Recommendations on FD30 Front Door Sets

Giammy85

Social landlord wrote that leaseholders in our tower blocks need to replace front doors with FD30 compliant ones (lease confirms door/frame are responasbility of leaseholders). The contractor they will use to replace doors to the properties with social tenants quoted 2,800£ for a Grady ‘Leeds’ FD30 Door Set if leaseholders want to opt-in (else they would need to email proof of compliance to the Management).
Anyone who went through replacing their door and can recommend a contractor which can possibly provide better value (in east London)?

grumbler

I am no expert, but quick search shows that FD30 stands simply for "Fire Door 30 Minute" and the prices for front doors start from as little as £200. Door liner/frame may need replacing as well, but is even cheaper.

So, call me a cynic, but I think your landlord is in cahoot with the contractors.

Giammy85

grumbler said:

I am no expert, but quick search shows that FD30 stands simply for "Fire Door 30 Minute" and the prices for front doors start from as little as £200. Door liner/frame may need replacing as well, but is even cheaper.

So, call me a cynic, but I think your landlord is in cahoot with the contractors.

oh well, I didn't want to mention that they are also using a sub-contractor that was convicted of bribery with prison sentence suspended for two years https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/financial/administrations/ex-lakehouse-director-jailed-for-six-years-in-bribery-scandal-23-01-2020/
Just wanted to have direct/personal recommandations around service/long-term door quality (as e.g. I have a neighbour who changed it a few years ago, but the company got bankrupt so he could not use the 10-year warranty and had to pay 400£ to repair it)

FreeBear

grumbler said:

I am no expert, but quick search shows that FD30 stands simply for "Fire Door 30 Minute" and the prices for front doors start from as little as £200. Door liner/frame may need replacing as well, but is even cheaper.

So, call me a cynic, but I think your landlord is in cahoot with the contractors.

Building regs sign-off may well be required, particularly if the frame is replaced as well - That would another wad of cash to the bill (£300 maybe), but a registered installer should be able to self certify which would cut that bit of expenditure down.

I think £200 is going to be a bit too optimistic for an exterior grade fire door - I suspect it would be in the £1200-1500 bracket plus fitting. But as always, shop around and get several quotes.

Jonboy_1984

I paid around £900+VAT on a single FD60 internal door (with viewing glass) in a commercial premises around three years ago.

The real struggle was actually finding someone properly qualified and prepared to do a single door as they were in short supply then…

TELLIT01

Is there any way to check if the current door is FD30 compliant? Just because the landlord has come up with a money making wheeze doesn't mean to say they aren't.

grumbler

TELLIT01 said:

Is there any way to check if the current door is FD30 compliant?

IIRC, there has to be a sticker on the top edge.

plumb1_2

grumbler said:

TELLIT01 said:

Is there any way to check if the current door is FD30 compliant?

IIRC, there has to be a sticker on the top edge.

Ya stickers get lost or removed if the head of the door has had to be shaved down. Much better when they used to have colour coded plugs in the door, red/yellow if I remember.
Internal fd30 doors are only £60 at howdens.

Giammy85

grumbler said:

TELLIT01 said:

Is there any way to check if the current door is FD30 compliant?

IIRC, there has to be a sticker on the top edge.

I don't see any mark all around the current door, just can see that the lock is BS3621 conform