- Postcode district
- PL1
- 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
- Saltash, Tavistock, Liskeard
- Building rules
- England
External pocket sliding doors in Plymouth: what to know
These are the points a surveyor will go through with you when you choose external pocket sliding doors for a home in Plymouth:
However sheltered or exposed your Plymouth home is, external pocket sliding doors need a drained pocket and a clear external channel so rainwater running along the track never sits inside the wall.
Want the whole width of your Plymouth kitchen open to the garden but prefer the look of sliders to bifolds? A pocket gives you both, at the cost of more building work.
- When closed, a pocket door looks like a large-paned slider, with slim meeting stiles and plenty of glass instead of the many frames of a folding door.
- Parked inside the wall, open panels are protected from weather and knocks, and garden furniture can sit right up to the edge of the opening.
- A lined and drained pocket carries rainwater running along the track out of the wall, protecting the structure as well as the rollers.
Sunlight, glass and orientation in Plymouth
Daylight in Plymouth runs from about 8 h 01 min in December to 16 h 26 min in June, with the noon sun at roughly 16° and 63° 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.
How much do external pocket sliding doors cost in Plymouth?
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 |
| 3.0 m | 2 panels | £8,395–£10,295 |
| 6.0 m | 3 panels | £12,895–£15,795 |
See every size on the external pocket sliding doors page or try the guide price tool.
Survey, manufacture and fitting around Plymouth
Here is the usual sequence in Plymouth: guide price, free survey, written quote, any building work, then manufacture (typically 6–8 weeks from survey sign-off). Fitting typically takes 3–5 days of building work to form the opening and pocket, then 1–2 days to fit the door. Nearby, we also survey in Saltash, Tavistock and Liskeard.
Rules for external pocket sliding doors 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.
Options to consider for your external pocket sliding door
- Colours. Single or dual colour powder coating, so the exposed edge of the panel matches the frame inside and out.
- Internal finish. Plastered, panelled or tiled finishes on the pocket wall, with the access panel set discreetly into it.
- System type. Standard aluminium, slimline or lift and slide pocket systems, chosen to suit panel weight and sightlines.
Questions about external pocket sliding doors in Plymouth
Can you match other doors and windows in my Plymouth 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.
How much wall do I need for an external pocket door?
An external pocket door needs a clear length of wall beside the opening at least as long as the panels that slide into it, plus a little for the frame. For a single 2 m panel that means just over 2 m of wall with no windows, radiators, sockets or pipes in it. A two-sided pocket splits the panels between both sides, so each side needs less length.
Do external pocket doors need Building Regulations approval?
External pocket doors need Building Regulations approval in England, because forming the opening and pocket is structural work needing an application, structural calculations (included in our guide prices), and usually a steel beam or lintel. If the steel bears on a party wall, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 (England and Wales) may apply. Scotland needs a building warrant; Wales and Northern Ireland have their own building control rules.