Patio & French doors
Patio & French Doors in Godstone& Surrounding Areas
The classic garden doors, specified for the way your room is actually laid out, and fitted so they still slide with one finger years later.
Free no-obligation survey · UPVC and aluminium · FENSA approved
Since 2005
Family-run in South Godstone
9.83 / 10
191 Checkatrade reviews
FENSA
Approved installer
10 years
Insurance-backed guarantee
CHAS
Accredited contractor
Recent installations
Patio & French doors we have fitted
Overview
What patio & french doors involves
Not every garden elevation wants a bi-fold. Where floor space is tight, where furniture sits close to the opening, or where the look should stay traditional, a sliding patio door or a pair of French doors is often the better answer, and usually the more economical one.
We supply and install both, in UPVC and aluminium. Sliding doors give a wide, uninterrupted glazed view with no leaves swinging into the room; French doors give a symmetrical, classic opening that suits period and cottage properties and opens fully in a moment.
We also replace sliders and sealed units within existing frames where the frames themselves are sound. If that is the sensible repair for your door, we will say so rather than quoting a full replacement.
Who this is for
- Rooms where swinging leaves would block furniture or a walkway
- Period and cottage properties wanting a traditional opening
- Replacing an old, sticking aluminium or UPVC slider
- Dining rooms and conservatories opening onto a patio
- Landlords replacing failed garden doors between tenancies
- Anyone wanting a wide glazed view on a tighter budget than a bi-fold
Why it matters
What happens if it is left alone
An old sliding door that has started to drag is wearing itself out. Once the rollers have flattened, the weight of the leaf grinds along the track, and the damage moves from a set of rollers you can replace to a track you cannot.
French doors that have dropped stop meeting in the middle. The seals no longer compress, the multi-point locking will not engage without lifting the leaf, and water starts to find its way past the threshold.
A failed seal at the threshold of a garden door puts water exactly where you least want it: at the junction with your floor finish. Left long enough, that becomes a flooring and skirting job on top of a door job.
Common mistakes we are called in to fix
- Replacing a sticking slider when new rollers and an adjustment would have fixed it, or vice versa.
- Choosing French doors for a narrow room where the open leaves block the main route through.
- Ignoring the threshold detail on a door that faces the prevailing weather.
- Keeping an old frame with a new unit when the frame itself is distorted.
Our process
How we run the job, step by step
Step 1
Free survey
We visit, measure and look at the existing openings, lintels, cills and reveals. The survey is free and carries no obligation.
Step 2
Specification and quotation
You get one clear written quotation covering frames, glass, hardware, fitting, making good and certification; no hidden extras added later.
Step 3
Manufacture
Your frames are made to the surveyed sizes in UPVC or aluminium, with your chosen colours, glazing specification and hardware finishes.
Step 4
Installation
Our own installers fit the job. The work area is sheeted up and protected, materials are kept tidy and debris is cleared away each day.
Step 5
Making good
All making good is completed internally and externally, so the finished opening looks right from both sides before we leave.
Step 6
Certification and aftercare
You receive a FENSA certificate for replacement glazing, full product care advice and a 10-year comprehensive insurance-backed guarantee.
Benefits
What you actually get
No floor space lost
A sliding door opens along the wall, so nothing swings into the room and furniture can sit close to the glass.
Wide clear views
Large sliding panes give an uninterrupted outlook, and aluminium sightlines keep the frame out of the way.
Classic proportions
French doors suit older frontages and garden elevations where a modern folding door would look wrong.
Smooth for years
Quality running gear, set up correctly at installation, is the difference between a glide and a shove.
Warmer and quieter
Modern sealed units and proper weather seals on a large glazed opening make a noticeable difference to the room.
Repair where sensible
We replace glass and sliders in sound frames rather than selling a full replacement you do not need.
In detail
Patio & French doors: the detail
Sliding patio doors
Sliding doors run on a track, with one or more panes moving past fixed panes. Two-pane and three-pane arrangements are the most common domestic configurations. Aluminium allows heavier, larger panes and slimmer frames; UPVC is the economical choice for standard openings.
