Install FD30 fire doors.

FD30 fire doors hold back fire and smoke for 30 minutes — a legal requirement in many UK homes. They are needed between habitable rooms and integral garages, on the stairs of three-storey homes, and in most flats and HMOs. Expect to pay £180–£900 fitted per door in the UK, including hardware and certification.

What Does the Work Involve?

FD30 doors are not a DIY job — they are a system: door slab, frame, intumescent strips, smoke seals, hinges, latch and closer all tested as a combined unit. The slab is typically 45mm thick (vs 35mm standard) and significantly heavier. Intumescent strips in grooves around the perimeter expand 50× their volume when heated, sealing the gap. Smoke seals (brush or rubber) close any gaps to limit cold smoke. Three 100mm CE-marked hinges are mandatory. A self-closer pulls the door shut.

Typical Costs

How Long Does It Take?

A single FD30 door fit is 3–4 hours (vs 2 hours for standard) because of intumescent strip cutting, smoke seal alignment, and closer adjustment. A 6-door HMO upgrade is a 2–3 day job.

DIY or Professional?

Professional only. FD30 certification requires the whole system (slab, frame, ironmongery) to be installed per the manufacturer's data sheet. Cutting too much off the bottom voids the certification. Wrong hinges, wrong screws, or strips installed in the wrong groove all invalidate the fire rating.

Choosing the Right Tradesperson

Use a BM TRADA, Certifire or Q-Mark certified installer for landlord HMO/multi-occupancy work — required by most local authority licensing schemes. For domestic single-door installs, a competent carpenter with FD30 experience is sufficient. Get the certification paperwork (CE marking and data sheet) from the supplier.

UK Regulations

FD30 doors are required by Approved Document Part B between: a habitable room and integral garage, stair and any habitable room in a 3-storey-or-taller dwelling, every door in a flat opening to a common corridor, and every door in an HMO. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and the Building Safety Act 2022 impose maintenance duties. Self-closers are mandatory on HMO doors but not standard 2-storey dwelling doors.

Common Problems

• Strips missing: Intumescent strips were never fitted, or fell out during plastering. Check every door annually if you're a landlord.
• Too much clearance: Gap >4mm at sides voids the rating. Re-shim the lining and re-hang.
• Wrong hinges: Untested or unmarked hinges void certification. Use CE-marked grade 13 hinges only.
• Self-closer wedged open: Often the tenant has wedged the closer. Use a permanent closer or hold-open device only with smoke detection linkage.

Frequently Asked Questions