Standard sized front doors often don’t work for narrower Victorian terraces and smaller Semi Detached houses where the entrance is little wider than the door frame. Advice to enhance kerb appeal such as large glazed panels or a wide composite door, is of little use when there is no space for it.
Door width is a good place to start. A standard door width is about 838mm, however, on some of the older terraces, door openings can be much smaller. Widening a door opening often means disturbing a hundred year old piece of brick work. Always measure the actual opening, you may be surprised.
For narrower entrances, a single glazed panel can bring a lot of light into a hall way, especially if a door is closed and blocks the only natural light.
On a genuinely tight entrance, the extra thickness of a composite door can also be a consideration.
It is always worth checking the door can swing completely free, without catching something. This is especially the case if there is a short hall with restricted space.
Width affects how color reads. Dark door colors on wide, detached houses create a nice effect, whereas, on a narrow door, it can make the entrance look smaller. Lighter and medium door colors can work better on a narrow door.
Porches can make a wider entrance look better, but, on a narrow door, they can make it look even more narrow. A canopy can work just as well as a porch and will take up less space.
Door furniture and letter boxes play a larger role than people expect. The furnitue needs to be placed in a certain spot on the door to look right. A horizontal letterbox needs a certain space to be put in, and on a narrow door that can be problematic. Check the door manufacturer’s layouts to be sure.
A composite door can cost between £900 to £1200. A narrow door can cost more than a wider door since they are produced less often.