What to Look for in a Commercial Door Contractor
Choosing the right partner can make all the difference in safety, compliance, and peace of mind.
When it comes to commercial and industrial doors, picking the right contractor isn’t just about price, it’s about trust, compliance, and protecting your operations. Whether you’re managing one site or 250, here’s what you should always look for when choosing a commercial door contractor.
1. Are They Fully Compliant with Industry Standards?
Door systems are classed as machines, and that means compliance isn’t optional. A reliable contractor will be fully up to speed with regulations like BS EN16005, ensuring your automatic doors are legally compliant, safe, and correctly maintained. Ask if they can prove their engineers are trained to current standards.
2. Do They Offer True 24/7 Reactive Cover?
Emergencies don’t stick to office hours. If a critical door fails out of hours, you need a contractor who actually answers the phone at 3am, and shows up. At WDC, we offer genuine 24/7 nationwide coverage, 365 days a year. No answering services, no delays.
3. Is Their Pricing Transparent and Flexible?
Every site is different. Look for a contractor who offers options, not vague promises or surprise charges. Whether it’s a fixed-price call-out, a flexible maintenance package, or an upgrade quote with tiers, transparency is key. A good partner will give you choices, not confusion.
4. Can They Handle All Your Door Systems?
Manual, automatic, steel, aluminium, roller shutters, fire doors, shopfronts, barriers, managing multiple suppliers for each asset is a headache. The best contractors, like WDC, cover everything under one roof, making your life simpler and more efficient.
5. Do They Offer Proper Preventative Maintenance?
Waiting for doors to break is expensive. A strong PPM programme extends asset life, improves safety, and keeps sites compliant. Look for contractors who offer planned maintenance that’s easy to schedule, track and budget for, and who follow through on what they promise.
6. How Do They Communicate With You?
Chasing contractors for updates is frustrating. You want clear quotes, job confirmations, visit reports, and completion notes, without the faff. WDC provides digital reports, consistent engineer communication, and a dedicated account contact you can actually speak to.
7. Can They Back It Up With Case Studies and Happy Clients?
It’s easy to talk the talk, but the best contractors will show you evidence. Ask for recent case studies or testimonials. At WDC, we’re proud to work with brands like Halfords, and deliver multi-site projects across healthcare, retail, education, and more.
8. Are They Big Enough to Deliver, But Small Enough to Care?
Large FM firms can feel faceless. Local providers can’t scale. WDC offers the best of both, national capability with a personal, family-run feel. You get the same engineers, familiar contacts, and the kind of accountability you don’t get from a call centre.
9. Questions to Ask Before You Sign:
- Can you provide examples of similar work?
- What’s your average response time?
- Do your engineers hold the correct accreditations?
- Can you support us nationally if we expand?
- What’s your process for reporting and compliance documentation?
- If they can’t answer clearly, walk away.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right door contractor can save you money, reduce downtime, and most importantly, give you peace of mind. If you want a team who genuinely care, who respond fast, and who know commercial doors inside out, we’d love to chat.
