- Postcode district
- DA5
- 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
- Bexleyheath, Sidcup, Chislehurst
- Building rules
- England
Are sliding doors for new openings right for your Bexley home?
A few practical points decide whether sliding doors for new openings suit a particular room and opening:
Where a Bexley house has a bay, chimney breast or upstairs window directly above the planned opening, the engineer will need to account for it in the steel design.
Turning a Bexley 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.
- 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.
- Making good the reveals and head after the steel goes in leaves a square, plumb opening, which is what a precision-made sliding door needs to run smoothly.
How much sun will a door in Bexley get?
The midday sun over Bexley ranges from about 15° at the winter solstice to about 62° at midsummer. Low-angle winter light reaches further into a room through a tall door, which is one reason taller panels are worth considering; on south or west walls, pair them with solar-control glass.
New and widened openings for sliding doors prices in Bexley
Use these guide prices to budget for the whole job in Bexley: 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 |
| 2.4 m | 2 panels | £7,895–£8,895 |
| 6.0 m | 4 panels | £13,295–£15,095 |
See every size on the sliding doors for new openings page or try the guide price tool.
Survey, manufacture and fitting around Bexley
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 Bexleyheath or Sidcup, the same process and prices apply.
Do you need approval in Bexley?
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.
Which options matter for sliding doors for new openings?
- Low threshold detail. Adjusting floor and outside levels during the building work to allow a lower sill.
- Widening an existing door. Removing masonry each side of an old patio door to take a wider slider.
- Steel beam with padstones. A beam sized by the engineer to carry the wall, floors and roof above.
Questions about sliding doors for new openings in Bexley
Can you match other doors and windows in my Bexley home?
Usually, yes. Most aluminium and uPVC systems come in standard RAL colours and finishes, and we can quote dual colour where the inside and outside need to differ. Bring photos of existing frames to the survey.
Do I need building regulations to widen a door opening?
Yes, forming or widening an opening is structural work and needs a Building Regulations application in England, supported by structural calculations. Building Control inspects the work, typically including the steel and its bearings. In Scotland a building warrant is needed. Wales and Northern Ireland follow their own building regulations through local authority or district council building control.
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.
Do I need a steel beam for sliding doors?
A widened or new opening usually needs a steel beam or a suitable lintel to carry the wall and anything above it, and for wider openings a steel beam is the usual answer. A structural engineer chooses the size and bearing details based on the loads. The beam is placed on padstones at each end to spread its load into the masonry.