Whole door
Both faces, full leaf and frame
One full-height photo of each face showing the leaf, the whole frame and a little of the surrounding wall and floor.
Quote Preparation
How to Measure and Photograph Fire Doors for a Quote
Good photos and a few safe measurements let us prepare a clearer initial quotation. They do not replace Parsec's pre-works site assessment, final verification on site or a formal fire door inspection, which is arranged through an external specialist partner.
Give Every Opening A Stable Reference
Start with a simple list before taking any photos. Each door needs a reference that will not change, such as a floor, room or flat number, and a short location note. The same reference should appear in the file name of every photo and against every measurement.
If you already hold an inspection report, FRA action list or door schedule, reuse its references rather than inventing new ones. That keeps the quotation, the works and the completion records aligned.
- Reference format example: GF-01 (ground floor, corridor to stair)
- Location: building, floor, room or route the door serves
- Which side you stood on for each photo (for example, corridor side)
- Photos named or grouped by reference, e.g. GF-01-corridor-face.jpg
The Photos That Help Most
Take photos in good light with the door closed unless stated otherwise. Stand back for whole-door shots, then move closer for components. Aim for sharp, straight-on images rather than many similar angles.
Closing
Closer and hinges
The overhead or concealed closer, each hinge and the top edge where the closer arm meets the leaf.
Securing
Latch, lock and handles
Both handles, the lock or latch face on the leaf edge and the keep in the frame, plus any added bolts or access control.
Edges
Seals and perimeter
Close-ups of visible seals in the frame or leaf edge and any gaps that appear uneven, without touching or removing them.
Openings in the leaf
Glazing, letterplates and viewers
Where present, the vision panel and its beads, any letterplate, door viewer, grille or cable penetration.
Floor and wall
Threshold and surroundings
The bottom of the door and floor interface, the architrave and wall around the frame, and any visible damage, holes or earlier repairs.
Dimensions Worth Recording
Measure only what you can reach safely from floor level or a suitable step, and state the units, ideally millimetres. Approximate figures are fine if they are labelled as approximate. Final dimensions are always confirmed by Parsec before products are ordered.
- Leaf height and width, measured on the face of the door
- Leaf thickness, measured on the leaf edge
- Frame or opening size: overall width and height across the frame, where visible
- Frame or lining depth, measured from wall face to wall face across the frame
- Gaps at the head, sides and bottom only if they can be recorded easily and safely
- Whether the door is single, a pair or has a fixed side or over panel
Context That Changes The Quotation
Measurements explain the door; context explains the job. A short note alongside each reference prevents the most common assumptions in an initial quotation.
- Swing and handing: which way it opens and which side the hinges are on
- Access: stairs, lifts, parking, keys, permits and working-hour limits
- Security needs: locks, access control or keyless escape requirements you want kept
- Finish: paint, laminate, veneer or colour matching expectations
- Occupancy: residents, guests, staff or operations that affect when doors are available
- No-access doors: list them rather than leaving them out, so they stay on the schedule
What Not To Do
The aim is to record the door as it is. Please do not alter it to get a better photo or measurement; disturbing components can damage the door and affect its performance.
- Do not dismantle closers, hinges, locks or handles
- Do not pull out, cut or peel back intumescent or smoke seals
- Do not remove or loosen glazing beads
- Do not drill, prise or scrape at labels, plugs or the leaf edge
- Do not climb or work at height unsafely to reach the head of a door
- Do not describe a door as FD30 or FD60 from its appearance alone
- Do not wedge a fire door open for longer than it takes to photograph it
Hypothetical Examples
Hypothetical example 1: a landlord sends three bedroom doors with two photos each and no references. The quotation has to treat frames, hardware and finishes as provisional. Resending with references, both faces, close-ups and leaf sizes allows most of those lines to be defined.
Hypothetical example 2: a managing agent sends a report reference for each door, clear component photos and a note that two doors had no access. The quotation can price the accessible doors from the evidence and keep the two no-access doors as named provisional items for the site assessment.
Submission Checklist
Accurate photos reduce the number of provisional assumptions in an initial quotation, but no remote information set can guarantee a final price. Anything that cannot be seen or safely measured is confirmed during Parsec's pre-works site assessment before works begin.
- Door list with stable references and locations
- Both faces and whole-door photos for every opening
- Component close-ups: closer, hinges, latch/lock, seals, glazing, threshold
- Leaf size, thickness and frame depth in millimetres where safely measurable
- Swing, access, security, finish and occupancy notes
- Any existing inspection report, FRA action list, schedule or certificates
- No-access doors listed, and personal information kept out of the photos
Related Pages
Where these photos and measurements feed in.
Frequently Asked Questions
Send Your Door Photos And Measurements
Attach your photos, door list and any existing report through the enquiry form. We will review them and prepare an initial written quotation, confirmed by a pre-works site assessment before work begins.