New front door required ASAP

SomeUser

I was burgled this morning so it's pushed forward the timing of me getting a new front door.

I'm in Croydon, but can anyone recommend any speedy companies, either locally to me or a national company?

I need a composite door as it's a conservation area and replacing an existing wood door.

MX5huggy

Why do you think think a composite door will meet the requirements of the conservation area? It's still plastic.

buglawton

Check whether council offers financial assistance - a colleague on a conservation zone once got a council grant towards window frames.

Reece_

MX5huggy wrote: »

Why do you think think a composite door will meet the requirements of the conservation area? It's still plastic.

In our area at least, composite that meets certain visual criteria is fine for the conservation areas as they (kind of ) look like wooden doors still, so you can have wooden or composite just no plain upvc.

SomeUser

MX5huggy wrote: »

Why do you think think a composite door will meet the requirements of the conservation area? It's still plastic.

Given the whopping great hole I have in my door frame, as long as the character is maintained and the door is of a high quality and virtually indistinguishable from wood, I'm willing to take the chance and get it approved retrospectively.

Sure, it may not be what you would do (fitting a composite door), but you didn't come face to face with a burglar in your living room this morning (...I hope, otherwise that would be an extremely unlucky coincidence!).

Do you have any helpful suggestions or recommendations for me to find a plastic door?

bylromarha

Sorry to hear about the burglary. Hope you're okay.

I'm getting a new composite front door fitted Wednesday and the local independents ordering direct from manufacturers had a quicker turnaround time than the nationals I rang. Guy fitting it came round to quote the afternoon I rang him, and door took 2 weeks to make. He's fitting it 3 weeks after me placing my order.

Most larger companies were quoting 6 weeks turnaround...and were more expensive.

Furts

Regardless of the marketing hype, a composite door is flawed for security. It is fine for most people, myself included, but if the area is one of high crime, or risk, then a timber door in a timber frame should be considered.

When one looks back over the past 30 years a standard, new build, front door has gone backwards in terms of security. Then there were solid timber hardwood doors, in solid timber frames, with solid hardwood cills, with two BS Kitemarked five lever locks, with three 4 inch washered hinges, with a spy hole, with a security door chain, and with top and bottom door bolts. This was all fitted into a draught stripped frame, and the door was fitted with a weatherbar, and often a Stormguard cill.

Back to composite doors. The previous post by bylromarha can be expanded. Door Stop were doing a three day turn around on composite doors. Hence if it is ordered on a Monday, it will be delivered by Friday. The quality of this product would be acceptable to the majority of people. Hence there is no need to wait three, or six, weeks.

thebaldwindowfitter

Furts wrote: »

Regardless of the marketing hype, a composite door is flawed for security. It is fine for most people, myself included, but if the area is one of high crime, or risk, then a timber door in a timber frame should be considered.

When one looks back over the past 30 years a standard, new build, front door has gone backwards in terms of security. Then there were solid timber hardwood doors, in solid timber frames, with solid hardwood cills, with two BS Kitemarked five lever locks, with three 4 inch washered hinges, with a spy hole, with a security door chain, and with top and bottom door bolts. This was all fitted into a draught stripped frame, and the door was fitted with a weatherbar, and often a Stormguard cill.

Back to composite doors. The previous post by bylromarha can be expanded. Door Stop were doing a three day turn around on composite doors. Hence if it is ordered on a Monday, it will be delivered by Friday. The quality of this product would be acceptable to the majority of people. Hence there is no need to wait three, or six, weeks.

