Front Door Handles - Is it me or does this look wrong?

It doesn't matter what type of lock it is - it still has to be installed in the right place. A mortice lock is just a different type of lock to a standard cylinder lock.
They probably ordered the door with the lock hole pre-cut and it was cut in the wrong spot, therefore there was only one place to put the lock.

Don't give up on the issue - email the builder with pictures of other doors if you have to. Ask them to explain why your door doesn't look the same.

If they were installed as in the right photo you could have moved them slightly outward a bit more toward the glass and down and it wouldn't have covered the lock. What you and I should have realized is that they needed us to show them exactly where we wanted our handles because they don't seem to have the faintest idea our builder had gone broke so I had no recall...stay on their case if you can, it must be hard

I took out the photo because of the size, but you know which one I mean.

Hi

We spoke about this yesterday, I say "stay with it" and fight that horrid man. The doors need to be fixed and you will forever hate them if they stay as they are. Good luck.

L

jbdave - The door definitely did not have any pre-cut holes what so ever. I have photos of this. Any holes or cavities for the lock were made on the spot last Saturday. So you are definitely correct when you said the lock was installed without regards to the handles.

SuH - I don't think the handles can go any lower due to the lock. Imagine a metal 'block' being inserted into the door - basically taking up most of that thin space between the glass panels and the edge of the door. Yah you are right in that both of us 'assumed' the installer would install the door furniture as to what we see on websites, catalogues, display homes, etc. Who would of thought this would cause so much drama?

Lyn57 - Thanks for your support! Glad to see you hooked up to this great forum.

I have sent a big long email with photos, pics, website links.....all which seems to have gone ignored because our CLO (who seems new), referred the matter to our SS (who we have already spoken to about this). Anyway, the matter has apparently now been taken to the Area Construction Manager - let's see if he actually reads my email and looks at all the attachments! Will keep everyone informed.

Thanks friends.

That's crap, you can install it, mortice or otherwise, at any height you wish. They've realised they've fooked it up and are trying to get away with it.

It's typical tradie/builder behaviour too isn't it - don't ask questions, plough on regardless of how stupid the task is, not my problem.

http://doorhandlesonline.com/index.php? ... &Itemid=35

Chevron, Cirque and Offset Helio(similar to yours) The Offset Helio is another terrific handle when you want to position your door lock under your handle. The offset design allows better access to the key hole.

By under they mean behind NOT below .I fit about 800 of different types of tube handles a year and all ways this way

http://www.gainsboroughhardware.com.au/ ... 290PHBB600

this explains handle orientation but the pic shows lock below, not the way i would have it unless it was a narrow stile

Thanks for your comments Thudd and mac64.

Have just done a quick photoshop to show why our lock can't be placed 'under' or even closer to the handles:

http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx222/RedIsotope/handle_lock.jpg

As you can see the lock is like a 'block' and this 'block' blocks the handle from being installed any lower. Well, this is my situation anyway...and I can see that the door guy did try to place the handles as low as possible, but alas it is blocked by the lock (and he has placed the lock too high). Hopefully the Area Manager will be calling me soon, I really wonder what he has to say.

Oh by the way, what are people's opinions on the orientation of the pull-handles? Bars inside or bars on the outside? Here is the link again:

[Img]

hard to tell size of handle, looks like 450 centers which should be able to be fitted one fixing above and one below lock

I wouldn't be happy with them that high. Although the Hume doors catalogue I have, does have pictures of them done exactly like yours (also every other conceivable combination too!).
I also think they should be turned around. Could they then be lowered so that they go over the lock, and you can still access it?
I think you may have a hard time convincing the builder that he has done it wrong, because as i said I've seen pics of them that high. What annoys me though is that they didn't bother to ask you how exactly you wanted the door to look. It would have been easy for them to consult you on it, show you pictures of the different ways it can be done and let you make a decision. They didn't. Especially with the front door as such a feature, it can spoil the look if it's not how YOU want it.
Good luck finding a solution buzz

Thanks for your input buzz.

Oh darn...to date I have not seen an example of pull-handles installed as high as ours. Which sort of made me quite certain I had a good arguement to get the whole thing replaced. But if you are saying that people do place them this high, then...hmmm.

Yah they did not ask us and I regret not even thinking that this could be a possible issue. I have done a quick photoshop of the door with the handles the other way around and lowered so that they are over the lock. This is the conversation I had with my partner:

Me: ok, how does this look? they could amend it so it's over the lock like this.
Boss: ......I would rather leave them where they are.
Me:

Just saying I've seen them like yours before, but I think many more people would have them more centred. Maybe you could go to them with the point that you weren't consulted, and with the many different ways they can be done.... why would they assume you would want them in this position (especially as it doesn't look to be the most popular/common option). Most door pics I have seen do have them lower.
Not sure if you've contacted the door people (are they Hume doors?) to find out if the lock had to be installed as high as they say, or if that is just an excuse.
Even if they won't move yours, maybe they could think about how important this may be for people in the future. Yes, and maybe pigs will fly....
buzz.

The front door and I think all the doors actually, are Corinthian doors. Have been to their website and gone through all of their Entrance door range. Those shown with pull-handles are either exactly centered or are a little bit above center (the locks are below center).

Not sure if I mentioned it before but like other people who have commented here, I don't see any strict reason specifying that the lock NEEDS to be in the center, or in any particular spot for that matter. Looking at the lock installation instructions, you can pretty much install the lock anywhere you want....but of course common sense should prevail.



This reminds me of a worrying comment my SS made when I told him I was concerned that the pull-handles were too high. He said to me:
SS: Nah that's how they are normally installed. It looks good. We're installing another door with these same handles and they're going to be done like this too.

Yes, because it would kill him to admit there are other ways of doing this and the consequences of actually letting people decide how they want their doors to look.... well, that could be dangerous.

Probably best to call Gainsborough (http://www.gainsboroughhardware.com.au) directly and enquire about the fitment of the mortice lock and whether it really does need to be centered... I have seen quite a few in the center of the door however always with the handle mounted above and below the lock...

You've got me worried about mine now - although it will be a while until I see a front door!

Hi P1T.

Can I ask what kind of door furniture you are getting? Learning from this experience which I am having now, if I were you (and I were getting pull-handles back-to-back) I would have them record in writing, exactly how you would like your door furniture installed. If it is done wrong, then there is no argument. Maybe I'll give Gainsborough a buzz and see what they have to say. Thanks.

Btw, I like your plan!

Thanks RedIsotope.

I am having a 1200mm wide entrance door and have chosen a combination pull handle front and lever rear. Not sure on the exact model numbers (I will be having a closer look...just not right now) - but it seems to be like the "Pull Handle + Lever" Image on this page:

http://www.gainsboroughhardware.com.au/ ... mline.aspx

This was really the kind of dramas we were facing when our SS told us about our door hardware. I'm glad that he contacted us before. We have the PMAD 104 door....so it has glass in it...and our issue was also with our long handles and our lock...which in our case was just the double deadlock. We worked out that we had to have our lock installed lower so that our long handles wouldn't be too high.

I know it doesn't help you in the slightest as you have a mortice lock. But maybe consider changing your door handle to a shorter one, so that it looks more balanced?

Hi overwhelmed.

Thanks for you comments. Ours is a Corinthian door too so your comments here confirm to me that the lock does not indeed NEED to be in the center.

In regards to the pull-handles, nah I doubt we could change them at all. The builder charged us an arm for them and I very much doubt they will credit us back if we chose something smaller. Hmmm...actually they might give us smaller cheaper handles for the same cost. I'm not going to accept that at this point in time.

I definitely prefer the photo on the right with the bars to the outside.