Find a Door Fitter you can trust in Girvan.

If you’re looking to upgrade your home or considering a remodelling project, doors can be a cool and fast way to improve the value of your property. Whether you wish to increase the visual appeal of your home with a new exterior door or simply to alter the appearance of an outdated or plain bedroom or bathroom, doors can also go a long way to improve the look of your home. If you’re thinking about taking on such a project, one of the things you might want to consider is length of time it’ll take to complete the installation process. In this post, we’re going to give you a good insight into the time it takes to complete a door installation process to help you make informed decision moving forward. Let’s take a look!

Just like any home improvement project, the duration of time it’ll take to install doors will depend on a number of factors. These factors include the style/type of door to be installed, the ease of access, the skill and experience of the installer and lots more. In general, replacing an exterior door should, on the average, take about 5 to 6 hours. An interior door, on the other hand, should be much quicker as it doesn’t require same flashing, caulking as well as other weatherproofing processes. In general, the installation of an interior door can be completed within 2 to 4 hours. If you choose to take on this task by yourself, you can expect the duration to be longer due to the little or no experience possessed.

It is possible to replace a door without replacing the frame. However, most people choose to replace both their door and frame at the same time, as this is likely to make your home security and energy efficiency better, particularly if your existing front door is very old or the frame is distorted.

What Is Better, Steel Or Aluminium For A Front Door?

If you’re extending or refurbishing your home or property or constructing a new one, you’ll, sooner or later, get to the point when you’d have to determine the type of door material you want to use. The most common choices include steel, aluminium, wood and PVC. However, in this article we’ll only be looking at steel and aluminium to discuss which is better for a front door. Let’s take a look!

✓ Home security. Intruders and unwanted visitors are always a concern regardless of where you live. If this is your biggest concern when going for a front door then steel doors are your best bet as they happen to be one of the sturdiest and strongest materials that can be used to manufacture a door. Not only do they not crack or warp, but they also offer some high security models that features a large number of locks as well as hinges with various style designs. However, this does not mean aluminium are left behind on this subject either as there are also some high security doors that uses aluminium as the primary metal component.

✓ Thermal insulations. Both door presentations are not completely made of steel or aluminium. For a better insulation, they’ll feature other materials such as foam,wood, polystryene foam, or fibreglass core to prevent the escape of heat. As a result, both doors can do a great job when it comes to thermal insulation like keeping your house cool in the summer and warm in the winter for a better energy efficiency.

✓ Aesthetics. If this is your primary criteria for a front door, then aluminium has a wide range of colours and styles to match the style of your home.

As you would have guessed, patio doors are exactly what the name suggests. They mainly act as a means by which you can access your patio from inside your house. As a result, they’re mostly fitted at the rear of your home which leads out to the garden and ultimately, the patio. In recent times, it’s mostly unlikely to see patio doors installed in homes without patios or homes with deckings instead. Generally, patio doors feature large floor to ceiling windows that are able to offer a wide open view of your garden as well as patio. In short, these characteristics are what mainly makes them unique from other normal exterior doors.

There are different types of patio doors which you can choose from and all with their own unique installation costs.

• Sliding Doors

Due to their space saving qualities, this type of sliding door are a popular choice amongst homeowners. As the name suggests, they basically slide across panels rather than opening in or out. This style also comprises the most significant windows which gives you a wider and clearer view of your garden while also allowing more natural light into the house.

• French Doors

Offering a standard design with two different panels with each able to swing wide open on its own, the French door is a conventional style door popular amongst traditionalists. French doors are generally stylish and very energy efficient, however they tend to consume more space within your home. It comes with several designs and a variety of colours to choose from.

• Bifold Doors

Bifold doors are the ideal choice if you want a more modern style for your home. These doors almost folds itself whether open or closed. Generally, they move along a track similar to sliding doors, but each panel folds when open. Here, you’re still offered the floor to ceiling wide open windows which further makes the overall effect even more special.

If you’re going through new constructions or renovations and looking to change your old front door and install a brand new composite door, then you’re at the right place. Composite door fitting can be a DIY project but it’s essential to have the necessary training and experience before commencement. If not, we’d recommend you hire the services of a reliable professional to guarantee the best results and save yourself some time and money.Here, we’ll give a good insight into the composite door fitting process.

To get started, here are some of the tools that may be required - tape measure, hammer, stanley knife, crowbar, chisel, saw. Silicone sealant gun, spirit levels, electric drill ( including the hammer section), rubber mallet and 6mm socket spanner.

lPreparation

• Remove the existing door by rounding up the door frame firstly with a knife to reduce the possible damage to the wall.

