Windows / Doors / Conservatories in Swanscombe, Kent (24)

When you’re talking about internal door fittings, you’re typically referring to the door handle or door knob and the door lock. There are various types of internal door fittings available, such as

• Lever on backplate handles – These are a traditional style door handle and the backplate offers a range of styles to suit the look of your home.
• Lever on rose handles – This type of handle provides a more contemporary look compared to a backplate and most are mounted on a small, round rose that’s too small to house a lock and so the lock is fitted separately.
• D-pull handles – Available in curved, straight edge or T-shape designs, D-pull handles are a simple solution for an internal door fitting that doesn’t need a latch.
• Flush pull handles – These handles are most commonly used on sliding doors, where the door fitting needs to be flush with the surface of the door to allow it to slide into the pocket or cavity.
• Door knobs – The classic door knob can be static or attached to a latch to support a range of different door opening mechanisms, or used as a decorative detail in traditional and period properties.

• Thumb turn handles – Most often used on bathroom doors, thumb turns are used to provide privacy but not security, as they can often be opened using a coin from outside (in case of emergency)

Need help choosing the right door fittings?

If you’re wondering which type(s) of door fitting is right for your home, we recommend speaking to your local door specialist to get their professional advice. You can find the best local doors and windows installation services by using our quick and easy online search. Or request a quote and we’ll get multiple tradespeople to get in touch with you directly.

Tips for hiring a window and door installer

1. Hire a tradesperson with experience and qualifications – Choosing the right window and door installer means hiring a tradesperson with relevant experience, qualifications and/or accreditations. You want to make sure that the person you hire has the skills and know-how to do the work efficiently and to a professional standard.

2. Always read their reviews – Reviews and ratings for reputable tradespeople will be easy to find on their Checkatrade profile. Take time to read through the reviews to see what previous customers are saying about the individual tradesperson, their attitude, and level of service they provide. If you see the odd negative review, that’s OK, just as long as the majority are positive.

3. Ask for quotes to compare – No matter what conservatory, door or window job you need doing, make sure you get quotes upfront before hiring a tradesperson. We always recommend getting at least three quotes from different tradespeople, so that you can shop around to make sure you're paying a fair and competitive price for the work.

4. Check their previous work – When looking for a reliable window and door installer, it’s always helpful to see examples of recent jobs they’ve done that are similar to what you need to do in your home. Ask for references from previous customers and follow up on them to have a chat about how they found working with the tradesperson in question.

The time it takes to build a conservatory depends on a number of factors, most importantly the size, style and design of the conservatory itself. As a general rule, you can expect the installation to take around 3 - 4 weeks to build a conservatory. That said, the whole process from planning, designing, building and completing the conservatory can take up to 3 months.

Here are some of the average build times you can expect for the various types of conservatory:

• Edwardian – 2 - 3 weeks

• Hipped-Back Edwardian – 2 - 3 weeks

• Lean-To – 2 - 3 weeks

• Gable Front – 2 - 3 weeks

• Victorian – 2 - 3 weeks

• P-Shape – 3 - 4 weeks

• T-Shape – 3 - 4 weeks

• Orangery – 4 - 5 weeks

• Porch – 1 - 2 weeks

Bespoke vs pre-designed conservatories

One other major factor that will affect how long it takes to build your conservatory is whether you’re planning on having a bespoke conservatory or a ready-made design. As you’d expect, a bespoke design or a design with any level of complexity to it will take longer to build than a ready-to-go conservatory build.

When discussing your conservatory project with local tradespeople, make sure you ask about timelines and how long they estimate the work to take – from beginning to end.

Looking for inspiration?

If you need a little help to find the right kind of conservatory for your home, we’ve put together a collection of inspiring conservatory ideas to help.