jamiehamy Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 Okay -so that sounds a bit odd, so let me explain! There has always been a flaw in our ground floor layout and although we have considered changing quite a few times, we never did - mainly because it would mean losing a toilet amongst other things. However, with Spark onsite, and a visit from someone who entered through the front door and then said 'SO where is the front door going to be?', I knew we had to change the layout. In short, the front door was in the corner and you entered into a lobby then into the kitchen. No sense of occasion and not very practical. So, we are moving the front door to the middle where the dining room was - and where there are a pair of French outward opening triple glazed doors. Building control are fine with this as is the planning officer (spoke to them both this morning - how great is that?!) I had anticipated scrapping the French doors (the brand new, shiny, still not delivered replacement!) and buying a new doorset when the other half asked why we couldn't just have the french doors as the front door? The entry will be into a lobby which will have doors before you then enter the body of the house. It would give us more light than doors, look better than a door and mean not chucking £1400 into a skip. Is there any real reason for not using them other than it not being convention? Thanks, Jamie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliG Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 The main practical consideration Jamie is that you have to be careful of it catching in the wind. Also if someone leaves a parcel against it, it might be hard to open, but I don't recall anyone every leaving a parcel actually against my front door. People might find it a bit unusual but you soon get used to it. Its a lot harder to kick in if you have upset anyone! Are you happy it's the best layout? Seems a big last minute change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamiehamy Posted February 6, 2017 Author Share Posted February 6, 2017 Defo Ali - we should have done it ages ago. We did a last minute visit to Wren tonight to completely redrew the kitchen (in fact, we'd never done a design with them so started from scratch - great service and good price compared to Ikea, Jewson and B&Q. It changes the house entirely and just makes it so much better and, dare I say - grand. We're lucky it's us doing the work - we will take down the studwalls and rebuild this weekend - two days delay for us The original front door is outward opening as well, which does catch people out but we preferred it that way, not least because it gives you more space inside and you don't get drips from the door onto the floor. The FD is better in one respect that it has a brake - unlike the front door. I'm quite happy using the FD as I say - but just pondering if I'm missing something obvious. Hopefully not Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliG Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 It certainly sounds better than people coming in via the kitchen. Glad it isn't a big expense. Wren does look good when I have looked at it, are you fitting it yourself? I've noticed some of the places with more reasonable cabinet prices seem to jack up the fitting price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickfromwales Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 I'd go with whatever made me happy, and let everyone else adapt, or remain quiet whilst they disapprove. . Everyone will soon accept things as the norm, it's just fresh to you right now so the 'issue' seems bigger than it actually is. Stick a doorbell alongside it and call it a day . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steptoe Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Go for it, Anyone that visits us uses the back door, Some found it weird at first, but its always been the way for me, and my missus soon got used to it, and now she says it would be funny if it was any other way. Its your house, as has been said, do it the way it makes you happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan52 Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Nobody uses my front door at all. We have a normal door at the back plus a set of French doors approx 3m away. The French doors lead into the sun room and most visitors use these to enter the house. The warning about the doors swinging open in the wind is to be considered as it's happened a few times to us. Use whatever door you want people to use by keeping the other door locked so after a few months who ever visits you will be used to entering via the French doors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamiehamy Posted February 7, 2017 Author Share Posted February 7, 2017 Thanks folks - that's good enough for me! :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToughButterCup Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Be glad you have a choice, @jamiehamy..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney12 Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 I don't think you need to do this but it was just a thought so I'll write it...... You could swap out one ( or both ) glass panels for a solid panel or a solid panel with a square or strip of glazing to make it look more like a door. That would only cost a few hundred quid. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy Harris Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 (edited) Personally I think it's a great idea. I was a bit worried about having our fully glazed front door in the middle of a wall of glass (we glazed the whole wall, right to the ridge of that gable) but we've quickly got used to it. I think it's also nice to have a front door that leads to a space that is welcoming. In our case I now look at the faces of people coming in for the first time; as they walk in they inevitably look up, as the ceiling's about 6m high in the entrance hall, with a glazed landing running across the back. In many ways having French doors as the main entrance is more practical, too. Getting big stuff in and out has to be easier that way. Some our new furniture arrived a week or so ago, and the delivery people found it a lot easier to bring it around the side and in through the French doors. Edited February 7, 2017 by JSHarris typo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdinand Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 The only as I can see are a Is the French door as effective as a Final Exit Door? b Perhaps keep the option open for the other one to look like a front door if it will help to sell it in x years. F Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterW Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Only other thoughts are : - If you have an alarm system, watch how they install the sensor for the Final Exit door - Does it meet the security requirement for your insurer as a Final Exit door..? - Has it got a restrictor on its opening - easy to fit to uPVC but may not be as easy for yours..? Other than that - go for it ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crofter Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 I couldn't find a front door that I liked, and ended up buying half a French door set. Cheaper, looked perfect, had far better U value. Of course you can't put a letterbox in it, or, dare I say it, a cat flap... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 What's wrong with a single pane of glass for a Front door? We chose frosted glass for ours. The "letterbox" issue has been solved. I was given a good condition Swededoor by our neighbour, so that is now the pedestrian door into the garage, complete with letterbox. That is where the postie will be directed to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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