Nice fire doors - 1 over 3 or similar

[MummytoMog]

Stupidly didn't realise that a consequence of our loft conversion was replacing all our beautiful 1 over 3 panel doors with many fire doors. Quote allows about £70 a door but they're proposing skanky doors. I've seen some lovely ones for £220, but we need 9 of the fuckers, so any suggestions as to where I can find cheaper 30 minute fire doors which don't look skanky?

No. sadly not. Had to replace upstairs doors with fire doors (4panel) they were about £70 each. But those old doors were warped by water damage (burst tank in loft while house was empty) anyway.
We were able to keep the original 1930s 1-panel solid oak doors by painting them with a range of intumescent paint bought from Envirograph.
Maybe something to look into?

My builder suggested this, but said that the building inspectors weren't all that convinced by it. Our doors have had many years of being cut down for carpets too, so have anything up to an inch of daylight at the bottom.

Will I be able to keep old doors for the door to the ensuite in the loft? It's not off the central staircase, it's off the new bedroom.

PS Ring Envirograph and talk to your building inspector, ours was very keen to preserve original features. Our panels are covered with a special card which expands in case of fire. It has been painted over and looks and feels like wood. The rest of the doors (moulding etc) is just painted with the special stuff.
It isn't cheaper than buying new fire doors btw and takes time to apply.

So far I've managed to find some for £160ish. Do you have to replace door frames too? Because that's just getting silly (and was not mentioned when we originally had a quote for converting the loft).

You can look at other measures from what I remember- e.g. upgrading fire alarm, applying fire proof paint. English Heritage also have guidance on upgrading historic doors. I would challenge this and work out other ways to do it. You could also be very naughty and just put the olds doors back, once it has been signed off

I might speak to building control in that case. I suspect our doors are not saveable on the first floor, as they've been hacked at the bottom over the years and my cat nearly fits under one of them (that was a creepy moment in the middle of the night) but the downstairs doors are fine.

I had considered stashing them in the shed, but I'm guessing I wouldn't be able to sell the house with the old doors still on...

Mummy, even if bits have been chopped off, a good carpenter can make that good, and then you could paint them with the special stuff.
I always think it's nice to retain as many original features as possible, but within reason.
Our downstairs doors have matching frames / architraves so it would have looked odd to have different doors there. But maybe that's just me being fussy.

PS if they are saveable depends on their thickness btw and bathroom doors do not have to be fire doors.

yiou can get firedoors made to look like panelled doors. Premdoor are quite good. They are very heavy and you usually need to change the door lining (frame) at the same time, and fit three strong fire rated hinges (I strongly recommend lift-off hinges). The gap between lining and wall can be filled with fire foam whicjh will also block draights and noise amd will hold them steady when your teenage daughter slams them. The linings are not expensive. a skilled joiner will fit them better and faster than a DIYer, handyman or general builder. Your BCO may require brush pile smoke-strip, which also cuts draughts and nouiser even when your house is not on fire.

Here are some examples. you may find cheaper. They are very solid and heavy so are good at blocking sound. Don't get the grained ones. If you are going to paint them, get white ones which are much cheaper than veneered ones. IMO 4 and 6-panelled doors look best.

www.wickes.co.uk/woburn-moulded-fire-door-1981x838mm/invt/180118/

www.wickes.co.uk/woburn-moulded-fire-door-1981x838mm/invt/180118/

www.wickes.co.uk/stirling-smooth-fire-door-1981x762mm/invt/190916/

you should get a discount if you get several. Magnet had a good price but may not sell them retail.

We kept our old doors but had fire detectors put in every room linked to electrical system instead...

We're getting a hard wired fire alarm anyway - I'll investigate how hardcore it would need to be to bypass the door requirement. Otherwise I'm looking at spending a couple of grand on doors. Which is not really in the budget. Floors or doors, floors or doors...

The fire detection system wired to the mains and connected to each other on all floors is a requirement, as are fire doors. I was glad they let those stupid self closers go.
Piglet, we have those Wickes doors in smooth and will paint them never soon. They look good. The grained ones look like plastic.
Op I think you will have to go for doors. Our floors are waiting for the lottery win