Garage Doors
Up & Over
The Up & Over Garage Door is the probably the most common type of garage door found on UK houses. There is a wide range of panel designs, glazing options and colours/finishes available.
The Hörmann Up & Over is available in steel or real timber and comes in two variants; the Canopy and the Retractable. When closed and viewed externally both look identical, the difference is in the internal counterbalance mechanism that operates the door. This is best explained by watching the two videos.
It is possible to automate both types however we would generally recommend that a canopy is best suited for manual operation and the retractable if you'd like your door to be operated by a motor.
Both door types offer 2 point locking as standard with the option to upgrade to 4 point locking. These doors are supplied with galvanised and powder coated steel frames but can also be fitted on to new or existing wooden frames if required. Upgraded handle options are also available. These doors come with a 10 year warranty as standard.
Insulated Roller
The perfect space-saving solution. The interlinked 77mm foam filled aluminium laths travel vertically and roll up into a box maximising useable garage and driveway space. Available in a wide range of powder-coated colours or laminate foil finishes to complement any home.
As standard all of the doors we install include; wall mounted control board and LED courtesy light, two hand held remote controls, an internal manual override, weather seals and an auto-reverse safety system. If your garage door is the only access to your garage, an external manual override is required to provide emergency access should there be a power failure.
Optional extras include home automation, intruder alarms, external access keypads, vision laths and ventilation laths.
These doors can also be fitted externally for when internal garage headroom space is limited. As a result, the internal concave face of the door now becomes the external face.
We only install high quality secure insulated roller doors, within our range, there are Secured By Design doors, Police & Insurance Approved Doors and 10 year warranties available.
Considering a roller door?
Taking a few minutes to read our article will help you understand what to look out for and avoid potential pitfalls.
Sectional
For the ultimate in luxury, insulation and security look no further than the Hörmann Sectional Garage Door. Double-skinned steel panels, high density insulated PU foam core and comprehensive weather seals, keep the heat in and the everything else out.
The LPU42 offers a 42mm thick insulated panel, suitable for most applications, whilst the LPU67 Thermo, amongst other benefits provides an additional 30% more insulation.
Door operation is smooth and effortless with nylon rollers guiding the panels within steel tracks, whilst the weight is carried by springs and steel cables. Manual doors come with an easy-to-use handle and lock system, and automatic doors are powered by a Hörmann operator.
The wide range of panel designs, surface textures, glazing options and colours, allow these doors to complement any house style.
Options and extras such as wicket doors, thermal frames, and automatic ventilation devices make the Hörmann Sectional a standout choice.
Side Hinged
The simple practicality of Side Hinged Garage Doors is what makes them such a popular choice by many. Open one door for personnel access or both when required. Available as single skin steel or twin-walled insulated, both styles offer a wide range of colours, designs and glazing options.
Easy to use door stays will hold your doors open and save them from blowing shut in the wind. Depending on door choice there also the option for either no threshold or a low threshold, both providing a trip-free entryway.
With equal split, off-center split, and Bi-Fold configurations, you can customize your door to fit your needs. The Bi-Fold option requires the least driveway space to fully open, and inward-opening doors are also available if clear driveway space is a concern.
Both the single skin and insulated versions are available as personnel doors. Perfect if you have a small access door to your garage.
Select Garage Doors' options even include rising butt hinges, to cater for sloping driveways that are slightly higher than the floor level on which the door is installed.
Alternative Garage Doors
Side Sliding Sectional
This door, similar to a traditional Sectional Door, is made of insulated steel panels connected by hinges. However, it uses a vertical track system that runs along one side wall of the garage, eliminating the need for ceiling space across the garage. It’s essentially a modern take on a Round The Corner door. It provides insulation and security comparable to standard sectional doors, making it an excellent alternative for garages with limited ceiling height. Available in manual or automatic options, it can be used to allow personnel access only or fully opened when complete garage access is required. A crucial requirement for these doors is that they need a nearly perfect level and smooth floor surface for proper installation and operation.
