Cheaper options for bespoke Crittall-style interior doors?

[jack]

We'd like to install pairs of steel-framed glass doors across the two entrances to our living room. The apertures are both about 2800 high and 1050 wide.

 

The plan was for a fixed pane at the top, and then a pair of opening doors underneath. Roughly along these lines, although obviously quite a bit narrower:

 

 

We've started getting quotes. The couple we had for supply only were £5-7k. Then on Friday we had stunning quote of just shy of £15k, although that includes all measuring and installation. 

 

I appreciate that bespoke solutions are always going to be more expensive, but various standard sizes seem to be available at a tiny fraction of these costs.

 

Anyone had success with sourcing this sort of thing at a more reasonable price?

 

[Mr Punter]

Can't help but I would be interested to know what the Crittall solution cost?

[jack]

On 28/03/2021 at 18:56, Mr Punter said:

Can't help but I would be interested to know what the Crittall solution cost?

 

Just checked and it seems the £15k quote was from Crittall.

[Russdl]

@jack can you get a local metal fabricator to make them for you? I’m sure it would be way cheaper. 

[jack]

9 hours ago, Russdl said:

@jack can you get a local metal fabricator to make them for you? I’m sure it would be way cheaper. 

 

Yes, we're starting to look into that now. I think these expensive systems use some quite complex extrusions and hardware, whereas we're happy with something quite basic.

[PeterTweeter]

Jack

The good news is that Crittal themselves developed the steel sections & these are available commercially. Enterprising artisans are now offering bespoke units using these very sections.

The sections are W20; W30 & W40.

You can actually get them from China via Aliexpress - just saying.

[SuperJohnG]

These prices seem complete madness. A good fabricator can knock this up. But even on a quick Google I can see much cheaper options? Albeit not bespoke

Edited April 29, 2021 by SuperJohnG

[Adsibob]

35 minutes ago, SuperJohnG said:

These prices seem complete madness. A good fabricator can knock this up. But even on a quick Google I can see much cheaper options? Albeit not bespoke

@jack I'm going through this as well, as we need one double internal sliding door and one single internal sliding door and we also want steel. Two suggestions to bring the price down:

Instead of having that fixed pannel at the top, just have two taller doors. It will be simpler and also look nicer as large high doors emphasise the height of the ceiling.

 

Based on quotes I have had, companies like Fabco might be in the £4k to £7k range, but will include survey and installation, rather than supply only. Here is a quote I had from them for two sets of doors: a large external door and a smaller internal one:

 

 

Worth speaking to them and understanding what format would be cheapest, but it might be that it's the extra complexity of having to support that top light and having the sliders being hung from that that take it out of their usual manufacturing process and make it dearer.

[AliG]

Our house is actually on their website

 

https://www.angusandmack.com/projects/job1910

 

Suffice to say it was not cheap, although not unreasonable for the quality of the work.

 

For the bookcases, the price increased a lot adding the drawers.

[AliG]

Sorry, posted in the wrong thread

[Adsibob]

Just had a look. Alistair, you have a beautiful home!

[jack]

On 29/04/2021 at 21:35, PeterTweeter said:

The good news is that Crittal themselves developed the steel sections & these are available commercially. Enterprising artisans are now offering bespoke units using these very sections.

The sections are W20; W30 & W40.

You can actually get them from China via Aliexpress - just saying.

 

Very interesting, thanks. I'll take a look - if you have pointers to any particular artisans, please share (via PM if you'd rather not say in the main forum).

 

On 29/04/2021 at 22:21, SuperJohnG said:

These prices seem complete madness. A good fabricator can knock this up. But even on a quick Google I can see much cheaper options? Albeit not bespoke

 

Yes, the cheap standard sized doors being so insanely cheap compared to bespoke is partly why I'm so frustrated by the situation. Fabricator is definitely a possibility, and something we'll end up doing if I can't find a company who'll do it for a reasonable price.

 

On 29/04/2021 at 23:07, Adsibob said:

Two suggestions to bring the price down:

 

Instead of having that fixed pannel at the top, just have two taller doors. It will be simpler and also look nicer as large high doors emphasise the height of the ceiling.

 

Unfortunately, there's no upper door frame in these apertures - they go right to the 2850 ceilings, so we'd be talking some very tall doors if there's no top panel.

