- Postcode district
- EX1
- Survey
- Free for new and replacement doors
- Typical lead time
- Typically 4–6 weeks for the door after the opening is measured; building work scheduled around approvals
- Guide price
- From £6,595 inc VAT
- Nearby
- Crediton, Exmouth, Tiverton
- Building rules
- England
Why choose sliding doors for new openings in Exeter?
Before you settle on a door type, it helps to know what sliding doors for new openings do well and what to check before you order.
Living in an Exeter flat? Structural changes to an external wall almost always need the agreement of the building's owner or the other owners, so speak to them first.
Turning an Exeter kitchen window into a door to the garden? Check where drains, gullies and air bricks sit outside, because they can affect the new threshold.
- Temporary propping holds up the wall above while the masonry is cut out, keeping floors, ceilings and the roof safely supported throughout the work.
- A structural engineer sizes the steel beam and padstones for the actual loads above, so the opening is designed rather than guessed.
- If the work affects a party wall, notice can be served under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 (England and Wales) before it starts, avoiding disputes with neighbours later.
How much sun will a door in Exeter get?
Daylight in Exeter runs from about 7 h 57 min in December to 16 h 30 min in June, with the noon sun at roughly 16° and 63° respectively. Use that to choose your glass: standard low-E double glazing for north and east elevations, and consider solar-control or triple glazing for sunny south and west walls.
Guide prices for sliding doors for new openings in Exeter
Use these guide prices to budget for the whole job in Exeter: the door, the steelwork, making good and the engineer's calculations, including VAT. Building Control or warrant fees are charged by the council on top.
| Overall width | Typical panels | Guide price (fitted, inc VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| 1.5 m | 2 panels | £6,595–£7,295 |
| 2.1 m | 2 panels | £7,495–£8,295 |
| 3.0 m | 2 panels | £8,795–£9,895 |
See every size on the sliding doors for new openings page or try the guide price tool.
From survey to fitted door in Exeter
Nothing is ordered until you sign off the surveyed specification. The door is made from the finished opening sizes (typically 4–6 weeks for the door after the opening is measured; building work scheduled around approvals), and fitting usually takes 3–5 days of building work, then 1–2 days to fit the door. If you are in Crediton or Exmouth, the same process and prices apply.
Do you need approval in Exeter?
In England, forming or widening an opening is structural work that needs a Building Regulations application, structural calculations and usually a steel beam on padstones. The new door is also a controlled fitting (U-value 1.4 W/m²K or better if more than 60% glazed). If steelwork bears on a party wall, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 may apply.
Specification choices for sliding doors for new openings in Exeter
- Widening an existing door. Removing masonry each side of an old patio door to take a wider slider.
- Window to door conversion. Cutting down below an existing window to form a door opening to the garden.
- Temporary door or boarding. A secure, weathertight closure while the made-to-measure door is being manufactured.
Questions about sliding doors for new openings in Exeter
Is the price different in Exeter?
No. Guide prices for sliding doors for new openings are the same across mainland Britain, including Exeter. The fitted price depends on size, system, glass and finish, and any structural work, all fixed in your written quote after survey.
Do I need planning permission for a new opening?
Planning rules for altering an elevation depend on the property and where you are, so it is worth checking with your council before you commit. Flats, listed buildings and properties covered by an Article 4 direction are the most likely to need consent. Wales and Scotland have their own planning rules. Our planning guide sets out the questions to ask.
How much does it cost to widen an opening for sliding doors?
Our guide price for forming or widening an opening is £3,595 for 2.4 m and £4,495 for 4.8 m, covering steel, padstones, making good and structural calculations. The door is priced separately, and Building Control fees are set by your council. All figures are guide prices inc VAT, fixed in a written quote after we survey the wall and see what is above it.
Does the Party Wall Act apply to my new opening?
The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 (England and Wales) may apply if the new steel beam bears on, or is cut into, a wall you share with a neighbour, as is common in semi-detached and terraced houses. If it applies, you must serve notice on the neighbour before the work starts. A rear wall entirely on your own property is less likely to be affected.

