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New Doorway

8 replies

CookiecutterShark · 29/10/2013 22:15

We have a small Victorian terrace with a room off the kitchen which used to be the bathroom before it was moved upstairs. We use the room for storage mainly, but it also has the tumble dryer in it with the hose going out of the cat flap on an external door. The problem is that when it's damp out we use the dryer a lot and having the flap open means we get a draught straight through the house and I'm just sick of it.

Our options are, I think, a) to get rid of the dryer and get a condenser version, or b) to fit a door to the room between it and the kitchen next door. I'm leaning towards (b) because the dryer's good and the reviews on Which show condensers performing worse than vented dryers. Also I quite like the idea of being able to shut up the room and not have hear the dryer in the kitchen so much, and also not have to see the cluttered room every time I'm in the kitchen. Though we have had a couple of slugs come in through the cat flap when it's been left open and this would only be solved by stopping using the cat flap and maybe shifting things round and putting the hose out through the window... [thinking out loud, sorry]

Anyway we currently have a doorway between the two rooms and that's it. It's a bit wider than a standard doorway I'd say, though not by much and the plastering looks a bit like swirly cake icing - all peaked up and 1980's. Would it just be a case of getting a joiner to fit a door liner and architrave then hang a door or is there more to it than this? Will the plaster have to be removed then redone? Has anyone done anything similar? Any advice most gratefully received :)

OP posts:
thetigerwhocametoteax · 29/10/2013 22:42

Hi there, we've just had something similar done - we had our lounge opening straight into a lean to extension which was horribly drafty. We had a door put in last week and its great really happy with it. Ours is an old house too I bought a stripped victorian half glazed one off ebay - there was a great guy i found who got a door the right size and shape and glazed to order was £90 incl delivery. The joiner built a frame and hung it - it took a full day longer than I thought and cost about £150 incl architraving, hinges, handles etc. Not sure whether your swirling plaster would cause an issue I am sure the joiner could just knock off any bits in the way. We needed no re-plastering after was all very tidy, just needs a bit of filler around a few edges. hope that helps!

CookiecutterShark · 29/10/2013 22:56

Ooh, that sounds great. Would you mind telling me who it was you found on ebay? I can never find anything on there! I think I can be PMed if you'd rather tell me that way. I'll look into getting some quotes from a joiner now I know it's possible. Thank you :)

OP posts:
PigletJohn · 29/10/2013 23:06

option (c)

Hire a core drill (or a builder with one) to make a neat round hole in the brick wall, line it with plastic duct, put a cowl vent on the outside, Bob's yer uncle.

CookiecutterShark · 29/10/2013 23:16

PJ - The walls in the room are a bit strange and have a gap between the brickwork and the internal walls which are kind of boarded, then papered and painted. I have no idea why they're like this and never seen it before - probably money saving if it's anything to do with the diy done in the rest of the house... Anyway, could you still do your option (c) on walls like these? And would that work out cheaper than the new door option? Would have to be a builder to do it as I don't even know what a cowl vent is yet!

OP posts:
PigletJohn · 29/10/2013 23:25

yes, you can do that.

The wall probably has dry lining to combat cold or to hide damp.

cowl vent keeps the rain out and has a backdraught shutter

duct

it's all cheap and easy

example core drills that are driven by a huge electril drill and the set is widely hired.

icklekid · 30/10/2013 04:14

I was going to say either drill a hole as easiest option or get a door-which would hide noise and mess. Both are easy though :-)

MinimalistMommi · 30/10/2013 13:26

Make sure the swirly icing plastering has no asbestos in it before removing it...

thetigerwhocametoteax · 31/10/2013 14:43

This is very similar to the door we went for and from the same seller, I rung him and he found one in the right size - very nice it is too! Smile

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3180-Victorian-half-glazed-four-panel-door-our-bestsellers-/281194807791?pt=UK_Antiques_Architecural_RL&hash=item41788441ef

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