Hi,

We've been getting some quotes for supply & installing a small set of
external French doors that lead to our garden, but they seem a bit pricey at
around £1400-1500.
After a trip to B&Q I see you can pick up a ready-made set that would suit
us for around 400...which implies a installation cost in our quotes of
around £1000, which hurts in the wallet area.

I'm fairly competent on the diy front, so I was wondering if this something
that I could reasonably do myself (perhaps with another set of hands to
assist)?

Which then leads to my next question... the house is timber framed and the
doors would sit in a space of which the top part is currently occupied by a
window. I'd obviously need to knock out the bottom section (mostly
plasterboard), but how do I seal the sides? The outer skin of the building
appears to be a layer of some kind of black sheeting covered with rendering.
What is the skin made of?

TIA

Phil

"Phil" "Phil" wrote in message news:LsW9c.138$Cb4.133@newsfe1-win

I'm fairly competent on the diy front, so I was wondering if this something
that I could reasonably do myself (perhaps with another set of hands to
assist)?

Can you get a pair of exterior doors that will fit once you have cut out
a pair of rebates? A 1/2 inch off each side will drop the width by 1"
over-all. The other sides could lose about that much each too.
Alternatively buy two doors and pull one apart to take it down to the
required size.

window. I'd obviously need to knock out the bottom section (mostly
plasterboard), but how do I seal the sides?

Cut out to the stud (upright) you want. You may want to make the opening
fit 2 doors rather than go to the present window size. Build out to the
size of the frame just add lots of studding if you want they are cheap
and easy to fix. Or make up a frame to suit. It wants a waterproof
membrane on the outside and some rockwool or similar if you decide not
to use studding for the infil.

Once you have the frame in, cover up with the outer sheathing (?) seal
with plenty of mastic and finish with weather/cover-moulding (beading)
aka architrave.

The outer skin of the building appears to be a layer of some kind of
black sheeting covered with rendering. What is the skin made of?

Pass.


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Posted via Mailgate.ORG Server - http://www.Mailgate.ORG

Thanks Michael.

The window should be big enough for a small double door. If luck is on my
side, it may also mean that the frame is pretty close to each side.
From what you say, it doesn't sound so bad to fit. Looking at the window in
BQ, not obvious how it would be fixed to the frame - presumably the doors
come off and there's some holes to put bolts/screws through? Anyone done
this in practice?



"Michael Mcneil" wrote in message
news:f13b8c0115138834f599b91ac38ca042.45219@mygate .mailgate.org...
"Phil" "Phil" wrote in message news:LsW9c.138$Cb4.133@newsfe1-win

I'm fairly competent on the diy front, so I was wondering if this
something
that I could reasonably do myself (perhaps with another set of hands to
assist)?

Can you get a pair of exterior doors that will fit once you have cut out
a pair of rebates? A 1/2 inch off each side will drop the width by 1"
over-all. The other sides could lose about that much each too.
Alternatively buy two doors and pull one apart to take it down to the
required size.

window. I'd obviously need to knock out the bottom section (mostly
plasterboard), but how do I seal the sides?

Cut out to the stud (upright) you want. You may want to make the opening
fit 2 doors rather than go to the present window size. Build out to the
size of the frame just add lots of studding if you want they are cheap
and easy to fix. Or make up a frame to suit. It wants a waterproof
membrane on the outside and some rockwool or similar if you decide not
to use studding for the infil.

Once you have the frame in, cover up with the outer sheathing (?) seal
with plenty of mastic and finish with weather/cover-moulding (beading)
aka architrave.

The outer skin of the building appears to be a layer of some kind of
black sheeting covered with rendering. What is the skin made of?

Pass.


--
Posted via Mailgate.ORG Server - http://www.Mailgate.ORG