Fire Door Repairs London

When Repair Is Still Worthwhile

Some openings need full replacement, but others can be repaired. This page covers the middle ground: damaged seals, closer issues, hinge problems, latch defects, gap problems and frame defects that can still be put right.

What We Usually Repair

Typical repair work includes smoke seals, intumescent strips, hinges, closers, latches, warped leaves where adjustment is still possible, and frame issues that do not require a full new set.

When We Recommend Replacement Instead

If the leaf is unsuitable, the frame is too far gone, the opening has been heavily altered or the remedial cost approaches replacement value, we will say so directly.

When fire door repairs are genuinely worthwhile

Most fire-door issues councils flag during inspection are repair territory, not replacement territory — provided the door itself is certified. The breakdown of what we see across London HMOs and managed blocks:

• Painted-over intumescent strips and smoke seals — repair.
• Worn or sagging hinges, missing screws — repair.
• Closer disabled, broken or dragging — repair.
• Latch sticking, lock failing — repair.
• Gap too wide at the bottom (warped board, settled frame) — usually repair, sometimes replacement.
• Damaged door face (kicked panel, deep gouge) — case-by-case; sometimes a veneer-faced repair works, sometimes the leaf has lost rating.
• No certification plug or no documentation — replacement, because the rating itself is in doubt.
• Frame rot or twist — replacement of the door set.

If a contractor quotes you a full replacement for any of the items in the first six bullets, get a second opinion. The trade defaults to replacement because it's higher-value work — but it's the wrong call most of the time.

The four most common fire door repairs we do in London

1. Seal replacement

The most common single repair. Painted, peeling, kinked or partially missing intumescent strips and smoke seals are the #1 reason London HMO doors fail quarterly inspections. We strip the old material, clean the rebate, fit certified Lorient or Pyroplex seals matched to the door's test data, and re-test the closer/latch function. Typical cost: £28–£48 per door supplied and fitted.

2. Closer replacement or adjustment

Closers fail in two ways: tenants disable them (illegal under the Fire Safety Order), or the closer wears out and drags. We replace concealed Perko / Briton 2003V closers and surface-mounted Briton 121CE closers; or we adjust speed and latch action without replacement if the unit is sound. Typical cost: £45–£120 supply and fit.

3. Hinge replacement

Old brass or non-rated hinges fail inspection even on certified doors. We replace with CE/UKCA-marked Grade 13 steel ball-bearing fire-rated hinges, matched to the door weight, three per door as the spec requires. Cost: ~£28–£32 per hinge, £15–£25 fitting per pair.

4. Latch and lock replacement

Non fire-rated latches invalidate the assembly. We swap to CE-marked Union 2200 series or equivalent and confirm the door still self-latches from any open position. Typical cost: £35–£75 per door including hardware.

Materials we keep on the van for same-week call-outs

• Lorient and Pyroplex intumescent strip-and-seal in standard widths.
• Briton 2003V concealed closers + 121CE surface closers.
• CE/UKCA Grade 13 ball-bearing fire-rated hinges in three sizes.
• Union 2200 series CE-marked fire-rated tubular latches.
• Intumescent fire mastic + fire-rated acrylic for frame-to-wall sealing.
• Replacement door viewers (intumescent jacket) and fire-rated letter-plate sleeves.

The repair process

1. WhatsApp photos of each defect + the inspection report if you have one. We reply within the hour with a price band per defect type.
2. Survey only if the defects are non-standard. Most quarterly-inspection failures can be quoted from photos.
3. Fixed price in writing, with parts listed.
4. Repairs typically completed in a single visit. For 6+ door HMO repair packages we schedule a half-day block.
5. Re-test of each door post-repair — gap check, seal contact, closer function, latching.
6. Repair record signed by K. Sidhu, with photos, delivered within 48 hours. Hand straight to your council inspector or managing agent.

Real London fire door repair pricing

• Single defect (strip OR closer OR hinge OR latch): £58–£140 per door including parts, fitting and re-test.
• Multi-defect single door (e.g. strips + closer + one hinge): £140–£260 per door.
• HMO package repair (6+ doors, mix of defects): £580–£1,400 total, depending on defect mix.
• Repair-report-only (no work): £140 — used when you're buying a property and need an independent view.

When we'll tell you to replace instead

We don't sell replacement when repair will do, but we also won't repair a door that can't be rescued. We recommend replacement when: the leaf has no certification mark or no traceable documentation; the frame is twisted or rotten; the leaf has been heavily altered (oversized cuts for cabling, lock changes, multiple kick repairs); a previous repair has failed; or the cumulative cost of repairs is approaching new-installation cost. The honest call is in the survey report — see fire door surveys.

How repairs fit into ongoing inspection cycles

From 2025/26, every fire door on a London HMO escape route is expected to be inspected every three months. Most repair triggers are caught at this inspection. Doorz London offers a quarterly inspection visit, the written report, and the remedial repair quote on the same call-out — see fire door inspection London and the wider fire door maintenance page.