- Postcode district
- CR4
- 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
- Morden, Tooting, Wimbledon
- Building rules
- England
New and widened openings for sliding doors in Mitcham: what to know
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 a Mitcham 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 a Mitcham 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.
- The door is measured from the finished opening rather than from drawings, so it fits the opening as built, not as it was intended to be built.
- A structural engineer sizes the steel beam and padstones for the actual loads above, so the opening is designed rather than guessed.
How much sun will a door in Mitcham get?
At the latitude of Mitcham, the midday sun climbs to about 62° in late June but only about 15° in late December, when daylight lasts around 7 h 51 min against 16 h 37 min in midsummer. A south-facing sliding door for a new opening lets that low winter sun deep into the room; on a west or south elevation, solar-control glass keeps summer afternoons comfortable.
How much do sliding doors for new openings cost in Mitcham?
Use these guide prices to budget for the whole job in Mitcham: 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) |
|---|---|---|
| 1.8 m | 2 panels | £6,995–£7,795 |
| 2.1 m | 2 panels | £7,495–£8,295 |
| 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 Mitcham
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 Morden or Tooting, the same process and prices apply.
Do you need approval in Mitcham?
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.
Finishes and extras for sliding doors for new openings
- Steel beam with padstones. A beam sized by the engineer to carry the wall, floors and roof above.
- Window to door conversion. Cutting down below an existing window to form a door opening to the garden.
- Widening an existing door. Removing masonry each side of an old patio door to take a wider slider.
Questions about sliding doors for new openings in Mitcham
Do I need building approval for sliding doors for new openings in Mitcham?
In England a replacement door is a controlled fitting, so compliance is arranged through a competent person scheme installer or Building Control; new openings need a Building Regulations application. We confirm the right route for your property at survey, so the paperwork is in place before fitting.
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.
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.