Single Skin Steel Roller
The Single Skin Roller Door can be installed as either a manual or automatic door, traveling vertically and rolling up above the opening. Made from a continuous roll of pressed steel sheets with either a plastisol or laminate coating, its simple mechanics include nylon collars and a spring assembly mounted on a steel shaft. These doors require significant headroom due to the large rolled-up width of the curtain, which may limit garage access height if space is constrained. Each door features two steel locking bars that fit into the door guides, which can be deactivated if a motor is used. While insulated roller doors are more popular now for their additional benefits, the Single Skin Roller Door remains a cost-effective option if insulation and headroom are not concerns.
Compact Insulated Roller
The Compact Roller Door as the name suggests is compact version of a Standard Roller Door, using smaller and narrower laths. This results in a reduced size box, barrel, and guides. It requires 31% less headroom space than a Standard Roller Door, making it ideal for garages with limited headroom. However we feel it important to highlight that the smaller laths, and narrower guides cause a reduction in strength and ultimately security. For some, we recognise this drawback may outweigh the benefit.
Trojon Roller Doors (up to a certain height) are available with a reduced box size for their Standard Roller Door.
For comparison, if a Trojon reduced box Standard Roller Door and a Compact Roller Door were fitted in identical openings, a Compact Roller Door would offer 50mm more drive-through height. With this, it is up to the customer to decide if the slight height advantage of a Compact Roller Door justifies the reduction in security compared to a Standard Roller Door. For us, we would always recommend installing a Standard Roller Door over a Compact Roller Door unless the latter is specifically requested or required due to strict height limitations.
We only supply and install SeceuroGlide or AluRoll Compact Roller Doors as we know these are equipped with high-quality locking straps, intruder alarms and use a thicker profile and higher gauge aluminium lath than 'budget brand' alternatives. While the Compact Roller Door offers convenience, we want customers to be aware of the security trade-off involved.
Important note: Advertisements for Insulated Roller Doors under £1000 almost always feature a compact lath.
For more information on what to look out for when purchasing a roller door, please read the article below.
Why to avoid cheap roller doors?
First and foremost, we understand that in today’s world, we are often overwhelmed by choices. Whatever the potential purchase there is always budget, high-quality and everything in between. Whilst we offer a wide selection of garage doors from a range of manufacturers, we ensure that even our entry-level options meet mid-market quality. We choose not to install budget garage doors because they do not align with the standard we want to be associated with. We truly believe in prioritising quality over quantity.
Have you seen adverts for Roller Doors installed for less than £1000?
When a product becomes popular, many companies see an opportunity to profit and want their share. As competition intensifies, prices are lowered to keep attracting customers. This price cutting can dilute product quality, as parts are swapped out for cheaper alternatives. This ultimately leads to poor imitations of the original concept flooding the market. Additionally, new companies without a track record emerge solely to capitalise on the latest trend. The Roller Door market is a victim of this.
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When quoting customers, we typically encounter two scenarios: either the customer has seen an advertisement or received a quote for a roller door priced under £1,000, or they have concerns about roller doors based on negative experiences shared by friends or family. In both cases, it’s important to explain the key differences between low-cost roller doors and the high-quality options we offer.
For customers concerned about reliability, we reassure them that a premium roller door is extremely reliable, with the understanding that, like any garage door, it will benefit from routine servicing. For those questioning the price difference, it’s crucial to address the misconception that all roller doors are the same—this is simply not the case. The price of a premium roller door compared to a budget option reflects the superior design and materials used, which in turn deliver greater reliability, enhanced security, and long-term performance.
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We understand the sky isn't always the limit with what people can spend on a new garage door. However, it is potentially something you may only do once and in reality buying a quality door from day one, will save you money and stress in the long run.
