French doors in existing window void...advise?

[Zoe Firth]

Hello everyone.
Newbie here. Zoe.

My house is in Leeds, and have found myself in a position where i am now making plans.

I had a quote to knock out the existing window and put in a new french door and it comes in over £2k. Considering i can get the door for less than £500, Im considering doing this myself with the help of some strong people.

Has anyone done this themselves, any hints or tips?

 

[mikeey84]

I did this a couple of months ago.

Is your external wall brick or rendered block?

One tip- start as early in the day as possible, and check the door isn't broken before you knock the hole out, else it can get a bit draughty waiting for the replacement to turn up!

 

[bobasd]

would you feel confident propping a wider opening, and lifting lintels up and into position?
there are a number of variables to consider.
why not read up on the search button and the Related Threads below.

 

[23vc]

What’s your current building skill level, as there are several required here (brickwork, structural alterations, plastering, window fitting)? And are you looking at making the opening wider, or keeping the existing width? Considerably smaller job if the latter

 

[Notch7]

Has anyone done this themselves, any hints or tips?

Same width as window and cut down below, or widen opening with new lintel.

Big difference.

If you diy, I dont recommend if you widen opening.

You might be best to post an external pic -your window may have no lintel above it.

Solid wall or cavity?

Radiator or electrics inside?

Working out height of doors isnt easy on a cut below job......

 

[^woody^]

Run a disk saw down the outside.
Cut the inside with a hand saw if soft blocks, bolster chisel if anything else.

Push the panels out, they will topple.

Vertical DPC up the cavity (if a cavity wall) and a bit of insulation in it before gobbling it up with mortar.

Fit DPC on the bottom, fit frame and make good etc.

Make good threshold.

You should get building regulation permission.

Check out many individual threads for each of those operations

 

[noseall]

I had a quote to knock out the existing window and put in a new french door

I presume that included fitting the doors?
Fitting windows is relatively straightforward compared to fitting doors, especially a pair of doors. Have you any knowledge of fixing/packing (using concrete screws etc), toe & heel packing, alignment?

 

[Ian H]

I did it myself, pretty much how Woody said but I also added some retro fit wall ties next to my cuts.

I **** myself the whole way through thinking the house was going to fall down

Is the guy quoting for the same spec door? £500 seems cheap.

 

[catlad]

I'd use insulated cavity closer's they do them in different widths.

 

[mikeey84]

I presume that included fitting the doors?
Fitting windows is relatively straightforward compared to fitting doors, especially a pair of doors. Have you any knowledge of fixing/packing (using concrete screws etc), toe & heel packing, alignment?

I'll second this. As I said, I did this very thing last year, and fitting a big, heavy door is a PITA, and can take a lot of fiddling around to get everything plumb, which is difficult with a heavy door.

 

[Notch7]

I presume that included fitting the doors?
Fitting windows is relatively straightforward compared to fitting doors, especially a pair of doors. Have you any knowledge of fixing/packing (using concrete screws etc), toe & heel packing, alignment?

There are plenty of builders that are quite clueless about fitting door sets, let alone diyers.

Ive supplied plenty of French door sets to builders, who then ring up and complain the doors dont sit right in the frame. What I tend to find is the builder fits the door frame using a square and a level, puts all the frame fixings in hen puts the doors on.

Upvc is even more awkward as the frame is flexible and its rather easy to bend the frame if wedge packers arent used at each fixing.
Then youve got heel and toe to be done when glazing.

All of it is doable for a competent diyer, but theres lots to go wrong.

Measuring door frame height is awkward on a window to door alteration.

I used to hate doing site surveys when the builder hadnt completed the openings, or measuring when only the concrete slab is in. Its always a worry when the builder starts scratching his head when asked what the FFL is. Flush cills on bifolds are a complete nightmare.