Manual to electric conversion
Add a motor and controls to an existing manual shutter that is still in good condition.
A manual to electric conversion fits a motor, controls and a manual override to an existing push-up or crank shutter, so it can be opened with a key switch or remote. It suits shutters whose curtain, barrel and box are still sound, and is far cheaper than a new electric shutter.
- Install, repair & upgrade
- From £295 + VAT
- UK-wide
Book a visit
Tell us what the shutter is doing. We confirm the price before an engineer visits.
How manual to electric conversion works
The existing curtain and box are inspected first, because a worn shutter is not worth motorising. A tube motor is fitted into the barrel, replacing the spring on most push-up shutters. The shutter needs a power supply nearby; a fused spur is ideal and a new circuit is quoted separately if needed. A key switch is the usual control for shops, with remotes and timers as options.
A manual override is fitted so the shutter can still be operated in a power cut. Once motorised, the shutter is commissioned with safety checks like any powered door. Conversion removes the daily strain of lifting a heavy curtain, which is often the main reason people ask for it.
Heavier steel curtains may need a larger barrel or a different drive to motorise properly. The work is usually done in a single visit once the parts are ready. Converting is often a good step before an older shutter's spring fails.
Options we can specify
- Condition check of curtain, barrel and box
- Tube motor sized to the curtain
- Key switch, remote or timer control
- Manual override for power cuts
- Commissioning and safety checks
- Electrical connection by a qualified electrician
- Single-visit fitting in most cases
- Options for heavy steel curtains
Typical specification
| Suitable for | Sound push-up or crank shutters |
|---|---|
| Drive | Tube motor in the barrel, or external drive on heavy curtains |
| Controls | Key switch, remote, timer |
| Power | Fused spur nearby; new circuit quoted separately if needed |
| Handover | Limits set and safety checks completed |
How much does manual to electric conversion cost?
Most manual to electric conversion jobs cost £295 to £2,195 ex VAT (£354 to £2,634 inc VAT), depending on the fault, the parts needed and access. We confirm a fixed price before starting once the cause is known.
| Option | Ex VAT | Inc VAT |
|---|---|---|
| Industrial door conversion | £895 to £2,195 | £1,074 to £2,634 |
| Shopfront shutter conversion, up to 3m | £445 to £895 | £534 to £1,074 |
| Domestic window shutter conversion | £295 to £595 | £354 to £714 |
Guide prices assume normal access and standard parts. Your price is agreed before any parts are fitted.
Work out your own guide price
Enter the width and height, choose the operation and lath type, and the quote tool draws your shutter to scale with a price range.
Rules that apply
What the law and planning system expect, by nation. We check these at survey.
Safety of powered shutters
Powered doors and shutters are treated as machinery. The installer commissions them with a risk assessment, safety devices where the risk calls for them and force checks to BS EN 12453, then hands over a declaration of conformity and maintenance instructions. In workplaces, the employer or whoever controls the premises must keep doors maintained and safe for staff and visitors.
Electrical work
England
Electric shutters are wired to BS 7671, the IET Wiring Regulations. In homes in England, new circuits are notifiable under Part P of the Building Regulations, so the work is done by a registered electrician who can self-certify it, or notified to building control.
Wales
Electric shutters are wired to BS 7671, the IET Wiring Regulations. In homes in Wales, new circuits are notifiable under Part P of the Building Regulations as applied in Wales, so the work is self-certified by a registered electrician or notified to building control.
Scotland
Electric shutters are wired to BS 7671, the IET Wiring Regulations. In Scotland electrical work in buildings must also meet the Scottish building standards, and is carried out and certified by a qualified electrician.
Northern Ireland
Electric shutters are wired to BS 7671, the IET Wiring Regulations, by a qualified electrician. Northern Ireland has its own building regulations, and any building control requirement for the work is confirmed with your council.
What happens next
Describe the fault
Tell us what the shutter is doing, the make if you know it, and send a photo or video.
Engineer visit
An engineer inspects the shutter, finds the cause and makes it safe.
Fixed repair price
You get the repair price before parts are fitted; simple fixes are often done on the first visit.
Tested and reported
Limits and safety devices are checked, and you get a note of what was done.
Manual to electric conversion: common questions
Can any manual shutter be converted?
Most can, if the curtain, barrel and box are in good condition. Very worn or damaged shutters are better replaced, and we tell you which at survey.
Do I need an electrician?
The shutter needs a power supply nearby. The connection is made by a qualified electrician, and a new circuit is quoted separately if there is no supply.
How long does a conversion take?
Usually a single visit once the motor and controls are ready.
Will it still open in a power cut?
Yes, a manual override is fitted as part of the conversion.
Is the survey free?
Yes, for new shutters, grilles and doors: the survey and written quote are free and there is no obligation to go ahead. Repair and servicing visits are charged, and we tell you the price before we visit.
Are your prices fixed?
Yes. After the survey you get a written price for the agreed specification, confirmed before anything is ordered or any work starts. If you change the specification, or a hidden problem such as a weak lintel is found during fitting, we price it and agree it with you before carrying on.
Related services
Electric roller shutters
Motorised shutters with key switch, remote or timer control and a manual override.
Shutter motor replacement
Replacement tube and industrial motors, controls, key switches and remotes.
Manual roller shutters
Push-up and hand-crank shutters with no wiring, for smaller openings and simple sites.
Roller shutter repairs
Repairs to stuck, noisy, damaged and broken shutters of any make.
Who uses manual to electric conversion
Manual to electric conversion near you
Choose your county or area for local details and towns we cover.
England
- Bedfordshire
- Berkshire
- Bristol
- Buckinghamshire
- Cambridgeshire
- Cheshire
- Cornwall
- Cumbria
- Derbyshire
- Devon
- Dorset
- County Durham
- East Riding of Yorkshire
- East Sussex
- Essex
- Gloucestershire
- Greater London
- Greater Manchester
- Hampshire
- Herefordshire
- Hertfordshire
- Isle of Wight
- Kent
- Lancashire
- Leicestershire
- Lincolnshire
- Merseyside
- Norfolk
- North Yorkshire
- Northamptonshire
- Northumberland
- Nottinghamshire
- Oxfordshire
- Rutland
- Shropshire
- Somerset
- South Yorkshire
- Staffordshire
- Suffolk
- Surrey
- Tyne and Wear
- Warwickshire
- West Midlands
- West Sussex
- West Yorkshire
- Wiltshire
- Worcestershire
Scotland
Ready for a fixed price?
Free survey, made-to-measure shutters and a written quote before any work starts.