- Postcode district
- SW18
- 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
- Putney, Fulham, Battersea
- Building rules
- England
Are sliding doors for new openings right for your Wandsworth home?
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.
For homes in Wandsworth that are listed or covered by an Article 4 direction, ask the council about the new opening before paying for structural calculations.
Where a Wandsworth 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Sunlight, glass and orientation in Wandsworth
Sun angles matter for big glazed doors. Around Wandsworth, midday sun reaches about 62° in summer and drops to about 15° in winter. That low winter sun is free heat through south-facing glass; high summer sun is easier to shade with a roof overhang, and solar-control glass helps where there is none.
Guide prices for sliding doors for new openings in Wandsworth
Use these guide prices to budget for the whole job in Wandsworth: 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) |
|---|---|---|
| 2.1 m | 2 panels | £7,495–£8,295 |
| 4.0 m | 3 panels | £10,295–£11,595 |
| 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.
From survey to fitted door in Wandsworth
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 Putney or Fulham, the same process and prices apply.
Rules for sliding doors for new openings in England
A new or wider opening in England needs Building Control approval for the structural work as well as compliance for the door itself under Approved Documents L and K. Expect structural calculations, a steel beam and, where a party wall is involved, notices under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996.
Finishes and extras for sliding doors for new openings
- 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.
- Concealed steel. Setting the beam so it sits above the ceiling line, giving a cleaner head detail inside.
Questions about sliding doors for new openings in Wandsworth
Can you match other doors and windows in my Wandsworth 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.
How long does it take to form a new opening?
Forming or widening an opening typically involves 3–5 days of building work, including propping, cutting out, installing the steel and padstones, and making good. The sliding door is then made to the finished opening, which typically takes 4–6 weeks for aluminium, so a secure temporary closure is fitted in between. The door itself typically goes in within one to two days.
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.
Can you turn a window into a sliding door?
Yes, a window opening can usually be extended down to the floor and often widened to take a sliding door. The work involves removing the masonry below the window, forming a new threshold, and fitting a steel beam or lintel if the opening is widened. Drains, air bricks and floor levels outside need checking, and the work needs a Building Regulations application.