Garage door guides
How to choose a garage door installer in the UK
A good UK garage door installer should be able to explain DHF registration where they hold it, provide a written quote itemising the door, gear, VAT and installation as a single total price, and hand over a BS EN 12635 log book at completion. Always ask which specific security or product certifications apply to the door itself, not the installer's business.
Choosing an installer is where a lot of the technical guidance elsewhere on this site becomes practical: the right gear identification, the right operator sizing, the right security spec all depend on the installer actually getting the details right. This guide covers what to check before signing off a job.
What DHF registration means
DHF (Door and Hardware Federation) is a UK trade association for the door, gate, hardware and industrial door sectors. A DHF-registered installer has joined this trade body, which is a reasonable indicator of trade engagement and access to industry technical guidance, but registration with a trade association is different from a product being certified to a specific standard like PAS 24 — the two are not interchangeable, and a DHF-registered installer should still be able to point to product-level certification for security-rated doors specifically (see the security standards guide).
Questions worth asking before booking
- Is the price quoted the full installed total inclusive of VAT, or will parts, delivery or old-door removal be added separately? Under the DMCC Act 2024, an "invitation to purchase" should show the total price including mandatory charges — a genuine "from £X" figure should be one that is actually achievable.
- What is the exact door make and model being quoted, and can you see the manufacturer's specification, including U-value if insulation matters to you?
- If the door is electric, what operator is being fitted and what is its force/torque rating (see the motor sizing guide) — will they confirm it is correctly matched to the door?
- If security certification matters to you, which specific standard (PAS 24, TS 007, LPS 1175) does the product itself carry, and can they show the manufacturer's certificate?
- Will you receive a BS EN 12635 log book at handover, and what does the warranty require in terms of ongoing servicing?
- What is covered by warranty, for how long, and is it conditional on annual servicing (see the maintenance schedule guide)?
What a compliant written quote should include
| Item | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Full installed price inc. VAT as a single total | DMCC Act 2024 requires the total price on any invitation to purchase |
| Exact make, model and dimensions of the door quoted | Confirms what is actually being bought, not a generic category |
| Gear type for up-and-over doors (canopy or retractable) | Affects automation suitability and future spares |
| Operator make/model and force or torque rating, if electric | Confirms correct sizing against the door |
| Removal and disposal of the old door, if applicable, and its cost | A common item left out of a headline price |
| Warranty length and its servicing conditions | Protects a future claim; many warranties require evidence of annual servicing |
Handover: the BS EN 12635 log book
BS EN 12635 requires power-operated doors to be supplied with a log book recording installation details, to be updated with each subsequent service through the door's working life. At handover, a compliant installer should provide this log book, or confirm clearly how installation records will be kept if a physical book is not used. Keeping this record is not just a compliance formality — it is frequently a specific condition of the manufacturer's warranty, and it is the document an engineer will want to see at the first annual service.
Red flags worth being cautious about
- A quote given only as a bare "from £X" figure with no breakdown of what is and isn't included.
- An installer claiming their business itself "is" PAS 24 or Secured by Design accredited, rather than pointing to a specific certified product.
- No mention of a log book or servicing record at handover on an electric door.
- Reluctance to confirm the operator's force/torque rating or how it was matched to the door.
- Pressure to sign on the day with no time to compare against a second quote.
Questions people ask
- Does DHF registration mean an installer is government-certified?
- No — DHF is a UK trade association, and registration reflects membership of that trade body rather than a government or statutory certification. It is a reasonable positive signal but is separate from product-level security certifications like PAS 24.
- Should the quoted price include VAT?
- Yes — under the DMCC Act 2024, any invitation to purchase must show the total price including mandatory charges such as VAT, so a compliant quote should show a single inclusive figure rather than VAT added on afterward as a surprise.
- What is a log book and why does the installer need to provide one?
- BS EN 12635 requires power-operated garage doors to have a log book recording installation and ongoing maintenance for the door's working life — it is both a compliance document and often a specific requirement for keeping the manufacturer's warranty valid.
- Can an installer claim to be "Secured by Design"?
- No — Secured by Design recognises specific products meeting security standards such as PAS 24, awarded to the manufacturer, and cannot be held or joined by an installation business. An installer can correctly say they supply and fit Secured by Design-recognised products, but not that the business itself holds the accreditation.
UK standards and regulations referenced
- BS EN 12635
- PAS 24
- Secured by Design
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