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HomeNotes › Doors we turn down, and why

Doors we turn down, and why

Not every door should have a smart lock on it. Saying so before taking money is cheaper for everybody.

Turning work away sounds like bad business. It is cheaper than the alternative, which is a lock that disappoints somebody every day for a year and a review that says so.

Doors that have already dropped

If you lift the handle to get the door to lock, the door is out of alignment. A motor forced to fight that will drain batteries fast and eventually strip something. The hinges and keeps come first; the lock is a separate conversation afterwards.

Cut-outs that have been opened up before

A door prepared once for a different lock has less sound material than it started with. Sometimes there is enough left to work with and sometimes the honest answer is a new door leaf. We would rather say that at survey than discover it with a router running.

Fire doors

A fire door's certification depends on what is fitted to it and how. Putting unrated hardware on one can invalidate that, which matters for insurance and matters more if it is ever tested for real. There are rated options; the point is that this is a specification question, not a preference.

Communal entrances you do not own

The door to your own flat is usually yours to change, subject to the lease. The main entrance is the freeholder's or the management company's, and fitting to it without written agreement puts you in the wrong regardless of how much better the lock is.

What we say instead

Usually: fix the door first and the lock is straightforward. Occasionally: this needs a locksmith rather than us. Sometimes: what you already have is fine and you do not need us at all. None of those cost you anything to hear.

Not sure which of these is your door?

Send a photo of the door and its edge — we will tell you.

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