Front door from Wikes - Any good

[David Smithz]

Hi there,

I have a carpenter fitting a new front door this week. He has sent me to his trade place and suggested I buy a door from them.

the style I wanted they said was about £80 - just the door unglazed.

However, looking in Wickes. I have seen the same style of door with the glass in it already, for £70.

I'm wondering whether I should be worried about the quality of the door

In my particular circumstance I am actually in a flat (with a main front communal door, so the front door does not actually get exposed to the rain etc. However I do still need it to be secure.

Also with regard to the lock I have, in some ways I want to have to carry as little keys as possible, so was just thinking of getting a night latch. I was wondering whether this would effect my insurance policy or is it generally mandatory to have a further bottom lock that is a 5-lever mortise lock,

Thanks for any input.

David.

[Andrew Gabriel]

Beware that on many doors nowadays with preinstalled glass, the glass is not replacable if it gets broken. It is fitted as the door is assembled. Don't know if this is the case with external doors, but I've seen many internal doors like this in the likes of Wickes. You may well decide that you don't mind buying a new door and having it fitted if the glass gets broken, but at least you should be aware if that is what will be required from the outset.

I had a night latch and several Eurocylinders made up to take the same key, for precisely this reason. It wasn't expensive to have a local locksmith do this.

With regards to the 5-lever mortise lock (actually, it's a requirement for a BS-something mortice lock), check with your insurance company or policy. Given that I hadn't moved in at the time and couldn't check what locks there were, I just said the house didn't comply, and it only made £10 difference to my insurance. You can get a mortise lock which will take a Eurocylinder (matching your night latch as above), so just one key does everything.

[Steven Briggs]

In message , David Smithz writes

Two examples, part glazed hardwood doors fitted at Mum's place 4-5 years ago.

1) Wickes, half-glazed, fitted to kitchen, south facing but inside a roasting hot 100% glass lean-to "conservatory". 100% perfect, no problems. 2) Front door from local trade place (probably "STP" brand?), glazed "fan" at top, 4 panels. Twice the price of the Wickes door. West facing, but sheltered under a 2' overhang. 2 panels split, centre stile joints pulling apart. Panels shrinking considerably leaving 3-4mm unvarnished strip along the edges.