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The most important factor when buying a garage door above looks, convenience and security is of course safety. Worryingly there companies out there today installing doors on that are not even CE compliant. To obtain the CE mark, a product will have been assessed to make sure it meets the correct safety, health and environmental requirements by law. A door without this mark poses a potential danger to you and your family. On more than one occasion we have actually been called out to low-quality roller doors, where the curtain split in half whilst the homeowner was operating it.
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Unfortunately, we’ve had countless experiences helping customers who reached out to us after facing issues with low-quality Roller Doors installed by unreliable companies. Whether or not you decide to choose us for your new garage door, we hope this information offers valuable guidance on what to consider when purchasing a Roller Door. Nobody wants to feel they’ve made a mistake, so taking a few moments to read this can help you know what to look out for.
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Below, we outline our 5 reasons for avoiding cheap, low quality roller doors. ​
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Not fit for purpose...
A Standard Roller Door lath is 77mm in height and a Compact Roller Door uses a 55mm lath. With the reduction in height also comes a reduction in lath thickness. This creates a significant difference in strength and security. Companies that market cheap roller doors typically use a compact lath. Even more concerning is that many of them employ even smaller laths intended for lightweight window shutters. When these are used for garage doors, the required width and height places undue stress on the laths, as they are simply not designed for this.
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Cheap for a reason!
The motor and electronics are the heartbeat of a Roller Door, without them the door is rendered useless. Alarmingly this is where most of the cost is cut when producing cheap Roller Doors. Unfortunately when these components need replacement, they represent a significant expense.
The primary purpose of any automated door is to simplify life, allowing it to open and close with the single press of a button. A reliable safety system is essential; if the door encounters an obstruction - such as a car or person - it should immediately stop and reverse. However, many budget Roller Doors operate on a hold-to-run or dead-man principle, requiring you to keep your finger on the button until the door fully closes. This loophole allows companies to circumvent safety regulations, shifting responsibility onto you. If the door makes contact with something while closing, it’s deemed your fault for not releasing the button in time.
The top lath of a Roller Door should be connected to the barrel - where the motor is housed and the curtain rolls around - via strong secure locking straps. We’ve encountered many doors where the top lath is simply screwed directly to the barrel. The absence of secure locking straps or the use of flimsy alternatives makes it easy for intruders to gain access and can lead to premature failures.
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Heard of criminals cloning car keys?
Waking up in the morning to discover your car has vanished from your drive is a situation no-one wants to have happen. Well the ability for criminals to clone remote codes is also very much a problem for cheap Roller Doors as they use basic radio frequency remotes. These have no security making it a doddle for criminals to copy your remote to their device and then gain access. Reputable garage door manufacturers use rolling code technology and/or encryption which has the same level of security as internet banking. This ensures that only you and your family can open your garage door.
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Sorry, we have closed.
When an issue does arise with a cheap Roller Door, the customer will generally first turn to the original installation company. It is then they can discover that the company fails to honour their warranty promises or has liquidated. We have observed several companies claiming on their websites or phone lines that they have ceased trading. While this may be technically accurate, we know they often shut down one day and immediately resume operations the next under a different company name. This tactic enables them to wipe the slate clean and distance themselves from dissatisfied customers and those seeking to make warranty claims. After a period of time, they repeat this process, perpetuating the cycle.
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Look at all our 5 star reviews!
These companies often exploit customer reviews to attract new clients. You'll frequently notice a pattern where the positive reviews on platforms come from customers who post them immediately after installation, often influenced by pressure from after-sales teams seeking quick feedback. This creates a misleading impression that the company is trustworthy and offers high-quality products. However, a closer look reveals that many of the negative reviews come from customers who experienced issues down the line and then failed to get resolutions. In reality, it is these negative reviews that provide a more accurate reflection of the company and its products.
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The media below has been produced by reputable and market leading manufacturers Hörmann and SWS UK who both explain the issues with budget/low quality Roller Doors.