• Cut through the door jambs.

• Remove each in two separate sections.

• Ensure the opening is level without any screws, mastic and filler.

lAlign Your Composite Door

• Ensure the sill of the door is level and flat.

• Make sure the frame is square and plumb in both planes.

• Bridge the cavity of the wall and cover the DPC

• Ensure that the frame is square. If not, your composite door won’t function as it should.

lInstall Your Composite Door

• Place the door in the frame.

• Hold the frame firmly in position with wedge packers

• Make sure the packers are positioned close to where the fixing will be placed.

• Make sure the jams are square and plumb in all planes by using a long spirit level.

• Secure the frame to the brickwork with the use of a drill.

• Place the fixings at the top and bottom of each hinge as well as each of the lock keep.

• Top fixings should be fitted 150mm and 250mm from each corner.

As the name suggests, composite doors are made up of multiple components or materials which includes uPVC and foam or solid timber core, just to mention a few. Individual materials incorporated manufacturing a composite door plays their own important role with unique properties which are perfectly blended to give the strongest and most durable door materials currently available in the market. These materials are pressed and glued together as they’re subjected to high pressure conditions.

The need to counteract the weaknesses found in most single material doors, ultimately gave birth to the development of composite doors - which puts together several materials with specific properties to cancel out each others’ excesses or weaknesses. Purchasing a composite door means a valuable investment in a sturdy door frame manufactured using the toughest and most robust materials. In other words, you’re increasing the security of your home, enjoying the weatherproofing qualities of the door and also giving you a peace of mind knowing both your loved ones and properties are safe, well protected and secured. Apart from the materials used in making the door, you’re also provided with an array of choices when it comes to the personalization of the door to your needs and taste. You can choose from a variety of colours, woodgrain effects, textures as well as finishes.

Overall, composite doors also requires little maintenance and are very durable. Due to the modern techniques used in manufacturing a composite door, the colour as well as beauty is guaranteed to last a very long time. What’s more? Generally, the composite is weather and fade resistant so you won’t have to worry about spending either time or money for the care or maintenance of your door even after frequent or heavy usage.

So you’ve decided to add some new French doors for your home? If yes, then you’re likely going to be concerned about whether or not you’ll require a planning permission to get started.

Properties are compelled to meet certain requirements and have proper permission in place in order to be in line with the regulations. Overall, you’re going to need planning permission in the following situations:

• If you want to construct something new.

• If you want to a make a major change to a building like an extension.

• If you want to change the use of your building such as converting it from residential to commercial.

Getting a new door or replacing an existing one doesn’t usually require a planning permission as it’s one of the less complicated improvements you can make to a home. As a result, this kind of improvement is normally covered by permitted development rights especially when you’re not constructing an extension for which to use the French door. However in the events whereby a permission is needed, it will most likely going to be granted if the proposed changes does not have an impact on the primary elevations of the house which is usually the front of the building.

It’s also important to note that permitted development can be limited by local authorities. These limitations include buildings in a conservation area, listed buildings, and if you happen to reside in an area of immense aesthetic appeal or other designated areas like National Parks. If such situation before you change your French doors, it’s important to consult your local authority before proceeding.

Unlike several other complex multi choice products, composite door prices are no great mystery. However, it all depends on your personal preferences as well as your budget. There are a variety of customization options and extras, so you can easily select one that’s unique to your home. Composite doors offer you more colours, more styles, a greater choice of accessories as well as more glazing options. With the availability of a plethora of options in the market, it’s very hard to provide a precise price for a composite door as all the options play a significant role in the price structure.

• The Door’s Quality

Composite doors commonly comes with either a CFC-free insulating polyurethane (PU) foam or a laminated hardwood core. The price to be paid will depend on the quality of the composite with the laminated hardwood core being of more quality and ultimately, more expensive.

• Glazing Options

Between a coloured leaded glass double panel and a clear double-glazed panel there’s a huge price difference. And within these two extremes, there are also many other variables.

• Accessories

There are a world of choices when it comes to accessories in terms of the handle styles, letterplates, knockers and more. All playing a role in the price of the composite door.

• Locking System

A common feature of several composite doors is the multi point locking systems. However, the price, choice and security of the lock cylinder can be hugely different which also play a part in the price of the composite door.

• Location

Your geographical location plays an even more important part when you’re having your door installed. For instance, delivery in certain areas in the UK or finding tradesmen comes at a premium which is also shown in the price.