruction detection
The operator monitors force and reverses if it meets resistance. Photocells across the opening are an option and worth having with children or pets about.
Handsets, keypads and phone control
Remote fobs as standard. External keypads and smartphone modules where you want them.
Before you decide
Straight answers
The part of the conversation most quotes leave out.
Right for you if
- A sound door that is simply heavy or awkward to lift
- Anyone getting out of the car in the rain twice a day
- Reduced mobility, where lifting a door by hand is the problem
- Detached garages where you want a light on before you walk in
Worth knowing first
- Canopy up-and-over gear does not automate well. Converting it is usually money badly spent.
- The operator needs a fused spur near the motor. If there is no power in the garage that is an electrician's job first.
- A worn spring will kill an operator. If the door is heavy by hand, fix that before adding a motor.
Specification
What you are actually getting. If something here does not suit your garage, say so and we will price the alternative.
| Types | Ceiling-mounted rail operator, or an in-barrel roller motor |
|---|---|
| Suits | Sectional and retractable up-and-over doors; all roller doors |
| Not suited to | Canopy up-and-over gear |
| Safety | Force monitoring with auto-reverse; photocells optional |
| Power cut | Manual release on every installation, demonstrated on handover |
| Extras | Courtesy light, external keypad, extra handsets, phone module |
What is covered
Guarantees
- The operator
- 5 years
- Our own labour
- 2 years
Product guarantees are the manufacturer's and are passed to you. The labour guarantee is ours.
Brands we fit
- Hörmann
- Novoferm
- Select
Our work
This job, done
Real jobs, our own photographs.
Questions
Common questions
Can my existing garage door be automated?
If it is a sectional or retractable up-and-over in good order, almost certainly. If it is canopy gear, honestly, no — not well. Send us a photo and we will tell you which you have.
What happens in a power cut?
Every installation has a manual release so you can open the door by hand. We demonstrate it before we leave.
Can I open it from my phone?
Yes, with a module added to the operator. Worth it if you take deliveries into the garage; otherwise the handsets do the job.
Is it safe with children around?
The operator reverses if it meets resistance. Where children or pets use the garage we would fit photocells across the opening as well.
Also worth a look
While we are there
Roller garage doors
Rolls straight up into a box. Nothing swings out, so you can park right up to it.
Sectional garage doors
Insulated panels that lift up and back under the ceiling. The warmest, best-sealed door.
Get a price for electric garage doors & operators
Send a photograph and a postcode and we will come back with a figure. If it is a repair and the door is stuck, ring instead — we prioritise those.