CIH: Permadoor

Published: 12th May 2008

Specialising in the supply of made-to-measure, low maintenance exterior entrance doors, Permadoor has more than 16 years of sector experience, bringing unparalleled support and expertise to social housing refurbishment and new build projects. Having recently secured the environmental accreditation ISO14001 as part of its commitment to drive sustainable practices throughout its operation, Permadoor has developed an extensive range of low maintenance, thermally efficient and sustainable products.

Adrian Wyatt of Permadoor, explained: “Selecting the wrong building materials can mean that RSLs end up ‘leaking’ money on repair and up keep that might easily have been avoided by specifying better quality products. This has a direct impact on maintenance budgets but also a wider social environmental impact. Take doors for example. They take a lot of wear and tear and as a consequence must be immensely durable, however because of budget constraints local authorities may be tempted to install lower cost products, for example softwood or steel. At best these will need maintenance every two years and at worst replacement. This clearly doesn’t meet or embody targets for Best Value, efficiency.”

Low maintenance GRP doors from Permadoor can support the sector in cutting their maintenance costs, eliminating a substantial slice of scheduled maintenance and emergency repair. Aesthetically an almost indistinguishable match to timber, they also make homes more attractive for the resident, encouraging their ‘ownership’ of the property. And Wyatt suggests maintenance costs, in particular must be seen not just in financial but also environmental terms. He said: “If you’re a rural authority or have a relatively widely dispersed housing stock, how much will fitting a product that requires regular maintenance compared to a low maintenance product cost not just financially but in terms of travel between sites and carbon footprint? Can that product be recycled? GRP or thermoplastic doors from Permadoor can cut maintenance and as a consequence time, money and CO2 emissions.”

The Permadoor offer also includes a comprehensive contract management service, designed to ensure smooth and effective delivery of installation, to minimise disruption caused by replacement programmes to residents. Wyatt said: “New doors make a really positive contribution to the street scene, help to make homes warmer, tenants to feel more secure but also to instil a pride in the property and the community. But tenant satisfaction goes beyond product performance. We have a hugely experienced team hand picked for their commitment and understanding that we work with people’s homes, not just bricks and mortar.”