How to compare security door makers in South Africa: a buyer's checklist

Updated November 2026 by Mikael Harris, Sales Manager.

Compare security door makers on five things you can check in writing: where the door is made, the warranty for that exact product line, how it is built and fixed, which locks it takes, and whether someone measures your opening before quoting. Price comes last, because two doors at different prices are rarely the same door.

The checklist in one table

Is the door made in the maker's own factory?

Ask where the door is made, and by whom. A maker that builds its own doors controls the steel, the welding and the finish, and can fix a fault at the source. A reseller depends on someone else for all three.

Robo Door has made security doors since 2005. Our trellis doors, security gates and burglar bars are made in our own factories in Alrode, Gauteng, and Lusaka, Zambia. Between 2005 and 2022 we secured 49,564 homes.

Is the warranty in writing, for the exact product line?

A warranty that names no product cannot be checked. "Ten-year warranty" on a brochure means little until you know which door it covers and what it excludes. Ask for the period by product line, in writing, before you pay.

Ours is in our Terms and Conditions. The Deluxe Trellis Door carries a 10-year Deluxe manufacturing warranty plus the 5-year Break-In Repair Guarantee. The Alu-Deluxe Trellis Door carries a 10-year Alu-Deluxe manufacturing warranty. The DuPlus Trellis Door and the Econo Trellis Door each carry a 5-year manufacturing warranty for their line, and so does the Swing Trellis Door (hinged burglar door). Swing and sliding security gates carry a 2-year manufacturing warranty. Paint and rust cover are separate and follow the finish and the site. The Robo Door warranty explained has every table.

What does a break-in guarantee actually cover?

Read the conditions, not the headline. Our Break-In Repair Guarantee applies to Deluxe and Deluxe Fixture only, for 5 years. It covers repair or replacement of the Robo Door-made components damaged in a confirmed forced break-in attempt. It needs a police case number, a written claim within 30 days, photos and access to inspect, and the product must have been installed by Robo Door or an authorised installer.

No honest maker promises that a door cannot be broken. Our terms say our products are security barriers and do not guarantee they will prevent crime entirely. Treat any stronger promise with care.

How is the door built?

Ask for construction details you can see. On our Deluxe, every upright is slotted and riveted, it runs on an aluminium top and bottom track with stainless roller bearings, and a security pin keeps the lock cylinder out of reach through the handle. On Econo, every third upright is slotted and riveted, which keeps the price down. Deluxe uses heavier steel than Econo. Our trellis door buyer's guide compares all four lines.

How is it fixed to the opening?

A strong door badly fixed is a weak door. Trellis door tracks must be straight, level and parallel, because a track a few millimetres out makes the door drag for its whole life. Ask who fits the door and whether that affects the warranty. Our teams measure and install in South Africa and Zambia, and in the other ten markets the Robo Door distributor installs.

Which locks does the door take?

Ask how many locking points the quote includes, not how many the door could take. Our trellis doors take a slam lock, a deadlock or both, up to three locks per door, with one fitted as standard. Hook locks have an anti-lift pin, each lock comes with three keys, and keyed-alike locks are available. Slam lock or deadlock explains the difference.

Will they measure before they quote?

A price from a photo can change once someone measures. We measure every opening at a free site visit, at three points, and make the door to the smallest reading. The quotation itemises each opening, includes VAT and is valid for 7 days. Trellis doors are made in 5 to 7 working days from order.

What should the price tell you?

Trellis doors start from R3,500 and the Deluxe Trellis Door from R4,500, and each is quoted to the measured opening. When one quote is much lower, check the product line, the finish, the locks and the named warranty first. How to compare security quotes goes line by line, and the security doors page has the full range.

Next step

Put this checklist next to every quote you collect, ours included. Request a free quote, WhatsApp +27 82 888 1919 or call 082 888 1919.