Access Panels and Riser Doors for Main Contractors

Why Contractors Need a Manufacturer They Can Rely On

As a main contractor, you are managing programme, cost, quality, and compliance simultaneously. Access panels and riser doors are a relatively small line item on most projects, but they can cause disproportionate problems when they go wrong.

Late specification changes from the design team mean access products are often among the last items to be procured. When the drylining subcontractor is ready to close up walls and the access panels have not arrived, the knock-on effect ripples through the programme. Resellers who do not hold stock and rely on third-party manufacturers add an additional link in the chain — and additional risk. Compliance documentation is equally time-critical. Building Control officers increasingly require fire test certificates, declarations of performance, and evidence that the installed product matches the tested configuration. When this documentation is incomplete or unavailable at sign-off, it creates delays to practical completion and impacts your handover programme.

Value engineering is a constant consideration, but substituting access products without understanding the specification can create problems. A non-fire-rated panel installed in a fire-rated wall is a compartmentation breach. An acoustic panel that does not meet the dB requirement creates a post-completion defect. Working directly with the manufacturer eliminates these risks.