40 • HARDWARE&SECURITY
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Maximising the value of
your door hardware
By Simon Osborne, Commercial Leader UK & Ireland of Allegion UK
»»WHEN LOOKING AT DOOR
hardware, it may at first appear to be a
simple choice that can be broken down
into three broad factors: appearance,
functionality, and cost, i.e. what type of
hardware looks best, does what I need it to
do right now and is the cheapest method
of fulfilling the requirement.
However, there should be a much
deeper thought process than that of the
face value considerations listed above,
particularly if you are specifying for
multiple buildings, high footfall areas or if
you are building in the public sector.
For example, the Autumn 2015
Spending Review highlighted that 8,000
specialist homes should be built for older
people and people with disabilities. On
the face of it, that might signal a costcutting exercise, but for the finely attuned
door hardware expert, it means complex
analysis into which door hardware
products will best meet the needs of the
elderly and disabled within the budget
allowed, but also provide the best value
and lifespan. Decision factors will include
looking at what access systems are needed
for carers, what emergency exit systems
need to be in place for the occupants and
staff, how best to accommodate the users’
needs, amongst a whole host of other
considerations.
And whilst the British Property
Federation argued that the NHS should
“move beyond thinking about the relatively
small savings that can be made through
improved facilities management” (BPF
Analysis: Spending Review and Autumn
Statement 2015), we in the industry know
that choosing the right product the first
time can yield real cost savings. Whether
it is through installation, maintenance,
replacement, preventing yourself from
fines or other hidden costs, that is
applicable to any industry you may be in.
Here is our quick guide to what
you should be considering in order
to maximise the value of your door
hardware.
LOWERING INSTALLATION,
MAINTENANCE AND RUNNING COSTS
From call outs to wiring, fitting to
testing and more, labour costs are one
of the highest components of the built
environment spend. However, it is
one that can be reduced with correct
s pecification.
LOCKSMITHJOURNAL.CO.UK | NOV/DEC 2016
If you are upgrading your
door hardware, try considering
electromechanical wireless options.
Most modern closers and door furniture
now run off batteries and communicate
wirelessly through routers, so there is less
dependence on hard-wiring to building
power sources and hubs. Battery life is
also no longer a hindering factor as we
can now see standard AAA battery-run
hardware lasting upwards of 20,000
cycles.
Choosing door furniture and
systems that are designed specifically
for retrofitting will also cut costs from
installation and maintenance through
less upheaval and less disruption. In
most cases, all that is required is a simple
remove and replace.
QUALITY OVER COST
It may be tempting to use products that
hold a cheaper ticket price, but, logically,
picking products that are more durable
and are also proven to last longer will
eventually save money in the long run.
Cheap products are cheap for a reason,
and they often have poorer performance
over quality engineered hardware.