Fire door remedial works are the repairs and replacements needed to bring failed doors back to their rated standard. Most are repairs to seals, closers, gaps and hardware using parts that match the door's certification. Prioritise doors on escape routes, keep a record of every repair, and have the doors re-checked once the work is done.
A failed fire door inspection leaves you with a list of defects and a duty to act on them. This post covers what remedial works usually involve, how to prioritise them, what affects the cost and how to close the report out properly. If you already have a report, you can send it to us using the form below.
Start with the inspection report
A good report lists each door by location, its rating where it can be identified, what failed and what is needed to fix it. Use it to group the work:
- Doors that can be repaired on site
- Doors that need parts ordering, such as closers, hinges or certified glazing
- Doors that need replacing as a complete doorset
If the report does not give enough detail to price the work, ask for a door-by-door schedule before anything is ordered. Our post on what happens if a fire door fails inspection explains what the report should contain.
Common remedial works
Most remedial work falls into a small number of jobs:
- Replacing damaged, painted or missing intumescent and smoke seals
- Adjusting or replacing self-closers so the door shuts and latches every time
- Correcting gaps around the leaf to within the limits in the door's certification
- Replacing non-rated hinges, locks or handles with rated hardware
- Filling unauthorised holes using a method compatible with the door's certification
- Replacing glazing or vision panels that are not fire rated
- Fitting missing fire door signage
The common thread is the certification. A repair only restores the rating if the parts and method match what the door was tested and certified with. Our list of the 5 most common fire door failures shows where problems usually start.
When repair is not enough
A door is replaced when repair cannot restore its rating: a damaged leaf, a frame that cannot hold the door, a door cut down too far, or a door with no identifiable rating or paperwork. Replacements need to be a certified doorset at the rating the position requires. See FD30 vs FD60 for how that is set, and our fire door supply and installation service.
How to prioritise the work
Not every defect carries the same risk. Work through the list in this order:
- Doors on escape routes, stairways and lobbies
- Doors to higher risk rooms such as kitchens, plant rooms and stores
- Doors that do not close or latch at all
- Everything else on the schedule
Agree interim measures with whoever manages the building's fire risk assessment while the work is outstanding.
What affects the cost
Remedial works are priced from the report, door by door. The main factors are:
- How many doors are affected and how many defects each has
- Whether parts are standard or need ordering to match the certification
- How many doors need full replacement
- Access, working hours and whether the building stays in use during the work
Sign-off and records
Once the work is done, each door should be checked again and the result recorded against the original defect. Keep the inspection report, the work records and the sign-off together. These are what show the Responsible Person has acted on the findings. Our fire door maintenance and inspection service covers the re-inspection.
Got a question?
Firestop carries out fire door remedial works, from seal and closer repairs to full doorset replacement, across Kent, East Sussex and London. Contact us or request a quote.