New and widened openings for sliding doors across the West Midlands
The right door depends on the opening, the room and the way you use the garden. Here is how sliding doors for new openings tend to work out in practice:
Thinking about a wider opening in the West Midlands but unsure of the size? Mark it out on the wall inside and out with tape, then picture the furniture and the view before you decide.
Living in a West Midlands 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.
- Structural calculations are included in the guide price, and the Building Regulations application is handled as part of the project, so you are not left coordinating engineers and inspectors.
- A structural engineer sizes the steel beam and padstones for the actual loads above, so the opening is designed rather than guessed.
- 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.
Guide prices for sliding doors for new openings in the West Midlands
These figures combine an aluminium sliding door with the building work to form or widen the opening, including structural calculations and VAT. Your price is fixed in a written quote once the wall in your home has been surveyed; council fees are extra.
| 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 |
| 2.4 m | 2 panels | £7,895–£8,895 |
| 3.0 m | 2 panels | £8,795–£9,895 |
Every size is on the sliding doors for new openings page.
Daylight and glass in the West Midlands
Daylight in the West Midlands runs from about 7 h 39 min in December to 16 h 50 min in June, with the noon sun at roughly 14° and 61° 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.
Towns we cover in the West Midlands
We survey and fit sliding doors for new openings in 28 towns across the West Midlands, including the B13, B14, B15, B17, B23, B28 postcode districts.
Approvals 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.
Questions about sliding doors for new openings in the West Midlands
Is the price different in the West Midlands?
No. Guide prices for sliding doors for new openings are the same across mainland Britain, including West Midlands. 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.
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.
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.