Browse Forums Windows & Doors 1 Oct 28, 2009 8:23 am I am planning to replace a 216 cm window with a bifold door which will require the widening of the existing opening by a meter to accommodate the new door. My house is brick veneer and the window is located in the ground floor of a 2 story house. Just wondering how much I should expect builders quote to be (not including the cost of the actual door itself). I have contacted a few builders and hopefully I should receive quotes in the next week or so. I am located in Sydney. Re: Cost to widen a window opening for a bifold door? 2Oct 28, 2009 9:06 am Too hard to say, but it won't be cheap. There will be a few issues with the structural support of the upper floor when you widen that opening. Keeping the opening the same width will save big dollars (then you only have to pay for the door and some repair to plasterboard, etc). Blog is now up - http://www.jbdave.blogspot.com/ Re: Cost to widen a window opening for a bifold door? 3Oct 29, 2009 8:37 am Thanks jbdave for your response. At this stage, we have definitely decided to widen it as it will open up to a narrow outdoor living space of about 15 meters. I have one quote come back of approx $4500 which includes all structural work (new lintel, bricklaying, gyprock, tiling, new architraves etc) and installation of door. No painting included. Does this sound reasonable? I'm still waiting for 2 more to give me quotes, but I've had trouble in past getting someone to give me a quote - they dont turn up or they turn up and never bother to send me a quote. The job is too small for some or some may purposely overstate so that you dont hire them anyway. Re: Cost to widen a window opening for a bifold door? 4Oct 29, 2009 10:17 am Looking at it purely on a labour basis, $4500 would cover 2 men working for about 6 or 7 days, depending on their hourly rate. Now knowing the job, say by the time they demolished the existing opening, propped up the existing walls and installed the new lintel, removed the rubbish, then installed the new window and repaired the existing surfaces (ie brickwork, tiles, archs, plasterboard), you have about 4-5 days work. Then add margin and materials and rubbish removal and you would proably get around $4500. If you looked at it another way, where you have two men for the first 2 days doing demo and installing the new lintel, then another man for a week doing the remedial work, then you have about 11 days labour - so the price still seems ok. That being said, it is always good to get a 2nd quote if possible. You may save a few hundred with someone else. Also, as I don't know the job I am merely specualting. There may not be as much work involved as I think. Try to have a look at it in time they may take to do the work and see what you think their quote seems like. Blog is now up - http://www.jbdave.blogspot.com/ Re: Cost to widen a window opening for a bifold door? 5Oct 29, 2009 10:55 am Thanks. The builder reckons its probably a 2-3 day job. He may be able to instal the door on the first day depending on how they go. I also dont have spare bricks he will have to clean the old bricks too to make up the corners around the door. I have three more builders coming in the next three days and hopefully they return with a written quote to compare. I just didnt expect it to cost that much to widen the opening. Hubby expected around that much as it is a load bearing wall and he is not budging with the bifold option as opposed to the stacker door which is a lot cheaper and it wont take up space on the narrow courtyard. Re: Cost to widen a window opening for a bifold door? 6Jul 15, 2010 8:51 am Just reviving this old thread since we want to do the same thing. Chocoholic, would love to know if this job has been done and whether you can recommend anyone. We have had a quote from one of the larger well know suppliers but they were absolutely useless so don't want to use them - extremely disappointed since they get seem to get rave reviews on here. (Won't name them for obvious reasons!) We're in southern Sydney so would really appreciate any builder/installer recommendations. I have been looking into getting quotes for a reno I am doing shortly. I have been looking at Trend and Wideline for both windows and doors. I did enquire with Vista but… 0 6142 Hi All, I'm new here! I'm in a block of 4 apartments (Waverley council) and looking to change a window to a sliding door. The window faces an enclosed garden (with a… 0 5519 If I hire a contractor to convert a window to a sliding door will I need to show them Council approval paperwork? That is, if I want to take a risk of carrying out the… 0 12994 |