Purchased Old Bank - Missing Vault Door: Pic Included

zeotomic

Hi everyone, i am new to the forums here and would like to put forward my situation.

We have just purchased an old Bank that closed last year. Of course they removed the ATM, Night safe but also they removed the VAULT DOOR! The vault itself is about 6ft.4 high and the walls are about 1m thick so not that much can be done to the room. Ive been quoted £20k + VAT for a new Door + frame from chubb but was wondering about any other cheaper options.

The chap from chubb said it is extremely rare that a bank removes it vault door as they are worthless without the frame and costs thousands to remove.

Thanks

Paul Prescott

If, and be warned it might be a fairly big IF. The missing door was a standard size you might be able to find a second-hand door & frame at one of the bigger second hand safe dealers. Obviously you will not need the frame but it should be possible to re-hang the door onto your frame with minimal modification.

It may take a lot of legwork - and you may still be looking at 10K or so that the end of the day.

As a point of interest when did the building cease being used as a bank ? Have you asked the bank what happened to the door ? it may still be sitting somewhere in storage, stranger things have happened !

zeotomic

oldlock wrote
If, and be warned it might be a fairly big IF. The missing door was a standard size you might be able to find a second-hand door & frame at one of the bigger second hand safe dealers. Obviously you will not need the frame but it should be possible to re-hang the door onto your frame with minimal modification.It may take a lot of legwork - and you may still be looking at 10K or so that the end of the day.As a point of interest when did the building cease being used as a bank ? Have you asked the bank what happened to the door ? it may still be sitting somewhere in storage, stranger things have happened !

Hi Paul, the bank closed last year and it is in my mind that it is stored someone in an empty warehouse but the bank say they cannot/will not locate it.

I have called Chubb to see whether they removed the door but they didnt. Do you know of any companies that may have removed it? The bank is in East Devon, England.

Thanks

[unknown]

Paul Prescott

Try Ace Safe Co, from memory they are near Bournemouth.

zeotomic

oldlock wrote
Try Ace Safe Co, from memory they are near Bournemouth.

Hi buddy, i gave them a call but they did not carry out the removal! They have quoted a 2nd hand door to be 2k-5k depending on the condition of the frame.

After much internet searching i have found a door/frame that looks very similar to what used to be installed in the bank. We used to bank with them and the vault was clearly visible through the glass so im sure its what the door looked like. Anyway here is a link to it - the frame looks very similar to my one right?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/taylorives/7012067181/?q=hsbc%20bank%20vault%20door

[unknown]

Paul Prescott

2 to 5 K for the door would be good, installation will be probably the same again.

The other day maybe of the same type, it’s hard to tell.

tony james

we acquired a premise of a jewellery maker, thus a vault not dissimilar to your opening. We don’t want the vault, I can send you details if it is of interest.

Unfortunately it’s still installed

Tony

zeotomic

tony james wrote
hi

we acquired a premise of a jewellery maker, thus a vault not dissimilar to your opening. We don’t want the vault, I can send you details if it is of interest.

Unfortunately it’s still installed

Tony

Hi Tony, could you upload an image to this thread in a post as i dont want to have to remove the frame we already have.

Thanks

[unknown]

zeotomic

well after months of trying to find out who removed the door i finally got a result. It was a company up north and unfortunately they disposed of the door and gate. Such a shame really.

tony james

zeotomic wrote
Hi Tony, could you upload an image to this thread in a post as i dont want to have to remove the frame we already have.

Thanks

We will get a photo and the size for you. My understanding is that the door and frame are paired. Can’t have one without the other, perhaps some the experts on this site can comment, I will most certainly be looking for advise on how best to remove such a heavy awkward beast from a building with limited space, perhaps I should say who could!

thanks

Tony

[unknown]

Timbo

Tony, I think that you are correct in saying that these are paired as frame and door.
I doubt very much if one door would fit another frame as they are paired and adjusted in the factory before installation.
I know that even some standard safes won’t swap doors either.
The trouble with large vault doors is that because of the weight, you can get wear on the hinge pivots and after a while they tend to drag on the bottom threashold until they won’t close or you cant get them open.
The only way is buy the pair together and ensure they work correctly before buying. As the saying goes “try before you buy”.
Tim

Tom Gordon

So was that the Budleigh branch that I had hoped to find a Chatwood night deposit on?
I am surprised that no one asked me, considering that I am in East Devon!!!

Dean Nickel

Tom you just have to login more often. We love to hear from you! 🙁nod):

Tom Gordon

Ahh but some of us have a life :-) and three weeks on the Scilly Isles beats the computer eevry time-indeed the only computer on the island wasn’t working and hadnt been for months.

tony james

Tom Gordon wrote
Ahh but some of us have a life :-) and three weeks on the Scilly Isles beats the computer eevry time-indeed the only computer on the island wasn’t working and hadnt been for months.

Guys,

this is our vault as I said it’s an old jewellery manufacturer. The hinges and frame are solid, attached are a couple of pictures and the dimensions.

Thanks

Tony (Think I’ll need a holiday if we have to remove this beast!!)

[unknown]

dimensions.txt

108B

zeotomic

tony james wrote
Guys,

this is our vault as I said it’s an old jewellery manufacturer. The hinges and frame are solid, attached are a couple of pictures and the dimensions.

Thanks

Tony (Think I’ll need a holiday if we have to remove this beast!!)

Hi Tony, unfortunately i cannot use the door as i would have to change my current frame and remove yours. I suggest listing it on ebay for £1000 buy it now or best offer for 30 days. That way people can enquire about it. If not, this was the company that removed our vault door - www.associated-security.co.uk no idea about cost though.

Regards,

[unknown]

tony james

zeotomic wrote
Hi Tony, unfortunately i cannot use the door as i would have to change my current frame and remove yours. I suggest listing it on ebay for £1000 buy it now or best offer for 30 days. That way people can enquire about it. If not, this was the company that removed our vault door - www.associated-security.co.uk no idea about cost though.

Regards,

Not a problem, my plan was to leave the building open and hope the scrap metal man takes a fancy to it and removes it in the night, save me a job.

[unknown]

Anthony Hines

Hi I just noticed this old post just wondered if the problem got resolved. Our company stocks, supplies and fits vaults and doors ,old and new if you need any help