NICEIC RegisteredNICEIC registered electricians · Hammersmith & all of London
Access control & door entry
Door entry lets you see and speak to visitors before you let them in. Access control decides who can open a door at all, with a fob, a card, a PIN or a phone, and keeps a record of who went through. We install both, from a video intercom at the front door or gate of a house to new entry panels and fob access for a block of flats, and access control for offices, shops, HMOs and shared buildings. We work with systems from a range of established manufacturers, including Paxton, Comelit, Videx, 2N and UniFi Access.
What's included
Access control & door entry: what you get
- Video and audio door entry for houses, gates and blocks of flats, from manufacturers such as Comelit, Videx and 2N, with indoor monitors or calls answered on your phone
- Access control with fobs, cards, keypads or a phone, from systems such as Paxton Net2 and Paxton10 or UniFi Access, with users added or removed from a computer or an app
- Wireless electronic door handles for internal doors, where running a cable to the door is not practical
- Upgrades of old audio entry systems to video, often reusing the existing cable
- Magnetic locks, electric strikes and motorised locks chosen to suit the door and how it is used, with exit buttons and green emergency door releases
- A link to the fire alarm, so locked doors on escape routes release when the alarm sounds
- Power supplies with battery backup, on a dedicated fused supply that is tested and certified to BS 7671
- Cabling for door entry, access control and CCTV in one visit, back to a tidy, labelled cabinet
How it works
Access control & door entry in three steps
- 1SurveyWe look at the doors, who needs to get in and how the building is used, then recommend a system and give you a fixed price.
- 2InstallLocks, readers, entry panels and cabling are fitted and wired back to the controller and power supply, and the building stays secure throughout the changeover.
- 3Test and hand overWe test every door, including what happens in a power cut and, where it is linked, when the fire alarm sounds. Then we set up users and fobs and show you how to manage them.
Why 2K for access control and door entry
Access control depends on more than the readers and the software. The locks need the right power supply, doors on escape routes must release when they should, and the system has to keep working when the power goes. As electricians we handle all of it, from the mains supply to the last fob, and we label the cabling so whoever maintains the system next can see how it fits together.
Questions
Questions about access control or door entry
What is the difference between door entry and access control?
Door entry lets a visitor call you, so you can see or speak to them and open the door from inside or from your phone. Access control lets the people who are allowed in open the door themselves, with a fob, a card, a PIN or a phone, and keeps a record of who went through. Many buildings use both.
Which brands do you install?
We work with systems from a range of established manufacturers, including Paxton, Comelit, Videx, 2N and UniFi Access. We recommend what suits the building, the number of doors and your budget rather than one brand, and we can usually extend or look after a system you already have.
What happens to the doors in a power cut?
It depends on the lock. A fail-safe lock, such as a magnetic lock, releases when the power goes, which is what most doors on escape routes need. A fail-secure lock stays locked, which suits doors where security matters more. A power supply with a backup battery keeps the system working through a short power cut.
Can you upgrade the door entry in our block of flats?
Yes. We can replace the entrance panel and the handset in each flat, often reusing the existing cable, and add fob access for residents. We work with the freeholder or managing agent and plan the changeover so the entrance is never left insecure.
Can I answer the door from my phone?
Yes, many video door entry systems send calls to an app, so you can see and talk to a visitor and open the door or gate from anywhere. The panel or indoor monitor needs a reliable network connection for this to work.
Related guides
Home CCTV: cameras, NVRs and the lawCamera types, wired and wireless systems, NVRs, night vision and keeping cameras secure, plus what the law expects when a camera sees past your boundary.
Fire alarms for homes and HMOsSmoke, heat and CO alarms, what Grade D1 and LD2 mean, and the rules for new homes, rented homes and HMOs in England.
Home Wi-Fi and mesh explainedWi-Fi standards and bands in plain English, how mesh compares with extenders and access points, and why a data cable is the biggest upgrade.Need help with access control or door entry?
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