- Postcode district
- RG1
- Survey
- Free for new and replacement doors
- Typical lead time
- Typically 6–8 weeks from survey sign-off
- Guide price
- From £6,595 inc VAT
- Nearby
- Lower Earley, Henley-on-Thames, Wokingham
- Building rules
- England
Are external pocket sliding doors right for your Reading home?
A few practical points decide whether external pocket sliding doors suit a particular room and opening:
If the wall beside your Reading patio opening is free of windows, radiators and sockets, it may be long enough to take a pocket so the panels disappear completely.
If the only wall beside your Reading opening is shared with a neighbour, check the pocket design and any steel bearing on it early, as the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 (England and Wales) may apply.
- Insulating the pocket wall and sealing the panel edges limits heat loss through the cavity, helping the wall beside the door perform like the rest of the house.
- With every panel slid into the wall, the full width of the opening is clear, so the room and terrace join without a fixed panel in the way.
- Pockets can be formed on one side or both, so a wide opening can part in the middle with panels sliding away in each direction.
How much sun will a door in Reading get?
Sun angles matter for big glazed doors. Around Reading, 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.
External pocket sliding doors prices in Reading
These figures are for the door supplied and fitted, with the engineer's structural calculations, including VAT. They include forming the opening and the pocket in the wall; Building Control fees are set by your council and are extra. Your price is fixed in a written quote after survey.
| Overall width | Typical panels | Guide price (fitted, inc VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| 1.8 m | 1 panel | £6,595–£8,095 |
| 3.6 m | 2 panels | £9,295–£11,395 |
| 4.0 m | 2 panels | £9,895–£12,095 |
See every size on the external pocket sliding doors page or try the guide price tool.
Timescales for external pocket sliding doors in Reading
Surveys in the RG1 district are booked at a time that suits you. Once the opening is ready and measured, manufacture is typically 6–8 weeks from survey sign-off; on fitting day the frame is set level and sealed, and the panels are adjusted so they glide properly. Fitting usually takes 3–5 days of building work to form the opening and pocket, then 1–2 days to fit the door.
Do you need approval in Reading?
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 external pocket sliding doors
- Glass. Double or triple glazed safety glass, with laminated or solar-control units as needed.
- Colours. Single or dual colour powder coating, so the exposed edge of the panel matches the frame inside and out.
- Pocket side. A single pocket to one side, or pockets on both sides so a wide door parts in the middle.
Questions about external pocket sliding doors in Reading
Can you match other doors and windows in my Reading 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 an external pocket door project take?
An external pocket door typically takes 6–8 weeks to make after survey sign-off, and the building work to form the opening and pocket typically takes 3–5 days before the door goes in. Fitting the door then takes 1–2 days. Engineer design and Building Regulations approval come first, so the whole project runs longer than a straight door swap.
Does a pocket in the wall cause heat loss?
A pocket in the wall does not have to cause significant heat loss if it is insulated, lined and sealed as part of the design, and the door itself typically achieves whole-door U-values around 1.2–1.6 W/m²K double glazed. In England, a new door in an existing home with more than 60% glazing must achieve 1.4 W/m²K or better. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own energy rules.
How much do external pocket sliding doors cost?
External pocket sliding doors start from a guide price of £6,595 for a 1.8 m single-panel door, fitted, inc VAT, at standard 2.1 m height, including forming the wall pocket. A 3 m two-panel door is a guide £8,395–£10,295, and a 6 m three-panel door is around £12,895. Wall construction, glass and finish affect the figure, which is fixed in a written quote after survey.