New, wider, front door

Nothing compared to done of the other posts here, but we're looking to widen our external front door. Currently the entrance to our house has 2 doors. A pvc door, a tiny 3 foot porch, and then the original wooden door. Both doors are within the original footprint of the house (not an added on porch). Our ideal scenario is to remove both doors, knock the 3 foot internal wall between them, and widen the external entrance (adding a window pane beside the new door to let me light into the hall).

I've a rough idea of what needs doing, but I'd be grateful if anyone can put a few figures on what each bit might cost.

- new door and glass pane - composite door, thinking 2k
- move ESB wires (currently coming through our front door) €420 (ESB quoted last year)
- knock a hole in the wall to relocate, and recess, our ESB meter to outside €??
- electrician to wire up new meter to existing fuse box €??
- widen the external, load bearing, wall. €??
- plaster the walls (we'd be exposing where our wiring is now, its not plastered) €300 depending
- tile the downstairs hall
- depending on budget, move the downstairs hall radiator which is fed from upstairs, and feed it from downstairs

Thoughts on prices? Anything I'm neglecting? Don't tell me I need planning to widen the door!?

Any recommended door fitters in cork would be appreciated also!

I recently got quotes for a new wider front door and glass pane to the side and above. Composite. Between 3k and 4.5k.

Could you get ESB to do all their work for free? There's a new smart meter initiative starting in January 19 and they'll need guinea pigs to have the new meters installed. If your interested, you could try and get in on that scheme.

Thanks Delboy. Did you have to get the lintel replaced? I assume that's where most the cost goes (along with the door itself). That's quite a big difference in prices though. I'd be hoping the door would cost up to 2k. A grand for the widening work. The ESB charge, and then a grand to put a recessed meter in the side of the house and wire it up (builder and electrician works). 4.5k or there abouts for all but the tile work and plastering. I could be way off though, im a tad bias.

Is there anywhere I can apply to be a guinea pig? In the grand scheme of things, their costs aren't much, but I guess if they did it all, it would save me the cost of the electrician also.

No idea where to apply to the esb but I'll be contacting them myself in early January about getting my meter box moved so as to get the new door and glass surround in. Will leave it until after xmas before I start digging into the smart metering option.

I haven't heard any door guy I went to mention the lintel being replaced. And I went to about 5 showrooms. My quote were based on the measurements I took and the type of composite door (Palladio) and glass we were going after.

I've the brochure here beside me.

Going to start visiting show rooms in the new year, after boi give me my cash back, so I'm a bit behind you. We're trying to maximise light into the hall without losing too much privacy. A window over the door could be a great option for additional light without losing privacy. It would surely mean reducing the height opening of the door, no?

We've missed out on the home renovations scenes though
I was hoping it would be extended as we've done other works to the house, and the 4-5k this will cost would of been ~500 back... Spread over 2 years

Delboy said:

I haven't heard any door guy I went to mention the lintel being replaced.

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When replacing a single door with a door and sidelight combo, it's highly likely you would need to replace the lintel. That immediately becomes a bigger job and you may need to source a builder to do it for you. You could carry out some investigation to determine how wide the existing lintel is in advance, but that would involve removing plaster/render in a few spots.

Leo said:

When replacing a single door with a door and sidelight combo, it's highly likely you would need to replace the lintel. That immediately becomes a bigger job and you may need to source a builder to do it for you. You could carry out some investigation to determine how wide the existing lintel is in advance, but that would involve removing plaster/render in a few spots.

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Given the prices quoted of 3-4.5k i'd expect that to include lintel work. A new door should just be 1.5-2k.

Black_Knight said:

Given the prices quoted of 3-4.5k i'd expect that to include lintel work. A new door should just be 1.5-2k.

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If those quoting have made no mention of replacing the lintel, you can be sure the quote don't include the work.

I'm not sure you'll get a multi-point locking composite door and sidelight for €1.5-2k. Previous threads suggest this could be well off the mark.

I'm replacing a door and glass panel with....a door and glass panel. So don't see the issue about the lintel impacting me, even if the new door is a bit wider.
But I'll flag it when I get stuck back into getting the work done in Spring

thanks

Delboy said:

I'm replacing a door and glass panel with....a door and glass panel. So don't see the issue about the lintel impacting me, even if the new door is a bit wider.
But I'll flag it when I get stuck back into getting the work done in Spring

thanks

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Ah ok. You're putting in a wider door and a smaller glass section. So you're not widening the opening at all.
3-4.5 still seems high. Must ask my parents what theirs cost (they had a door + glass recent put in). Another had a door put in for around 1.5k I believe.