Inspections & surveys
Fire Door Inspections
Fire Door Inspections: A fire door inspection is a documented, door-by-door check that each fire door in a building will still hold back fire and smoke for its rated period. The inspector examines the leaf, frame, gaps, seals, hinges, closer, glazing, ironmongery and signage, records what passes and what fails, and photographs every defect.
Most fire doors leave the factory able to resist fire for 30 or 60 minutes. What stops them doing it years later is everyday wear: a closer that no longer latches, a gap that has opened to 6 mm, a smoke seal painted over, a hinge screw missing, a wedge under the leaf. An inspection finds those faults before a fire does, and gives the responsible person written evidence that the doors are being maintained.
What's included?
- A unique reference and location for every door, so faults can be found again
- Leaf and frame condition, including damage, splits, delamination and unauthorised alterations
- Gap readings at the head, hanging and closing edges, meeting stiles and threshold
- Intumescent strips and smoke seals: present, continuous, undamaged and not painted over
- Hinges, closer, latch, lock and any hold-open device checked for function and suitability
- Vision panels, glazing beads and air transfer grilles checked against the door's rating
- Fire door signage present and correct for the door's use
- A photo report with pass, advisory or fail for each component and a fixed remedial price
When do you need a fire door inspection?
- Your fire risk assessment has an action to inspect or upgrade the fire doors
- You have taken on a building, block or portfolio and have no door records
- Doors have been damaged, altered or replaced by someone other than a fire door specialist
- An insurer, lender, auditor or fire and rescue service officer has asked for evidence
- It has been more than a year since the doors were last checked properly
What do we check or do on each door?
| Gaps | Perimeter gaps are usually expected to sit between 2 and 4 mm, unless the door's certification gives a different tolerance. |
|---|---|
| Seals | Intumescent strips and smoke seals present, continuous and undamaged, with no paint over brush or fin seals. |
| Closer | The door closes fully into its frame and engages the latch from any opening position. |
| Hinges | At least three hinges on most single leaves, all screws present, no wear, staining or movement. |
| Glazing | Glass and beads match a fire-rated system for the door, with no cracks or missing fixings. |
| Evidence | A certification label or plug where present, recorded so the door's original specification can be traced. |
How does it work?
Scope
Tell us the building type, roughly how many fire doors there are and when we can get access. We confirm a fixed fee before booking.
Inspect
The inspector works through the building door by door, measuring gaps, testing closers and photographing every defect.
Report
You receive a report with a reference, location, photos and a pass, advisory or fail result for every door, usually within five working days.
Put it right
Every failed item is priced individually so you can approve all, some or none of the remedial work.
How much do fire door inspections cost?
From £195 per visit. Per-door rates fall with volume and depend on the level of report you need. Guide range £12–£35 per door, ex VAT. We confirm a fixed price once we know the building, door count and access. See all guide prices.
Which standards and law apply?
- Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, article 17
- Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, regulation 10
- BS 8214:2026
- BS 9999:2017 and BS 9991:2024
- Approved Document B
Regulation 10 applies in England only. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own fire safety law; see regulation 10 explained.
Fire Door Inspections: questions
How long does a fire door inspection take?
Typically 10 to 20 minutes per door, depending on access and how many defects need photographing. A block with 40 communal doors is usually a single day on site.
Do you need to remove the doors?
No. Inspections are non-intrusive. The inspector measures, operates and photographs each door in place and only lifts away removable items such as letter-plate covers where it is safe to do so.
What happens if a door fails?
The report lists exactly which components failed and why. Each item is priced separately, so you can approve the urgent fixes first and plan the rest.
Will the inspection tell me whether a door is a genuine fire door?
It records the evidence available: labels, plugs, glazing marks, hardware markings and construction. Where there is no evidence of a fire rating, the report says so, so the fire risk assessor can decide what to do.
Related services
- Fire Door Surveys
- Fire Door Remedial Works
- Quarterly Communal Fire Door Checks
- Fire Door Tagging & Asset Registers