Burgled - New front door needed - advice please?!

sambessey

I was burgled this week (Live in South London) and they totally smashed the front door as per the pics. I live in an Edwardian house I want a door that is in-keeping. I also want to get it sorted in the next week or so, but all the places that sell what I am told are decent doors have long lead times. I have a carpenter who will do the work and recommended a couple of places, but they either can't deliver within a week or are asking for silly prices for something bespoke.





I've looked at:

- B&Q (utter rubbish!)
- Wickes (Better but can't see the full range in store)
- Travis Perkins (Not open again til Monday but I believe they do better quality)

Where else should I try that will be able to do it quickly?


Another option is that I went to a reclamation place that specialises in doors. They had a few 44mm 'old' pine front doors they could sell me for the £150-£200 range but they also said what they normally do is take old doors, and replace the panels with 18mm ply (integrated into the main part of the door so they rout the inside out around the panel to take the thicker MDF) and add some decorative beading which creates a very secure door that is in-keeping with the building.

They showed me a 44/12mm one they were part way through and it seemed pretty solid but they said they will do 44/18mm for my one.

They quoted £750 to do this by Friday. The base door was pine but seems pretty solid from what I could see.

The final door would look like below.

I wonder if this is a good option??

Thanks for all and any advice!

Rosemary7391

Why do you want it sorted within a week?


When this happened to me I had my door temporarily pieced back together (admittedly the damage wasn't as bad as yours). Looked terrible but I had to wait for a new door to be custom made simply due to the size.



What will the building insurance cover?

Owain_Moneysaver

Building security firms like Orbis can hire and fit a temporary security door - your insurers should be able to arrange and pay for this.

sambessey

The level of insurance I have does not cover anything like this! I have just basic buildings insurance and that is it. Also it is secured, but the guy who came out said there is not enough of the door left to make it secure and operational; I would need to put an entire temporary door on.

Why do I want it sorted in a week? Because currently I have to enter and exit my property via an overgrown and very dark side return and can only lock my property up through a single lock on the back door, as the other locks are only accessible from the inside.

Mr.Generous

I like the pine door with 18mm ply. You need an alarm as well though if they are prepared to attack a door. Take a number of measures, a couple of timer lamps and a TV simulator work wonders.

sambessey

Mr Generous - I am sorting all that out too I already have a Banham alarm but do not use it unless I am away overnight or something.

So does the pine door sound reasonable as a solution and price? (It would be primed but unpainted by the way)

JimmyChanga

Is your front door away from neighbours sight? To get the door smashed in, in that fashion, is quite rare. Usually thieves do not want to attract attention like that. Most wooden front doors are reasonable in strength. You can only go so strong at which point the locks will be the next weakest point.

I don't know your full situation but you might be going overkill because of the state of your previous door?

Owain_Moneysaver

If it's a flat door onto a communal staircase it might have to be a fire rated door now (even if it originally wasn't - freeholders are tightening up their fire risk assessments).

sambessey

its a door straight out on to the street. It is a Share of Freehold maisonette.

giraffe69

I already have a Banham alarm but do not use it unless I am away overnight or something.

How strange to have an alarm and not use it. If you set it overnight when you are there does it have a setting so it doesn't go on the floor where the bedroom is?

Lorian

I know its hard to get at but its worth checking the panel above the door is of adequate strength too.

It would have made quite a lot of noise to do that... neighbours out?