- Postcode district
- NW5
- 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
- Camden, Highgate, Hampstead
- Building rules
- England
What external pocket sliding doors offer homes in Kentish Town
These are the points a surveyor will go through with you when you choose external pocket sliding doors for a home in Kentish Town:
For a Kentish Town extension still at the drawing stage, planning the pocket wall now is far simpler than rebuilding a finished wall later.
If the only wall beside your Kentish Town 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.
- A lined and drained pocket carries rainwater running along the track out of the wall, protecting the structure as well as the rollers.
- A removable access panel on the inside of the pocket wall lets the rollers be reached and adjusted without opening up the plaster.
- 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.
Sunlight, glass and orientation in Kentish Town
Sun angles matter for big glazed doors. Around Kentish Town, 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.
Typical costs for external pocket sliding doors around Kentish Town
Guide prices include the door, fitting and 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.
| 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.
How fitting works in Kentish Town
A surveyor visits your Kentish Town home to check the wall, the structure above and the floor levels, and talks through glass and finish. Any building work is planned to the engineer's design, the door is made to 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.
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.
Specification choices for external pocket sliding doors in Kentish Town
- 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.
- Internal finish. Plastered, panelled or tiled finishes on the pocket wall, with the access panel set discreetly into it.
Questions about external pocket sliding doors in Kentish Town
Can you match other doors and windows in my Kentish Town 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 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.
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.