- Postcode district
- BH2
- 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
- Christchurch, Poole, Ferndown
- Building rules
- England
External pocket sliding doors in Bournemouth: what to know
Before you settle on a door type, it helps to know what external pocket sliding doors do well and what to check before you order.
For a Bournemouth extension still at the drawing stage, planning the pocket wall now is far simpler than rebuilding a finished wall later.
However sheltered or exposed your Bournemouth 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.
- Open panels are hidden inside the wall rather than stacked in view, keeping the opening clean-lined compared with a bifold stack at one side.
- 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.
- A removable access panel on the inside of the pocket wall lets the rollers be reached and adjusted without opening up the plaster.
Daylight in Bournemouth and what it means for your glass
Daylight in Bournemouth runs from about 7 h 57 min in December to 16 h 30 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 Bournemouth?
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) |
|---|---|---|
| 3.0 m | 2 panels | £8,395–£10,295 |
| 3.6 m | 2 panels | £9,295–£11,395 |
| 4.8 m | 3 panels | £11,095–£13,595 |
See every size on the external pocket sliding doors page or try the guide price tool.
Timescales for external pocket sliding doors in Bournemouth
Nothing is ordered until you sign off the surveyed specification. The door is made from the finished opening sizes (typically 6–8 weeks from survey sign-off), and fitting usually takes 3–5 days of building work to form the opening and pocket, then 1–2 days to fit the door. If you are in Christchurch or Poole, the same process and prices apply.
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.
Which options matter for external pocket sliding doors?
- Threshold. Low or flush thresholds, with the external drainage channel continuing past the pocket.
- Colours. Single or dual colour powder coating, so the exposed edge of the panel matches the frame inside and out.
- 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 Bournemouth
How soon can you survey in Bournemouth?
Surveys in the BH2 district are booked at a time that suits you, and we offer survey dates when we reply to your enquiry. After you approve the written quote, manufacture is typically 6–8 weeks from survey sign-off.
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 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.
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.