Non-Standard Front Door & Glazed Sidelight....?

[Rob99]

In a classic bit of non-thinking (bizarre when I think of how many OCD moments I have daily with our extensions and refurb) our front extension has a 1250mm wide opening for the front door screen.

 

Didn't think it would be an issue as we intended on having a made to measure aluminium door and sidelight, until we discovered that what we liked was around £4,500...!!

 

Our existing composite door is actually perfectly fine and is a standard 838x1981 so we're going to re-use it for now knowing that we can replace with a new standard size door later if we find one we like, but I'm having no end of trouble trying to find somewhere where I can obtain a frame to suit the opening. Standard sizes seem to be 1200/1350/1500 wide etc.

 

I've looked into using a joinery firm but the ones I've contacted so far all talk about £500-800 supply only without glazing and fitting. I'd even settle for a softwood frame if I had to.

 

Anybody had this or similar issue with non-standard external opening?

 

Thoughts?

 

TIA

[dpmiller]

Is the 838 door opening wide enough for accessible entry?

[PeterW]

You can get a brand new UPVC frame and composite door to fit that gap for change of £900 - why is the aluminium one coming in so expensive..???

[ToughButterCup]

1 hour ago, PeterW said:

[...] why is the aluminium one coming in so expensive..???

 

You can get Gaulhofer for that price (£4.5k) ... 

[nod]

Am I missing something here £4500 for a door 

We purchased two Solidoors With frames and glass either side Ten year guarantee on locking mechanism look great 

Open and shut ok 

&1600 for both

[Temp]

Pretty sure you could get a nice hand made oak door and frame for less than £4k around my parts.

 

5 hours ago, dpmiller said:

Is the 838 door opening wide enough for accessible entry?

 

Good question. On new buildings I think the clear open width needs to be 800 so an 838mm wide door would probably have to open past 90 degrees to be acceptable depending on how thick the door is. However on existing buildings its 750/775mm so should be ok.

 

 

[Temp]

Quote

I've looked into using a joinery firm but the ones I've contacted so far all talk about £500-800 supply only without glazing and fitting. I'd even settle for a softwood frame if I had to.

 

Perhaps ask your BCO if you can make one yourself? Take a trip to the DIY sheds to copy a design?. Hardwood door sills already profiled and glazing bead profiles/mouldings are available so I don't think you need to do any fancy machining. Will need a toughened glass sealed unit if the side panel is going to be full height (but any glass shop can make one for you to your template).

Edited July 19, 2019 by Temp

[Rob99]

Thanks for comments.....

 

Ok, so here goes, bit embarrassing but having just trawled back through the details on the aluminium door it seems the price we had been quoted included VAT already, but I then added it on again......doh. So, not quite as bad as £4,500, actually closer to  £3,600 but still a lot of money. Having fessed up to the wife she's now thinking why can't we take another look at a complete new door and frame although we've agreed it needs to be something less than £2k to be affordable.

 

@dpmiller @Temp - we're ok on the door width as our house isn't a new dwelling so that bit of Part M doesn't apply (although if we go complete new door set I will probably go for 900 width anyway)

 

@PeterW - yes true but we've never been great lovers of the uPVC door frame, mainly as it always seems to have such a bulky frame and threshold

 

@AnonymousBosch - oh dear I've now made the mistake of looking at Gaulhofer...........?

 

@nod - we've previously looked at solidor, seemed pretty good but we just couldn't find a style we liked the look of, all a bit too traditional compared to what we were thinking of.

 

The door we had the price for previously was something similar to this:

 

 

[PeterW]

So this is a composite UPVC with a low profile threshold, Ultion high security locks and black outside / white inside. 

 

 

£1450 inc VAT.....

 

I’d say your frame is chunkier than mine ... 

 

[Rob99]

Thanks @PeterW that looks pretty good. Who's the supplier for those?

[selfbuildaberdeen]

We are going with Nordan. They have only just started doing that handle style you are looking at so cant see it online yet. Ours is a diffrent size to yours but they told us any size would not be a problem...

[PeterW]

6 hours ago, Rob99 said:

Thanks @PeterW that looks pretty good. Who's the supplier for those?

 

Here 

[Rob99]

Ok, can't justify an aluminium door set and having looked again at ones with uPVC frames don't like the fact you have 2 frames and a connecting piece. Had that with our french doors and hated the chunkiness of it.

 

So now reverted to plan A re-using the existing door and finding a new frame. Have found a frame kit from XL Joinery (link here) which, although it has 2 sidelights, can be reduced in size to suit our need for a single sidelight in a 1350mm opening. Seems to be priced in several places at just under £300.

 

Anybody any experience with these frames? Easy to assemble or a real PITA?

 

Thanks