Dont know were you get your facts from it certainly is not from any building industry background and if it is it is based on some cheap composite doors we fit rockdoors as im sure you know from previous posts can you please explain to me why Police forces all over the uk use dedicated locksmiths to gain entry on premises were rockdoors are installed and the various fire brigades around the country given demonstration for entry, if rockdoors which are composite doors are less secure than you super secure hardwood door in timber frame.Can i also add i have been in the building trade for 32 years own business 25 years installing double glazing and replacement doors and never have i come across a timber door with the security you mention and even if there was one it would have been weakened by the amount of holes made for such security.Most timber doors simply have yale and mortice lock

http://www.rockdoor.com/strong-secure-doors

And yes door stop may do a 3 day turn around but anybody in this industry who is any good is pulled out at the moment because this is one of our busiest periods

Furts

thebaldwindowfitter wrote: »

Dont know were you get your facts from it certainly is not from any building industry background and if it is it is based on some cheap composite doors we fit rockdoors as im sure you know from previous posts can you please explain to me why Police forces all over the uk use dedicated locksmiths to gain entry on premises were rockdoors are installed and the various fire brigades around the country given demonstration for entry, if rockdoors which are composite doors are less secure than you super secure hardwood door in timber frame.Can i also add i have been in the building trade for 32 years own business 25 years installing double glazing and replacement doors and never have i come across a timber door with the security you mention and even if there was one it would have been weakened by the amount of holes made for such security.Most timber doors simply have yale and mortice lock

http://www.rockdoor.com/strong-secure-doors

And yes door stop may do a 3 day turn around but anybody in this industry who is any good is pulled out at the moment because this is one of our busiest periods

I worked for a volume house builder during the 1980s and this was standard fitting on all their houses for years. Indeed two of their houses are opposite me and the original front doors and mechanisms are still in place. Indeed, surrounding me are numerous front doors of this era, including those fom rival builders.

A rival builder, namely Heron Homes, introduced composite doors into their homes around 1987. The security weakness gradually became apparent.

Today the industry has moved away from proper, solid, timber hardwood, UK made doors. This is due to sustainability, limited timber availability, and environmental reasons. We are now left with composite doors. I have no issue with Rockdoors, so your incessant ranting about their virtues is wasted on me. I already know that they are a good product.

I am also well aware that people want their front doors and everything else for Christmas. With this in mind I have today booked a plasterer to help complete a conservatory. He is available at 9.00 tomorrow morning to look at the job, then undertake it a couple of days later. Not every tradesman is claiming unavailability before Christmas!

The forum guidelines are to not fuel the trolls. Hence, we will have to agree to disagree.

thebaldwindowfitter

Furts wrote: »

I worked for a volume house builder during the 1980s and this was standard fitting on all their houses for years. Indeed two of their houses are opposite me and the original front doors and mechanisms are still in place. Indeed, surrounding me are numerous front doors of this era, including those fom rival builders.

A rival builder, namely Heron Homes, introduced composite doors into their homes around 1987. The security weakness gradually became apparent.

Today the industry has moved away from proper, solid, timber hardwood, UK made doors. This is due to sustainability, limited timber availability, and environmental reasons. We are now left with composite doors. I have no issue with Rockdoors, so your incessant ranting about their virtues is wasted on me. I already know that they are a good product.

I am also well aware that people want their front doors and everything else for Christmas. With this in mind I have today booked a plasterer to help complete a conservatory. He is available at 9.00 tomorrow morning to look at the job, then undertake it a couple of days later. Not every tradesman is claiming unavailability before Christmas!

The forum guidelines are to not fuel the trolls. Hence, we will have to agree to disagree.

And i still disagree with you regarding the locking mechanisms on the doors as you have stated as i say this would weaken the door jamb . i too have worked for big house builders Amec once one of the largest uk building companies ,barratt ,Beazer homes,persimmon homes now the biggest uk house builder and over 25 years the owner of a double glazing company and never seen a door as you describe .Your also very lucky finding a plasterer who can fit you in so quick because everybody i know are fully booked but then the people i know and use are trademen . As for house builders not using timber it is also because people also want low maintenance . Can you please give me your reasons for saying why composite doors are less secure after all you have just made sweeping statements in everything you have posted

anotheruser

Furts wrote: »

I worked for a volume house builder during the 1980s... Heron Homes introduced composite doors into their homes around 1987...

So you're comparing technology from the 80's to that of near on 30 years later?

Yeah... okay...