Loft conversion bedroom door can only open halfway

[troublegum]

We've just had our loft converted, builders have finished and I've been given the final invoice. I've just found out one of the bedroom doors can only open halfway.

One of the last things I asked them to do was remove an odd piece of wood nailed to the floor of one of the bedrooms behind the door - the joiner said it had to be kept there until we could fit a doorstop, as otherwise the door would hit the sloping ceiling of the loft.

We can only open the door just over halfway - I've measured it and it opens to a 50 degree angle. Is this acceptable? I think it will be really annoying on a daily basis, as well as the question of how to bring furniture etc into the room in the first place.

I'm not sure how far to take this or whether to just put up with it? It's occurred to me we could have a bespoke door with a corner cut out of it, which would be able to open to the full extent. Feel a bit frustrated to suggest at this point as the whole project is otherwise finished. And really cross with myself for not noticing earlier, of course!

Do NOT put up with it! How on earth do they think they’ll get away with leaving a half open door? Don’t pay the invoice till it’s sorted. If this means they have to source another door, then so be it

Is a sliding or pocket door an option?

How did it pass building regs?

So you didn't realise that the door would hit the ceiling because there was a piece of wood preventing it from opening and now the wood is gone you have realised?

Can the door be hung the other way or on the other side?

I can’t imagine this is an easy fix - building regs will presumably insist it opens all the way for fire escape - and cutting a notch out would likely make the door not a fire door anymore.

Don't pay a penny until you’ve had building regs sign off. My local council does a same-day inspection if you call before 10.

@dingit Building inspector hasn't been for final inspection yet. On the plans the door is shown to open fully but obviously it's not turned out that way in real life! Would it not pass building regs? I'm hoping not, so that they would definitely have to do something about it! I was starting to worry I was making a fuss over a small detail but glad others think it's not right!

@PrattleTime Yes I had no idea why the wood was there! I feel stupid now for not realising. The wood is still there to protect the plaster getting bashed every time someone opens the door.

It's the only possible entry point to the room and opens "into" the room. Hanging from the other side wouldn't change the matter (still hitting the slope in the same way, only a lot worse to enter the room)

What happens if it swings into the room, but hinged on the other side. Is the roof height any better there?

FWIW, We have angled top edges to our loft doors, due to height issues.

Edit: don't pay the full bill til the door can be opened, and you have building reg sign off.

@Reallybadidea I think a sliding door or pocket door could have been a good idea, but I'm not sure how easy this would be at this stage as the wall it would go into is obviously "finished"?

They've said they will come round to look at options and they've been good so far with everything else. So they might be willing to do something. I'm just not sure what is possible now the rest of the work is done. I know what you mean about the fire door complication @Scottishwildcat; the corner cut out is all I can think of as a solution.

Bifold?

That's good to know that you have angled doors @SpringOfContentment . (Roof height is same either side so changing the hinges won't make a difference). I didn't know which building regulations would find worse, a halfway opening door, or an angled door! Can't find anything googling and I'm not a loft expert.

We had a corner cut out on ours, and obviously an irregular door frame to accommodate it.

Hmm bifold might work - the ceiling is flat before starting to slope. But are bifold doors really annoying to use?

And angled door, with a corresponding frame, is definitely OK.
See picture for examples.

Ours is two narrow doors that open in the middle. They were there when we bought the house. It's ok because the loft is a spare/teen room. I don't know if it would pass building regs now though