Front door size with glass side panels and at the top

tallac

When ordering an external door with side glass panels and a top glass panel. Something like this:

I know I want a nice wide door that's 90cm wide, but can door companies make the glass side panels of any width and the top glass panel of any height? Thus taking up all the space in the open brick work?

Reason is, my builder will be starting the brick work to the porch and has asked me to give him what dimensions for the door opening to leave open. I don't know exactly how much to leave but if the door companies make the door to fit any gap then I can at least come up with an approx size. Thoughts?

Doozergirl

I'd speak to the chosen door company and het it designed quickly, because if you can size your opening to be perfect and know exactly what you've chosen, then that's always going the best option. 

What you don't want is massive amounts of framing and not enough glass.  

If you look at that picture, if the door was 90cm, the full width would be 180cm odd and there's not an awful lot of glass in the individual panels, considering.  

Having one side panel on that pic would have allowed more glass.  

TELLIT01

Get your builder to measure the overall opening size.  Then it's his problem if it doesn't fit.

tallac

I say builder but he's really the assigned coordinator of the project from the renovation company I am using (referring to him as the builder is just shorter to type). Anyway, he has asked me to meet with his brick layers, so that I can tell them what dimensions to leave for the door.

Is this manner correct where the building of the brick work to the rough desired dimensions of the doorway is done, and then the door company will then make the door/frame/window panels fill the gap?

Doozergirl

Yes it is, because it guarantees a good fit.  But isn't there a plan? Because a plan can ensure that there's a good design? 

As I said, I'd design the door, tell the builders the opening.   Then measure exactly when it's built and sign off the order. 

tallac

Doozergirl said:

Yes it is, because it guarantees a good fit.  But isn't there a plan? Because a plan can ensure that there's a good design? 

Sadly there is no plan. I have realised far too late that the project coordinator is extremely disorganised and never shows me any kind of plan. His lack of planning has resulted in me having to make my own plan (based on my limited knowledge) and then get him to confirm them. Trying to get a plan or any get things in writing from them is like blood from a stone.

Doozergirl

tallac said:

Doozergirl said:

Yes it is, because it guarantees a good fit.  But isn't there a plan? Because a plan can ensure that there's a good design? 

Sadly there is no plan. I have realised far too late that the project coordinator is extremely disorganised and never shows me any kind of plan. His lack of planning has resulted in me having to make my own plan (based on my limited knowledge) and then get him to confirm them. Trying to get a plan or any get things in writing from them is like blood from a stone.

You're the boss.  It's your fault if there is no plan!    I'm
amazed that you're extending with nothing to go on.  

It's also your fault if there is nothing in writing.

tallac

Thanks for the advice. I've planned it as best as I can (within my own ability). Building work has already commenced and they seem to have been doing a good job. Getting things in writing is easier said than done. The builder is sometimes non-responsive on things so I have to chase them up on things I've sent to them. Sending them a list of 50 items that they haven't followed up on is just not realistic so I have to cherry pick the most important things to chase up on. Anyway, this is the consequences of going with a somewhat bargain basement builder. If I had huge amounts of money to throw around then I would definitely be going with another company with far more attention to detail and better service but I have to do what I have to do, within my budget which does mean compromises.

tallac

On the topic of the post, interestingly I've now ditched the idea of the top glass panel. This is because the porch has a A shape roof. Trying to accommodate a top glass panel means the opening can't be as wide and thus the glass panels on the side would have to be narrower. Might as well do away with the top glass panel and make the frame as wide as it can go.

gwynlas

Off topic of door opening but is your extension subject to regulation and building control? 
This all falls to your responsibility rather than your disorganised contractor and will come back to bite you if you ever sell/

tallac

gwynlas said:

Off topic of door opening but is your extension subject to regulation and building control? 
This all falls to your responsibility rather than your disorganised contractor and will come back to bite you if you ever sell/

Yes, all the renovation work is being done above board and to the proper regulation. That's one area I don't want to cut corners on. Would be silly to do that IMO