- Postcode district
- BS16
- 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
- Fishponds, Kingswood, Bishopston
- Building rules
- England
External pocket sliding doors in Mangotsfield: 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.
Solid brick, cavity block or timber frame: the way your Mangotsfield wall is built decides how the pocket is formed, which is why the survey looks at it closely.
If the only wall beside your Mangotsfield 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Planning glass for the light in Mangotsfield
At the latitude of Mangotsfield, the midday sun climbs to about 62° in late June but only about 15° in late December, when daylight lasts around 7 h 50 min against 16 h 38 min in midsummer. A south-facing external pocket sliding door lets that low winter sun deep into the room; on a west or south elevation, solar-control glass keeps summer afternoons comfortable.
Typical costs for external pocket sliding doors around Mangotsfield
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 |
| 4.8 m | 3 panels | £11,095–£13,595 |
| 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.
Timescales for external pocket sliding doors in Mangotsfield
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 Fishponds or Kingswood, the same process and prices apply.
Do you need approval in Mangotsfield?
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.
Specification choices for external pocket sliding doors in Mangotsfield
- Internal finish. Plastered, panelled or tiled finishes on the pocket wall, with the access panel set discreetly into it.
- Threshold. Low or flush thresholds, with the external drainage channel continuing past the pocket.
- Glass. Double or triple glazed safety glass, with laminated or solar-control units as needed.
Questions about external pocket sliding doors in Mangotsfield
How soon can you survey in Mangotsfield?
Surveys in the BS16 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 wide can an external pocket sliding door be?
An external pocket sliding door in our range typically gives a clear opening of about 1.8 m to 6 m, using one panel at the narrow end and two or three panels on wider doors. Wider openings usually use pockets on both sides, or a multi-track pocket so the panels stack inside the wall. Sizes are confirmed after survey and the engineer's design.
Are external pocket doors secure?
External pocket doors are secure when the panels lock to the frame with multi-point hardware, the glass is laminated, and the pocket is closed off so the panels cannot be reached from outside. Once shut, the front edge of the panel locks into the frame just as on a standard slider. Systems are available tested to PAS 24, and the locking specification is set out in your quote.
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.