Because the whole weight of the moving pane sits on its running gear, the specification of that gear and the accuracy of the installation decide how the door feels for the rest of its life. We level and pack the frame carefully, set the rollers and check the full travel before handover.
French doors
French doors are a pair of hinged leaves that meet in the middle, usually with one master leaf carrying the handle and locking, and both leaves able to open for a full opening. Side screens can be added where the opening is wider than the pair.
They suit period frontages, cottage rear elevations and any room where the symmetry matters. They can open inwards or outwards; which is right depends on the room layout, the patio outside and the prevailing weather, and we work through that at survey.
Glass, security and thresholds
Glazed doors in domestic settings are fitted with toughened safety glass as standard, in internally beaded units so the beads cannot be removed from outside. Multi-point locking is standard on both door types.
Threshold options run from low thresholds for accessibility to standard rebated thresholds for better weather performance. We recommend based on the exposure of the elevation and the levels outside, not on the photograph you liked.
Replacement glass and sliders
Where the existing frames are sound, replacing misted sealed units or worn sliders is often the right call and a fraction of the cost of new doors. It is a service we offer specifically, including on doors we did not originally supply. If the frame is beyond economic repair we will say so plainly and quote for replacement instead.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Which is better, a sliding patio door or French doors?
It depends on the room. Sliders suit tight rooms and wide openings because nothing swings inward; French doors suit traditional properties and give a fully clear opening. We will look at the room and tell you which we would choose and why.
Can you repair my existing sliding door?
Often, yes. If the frame is sound, replacing worn sliders and misted sealed units restores the door properly. If the frame itself has distorted, replacement is the honest answer and we will explain why.
How much do patio or French doors cost?
The price depends on material, size, configuration and glass, so we quote after a free survey. The quotation covers the doors, installation, making good and certification.
How long does the installation take?
A single set is usually a one-day job once the doors are made, subject to access and the condition of the opening. We confirm timings in writing before you commit.
Are sliding doors secure?
Modern sliding doors have anti-lift devices and multi-point locking, with toughened, internally beaded glazing. They are a world away from the aluminium sliders of the 1980s that people picture.
Can I have a low threshold for wheelchair access?
Yes. Low-threshold options are available on both door types. We will make sure the external drainage and levels suit before specifying one, because a low threshold needs the ground outside to be right.
What guarantee comes with patio or French doors?
All of our installations carry a 10-year comprehensive insurance-backed guarantee underwritten through InstallSure. Replacement glazing is also covered by a FENSA certificate, so there is no council notification for you to arrange.
Is the survey really free?
Yes. The survey is free and carries no obligation. We measure, discuss the options and send a written quotation; if it is not for you, that is the end of it.
Which areas do you cover?
We work from South Godstone across Surrey, Sussex, Kent and South London, with Godstone, Redhill, Reigate, Sevenoaks and Crawley as our core territory. Our trade counter is open Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm.
Also from us
Other services
Patio & French doors by area
- Patio & French doors in Godstone
- Patio & French doors in Redhill
- Patio & French doors in Reigate
- Patio & French doors in Sevenoaks
- Patio & French doors in Crawley
- Patio & French doors in Oxted
- Patio & French doors in Caterham
- Patio & French doors in Edenbridge
- Patio & French doors in East Grinstead
- Patio & French doors in Lingfield
- Patio & French doors in Horley
- Patio & French doors in Westerham
- Patio & French doors in Burgess Hill
- Patio & French doors in Haywards Heath
- Patio & French doors in Worthing
- Patio & French doors in Folkestone
See where we work on our areas we cover page, or go back to the homepage.
Customer feedback
What customers say about our patio & french doors
10/10“Excellent job, clean, tidy and clear instructions”
Bi-fold and aluminium French doors
Choose the right garden door for your room
Book a free survey and we will look at the layout, the levels and the weather on that elevation before recommending anything. Written quotation, no obligation, no pressure.