Breaking new ground

As Total Doors celebrates its first decade in business, managing director Nicola John talks about the company’s latest expansion and commitment to Veka.

Founded as an independent business in August 2015, Total Doors began life 10 years earlier as a small manufacturing arm of building maintenance company, Service Total. Set up in a unit next door to the company head-office, Service Total began hand-routing doors to meet demand for a high-spec, high-quality composite door. The company had struggled to source a competitive product at the right lead time.

“Back in 2005, we worked solely with housing associations, and on-time delivery was crucial,” Total Doors managing director Nicola John said. “We also needed a product with minimal call-backs.”

At first the doors were purely for in-house contracts before they started to sell to other businesses working with housing associations.

“Then we decided to cut-out the middle man, and go direct to the HAs,” Nicola said.

This proved to be a turning point for the Welsh composite door fabricator. Since then strategic growth has enabled Total Doors to expand and invest in larger premises, just minutes off the M4 motorway. Its 30 staff are further supported by a team of trusted and approved sub-contracted installers.

“Many of our employees have been with us since day one; some are celebrating 12-14 years with us, having come across from Service Total, while others joined in our second expansion around eight years ago,” Nicola said.

The company will soon be announcing its move to Veka, making it one of a handful of composite door manufacturers to offer this door/profile combination.

“Veka was the right fit; we wanted a seamless supply chain and it could offer that. As many fabricators know, changing profile system is an unnecessary headache. It’s stressful and there’s little to see at the end of it but we wanted to work with a company that shared our ethos and match our service. And so far, it’s looking good.”

As a family-run business, Total Doors prides itself on its service levels, with a no quibble policy.

“When a product failure occurs we use our dedicated engineers, many of whom have been with us for 10 years,” Nicola said.

The company provides a 10-year guarantee, which includes glazing and ironmongery. It has supply agreements with Winkhaus and UAP on hardware, including the Nano coast 316 graded stainless steel lock option, “…so we can offer our customers a premium door which is built to last and remains aesthetically pleasing,” Nicola said.

“We carry a fully certified ADSA access team which iss employed direct and covers all aspects on access doors, from a simple push bell to fully automated doors with voice entry, video or even finger-print reader.”

The access doors are fully guaranteed for 10 years with an optional maintenance package.

Looking to the future, Total Doors has extended its geographical reach.

“We are a proven supplier in Wales; across retail, trade, new build and affordable housing,” Nicola said, “and we’re keen to establish that reputation over the border. We are now operational across England.”

Nicola is keen to develop partnerships with medium to large fabricators, those wanting 10 – 20 doors per week.

“We have a lot to offer businesses of that size,” she said. “Yes, we’ve got a good product but we also have the technical support and experience. We have spent years servicing and maintaining affordable housing contracts so we understand the demands for a quality door which, once installed, requires few or no call-backs.”