Cuprager wrote:
I live in Victorian tenement flat, there are 6 flats within the block.
Currently there is no door entry system in place. Firstly, is this a
DIYable job or should i get a pro in? Secondly, does anyine have any
recommendations about a system and a rough idea of cost?

Don't say where you are, the last replacement (June 2004) here in
central London cost around £750 for fitting new locks and a door closer.
The year before we put in a new entryphone at a cost of £600.

The present lock is a CISA electricly operated latch. It is quite solid
and dosn't require too much force to latch properly. All the same it
needs to be backed up with a heavy duty door closer to ensure it always
shuts. Having a heavy spring on a door can be awkward but I have come
home too often to find the door hasn't closed properly, and we have had
four burglaries caused by people slipping in when the door hasn't latched.

I think these things can be something of a mixed blessing. I have been
managing my block on behalf of the residents association for twenty
years now, most of the maintenance and security problems concern the
locking of the front door.

In an ideal world everyone would treat the common front door with as
much care as the door to their own flat. But it doesn't happen and some
people, with varying degrees of justification don't like going up and
down stairs to open the door.

If there is no door closing mechanism then some residents (or visitors)
will not shut the door properly. If there is a door closer then it seems
to encourage the view that it is public door and closing it is always
somebody else's problem. The damping on door closers varies with the
weather, too warm and its too fast, disturbing everyone and damaging the
hinges, too cold and it will close slowly with insufficient force to
work the latch.

It was after last June when I came back from holiday to find my flat and
a neighbours flat broken into and the front door not properly closed
(sticking in wet weather and I'm not around to do something about it)
that we put the CISA on. But there is also a deadlock too with a sign
saying "keep locked" and I make a point of always setting the deadlock
on when I go out or come in. If I can walk down four flights to open the
door to the postman etc, then my lazy neighbours on the ground and first
floor can do the same.

--
David Clark

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