 

  

[Adsibob]

1 hour ago, jack said:

Very interesting, thanks. I'll take a look - if you have pointers to any particular artisans, please share (via PM if you'd rather not say in the main forum).

 

Yes, the cheap standard sized doors being so insanely cheap compared to bespoke is partly why I'm so frustrated by the situation. Fabricator is definitely a possibility, and something we'll end up doing if I can't find a company who'll do it for a reasonable price.

 

Unfortunately, there's no upper door frame in these apertures - they go right to the 2850 ceilings, so we'd be talking some very tall doors if there's no top panel.  

 

A 2850 sliding door would still look good. But if it’s not possible to do that, you could always lower the ceiling just above the door (ie create a doorframe) by 40cm or 50cm.

[jack]

40 minutes ago, Adsibob said:

A 2850 sliding door would still look good. But if it’s not possible to do that, you could always lower the ceiling just above the door (ie create a doorframe) by 40cm or 50cm.

 

We're not after sliding doors though. We'd like a pair of hinged doors on each aperture (a single door won't really work on one side, in particular, due to window location).

[Adsibob]

On 01/05/2021 at 13:11, jack said:

 

We're not after sliding doors though. We'd like a pair of hinged doors on each aperture (a single door won't really work on one side, in particular, due to window location).

So why not have superheight french doors? They would probably work even better than sliders.

[jack]

7 minutes ago, Adsibob said:

So why not have superheight french doors? They would probably work even better than sliders.

 

I'm not sure whether I'm missing something in this conversation. You kept talking about sliders (e.g., your mention of how the top light might be adding to the cost due to the need to reinforce it for a slider, then how a "2850 sliding door would still look good"). I was just clarifying that we aren't after a slider.

 

Re: very tall doors, most manufacturers won't go higher than 2400, or 2700 at a stretch. That's why I assumed a fixed pane above, but I'm not hung up on that prospect.

 

Building down the aperture is possible, but would be a bit of a ballache due to the fact that this area is presently finished with brick slips on both sides of the aperture. I also like the view from the kitchen through this area and would prefer, if possible, not to block it off by building down significantly. If I can get a 2700 high pair of doors at a decent price, I could live with building down a couple of hundred mm.

 

I'll update the thread when we make a decision, although costs are currently making us think this isn't something worth keeping at the top of our priority list.

[Pocster]

@jack to keep costs down but have something similar you could put some walk on glazing along as that top panel ..... just saying ?

[jack]

8 minutes ago, pocster said:

@jack to keep costs down but have something similar you could put some walk on glazing along as that top panel ..... just saying ?

 

Now you're talking. Why has it taken you so long to contribute? I do sometimes wonder whether you're actually serious about wanting to sell the walk-on glazing.

[Adsibob]

1 hour ago, jack said:

I'm not sure whether I'm missing something in this conversation. You kept talking about sliders (e.g., your mention of how the top light might be adding to the cost due to the need to reinforce it for a slider, then how a "2850 sliding door would still look good"). I was just clarifying that we aren't after a slider.

Yes, your original post didn't specify whether you were after sliders or regular french doors and I must have assumed the former when you meant the latter. Good luck with it.  2700mm high french door would look awesome in my opinion.

You could also try MetTherm as they do a profile which although aluminium, is very thin, particular for internal doors which only need single glazing.

[jack]

No worries, I think I assumed "Crittall-style" would be interpreted as hinged, but perhaps not clear enough. Glad we sorted it out!

 

I'll take a look at MetTherm, thanks. I definitely get the impression that a lot of these internal doors are using profiles intended for double glazing, and are perhaps therefore overengineered where single glazing is all that's required.

[Pocster]

2 hours ago, jack said:

 

Now you're talking. Why has it taken you so long to contribute? I do sometimes wonder whether you're actually serious about wanting to sell the walk-on glazing.

So what are you offering ? ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

[Adsibob]

Well I’m having crittall style sliders, but there you go. Is a bit like American style cheese, is usually not American at all!

[jack]

2 hours ago, Adsibob said:

Is a bit like American style cheese, is usually not American at all!

 

Also not much like cheese!

[jack]

2 hours ago, pocster said:

So what are you offering ? ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

 

Nothing so crass as money.

[Ferdinand]

Do these have to be double or triple glazed?

 

Or are these outside a set of heat proofing somethings?

 

Or are you cashing in a bit of the near-passive planet-saving-halo for a small amount of guilt?