A grand entrance

TV programmes, like Grand Designs, have whet the appetite of homeowners, especially when it comes to creating a grand entrance to their homes. Selecta Systems’ sales director Andy Green looks at how doors have evolved as fabricators and installers take advantage of new opportunities.

The entrance to any home serves three main purposes: to act as a welcome to the homeowner, family and friends: to keep unwanted visitors out; and to protect the property from inclement weather.

The latter two have improved considerably over the years, with PAS24 and Secured by Design standards, while energy ratings have set the mould when it comes to thermal performance.

Security, thermal performance and weather performance are now a given but homeowners’ expectations have grown as they look to enhance kerb appeal and provide that wow factor.

Long gone are the days when a panelled PVCU door, available in white, mahogany or golden oak, was sufficient. The number of door options and styles has grown considerably and this has created a line of new businesses offering just doors, such is the appeal and consumer demand.

One of the greatest appeals of modern doors is colour choice, which gives homeowners the opportunity to create a grand entrance. Combined with a comprehensive range of door styles, glass designs, hardware and furniture options, entrance doors have become more than just an add-on, they are an in-demand commodity.

Exclusively for our fabricators, Selecta has launched a composite door kit, which includes a pre-routed slab, TriSys glazing cassette, choice of locks, hardware, furniture and glass options, all packaged up ready for the fabricator to hang in our own standard Advance 70 door frame. This improves delivery, cost effectiveness and stock holding, plus provides greater control over efficiency and quality.

This, we believe, provides fabricators with a far more effective solution to supply both the trade and retail customer, and take advantage of a growth market.

The same can be said for sliding doors as homeowners create the opportunity to open up their living space. The patio door is going through a renaissance period, while the introduction of swing and slide panoramic doors, like the Easi-Fold Doors, have captured the imagination of the home improvers.

Easi-Fold Doors are an alternative to a bifold door – each sash slides independently and folds in to place alongside the master door.

Doors are no longer an add-on to a property. They’ve become more than just a door: a chic lifestyle choice; a security option; a thermally efficient decision.

They’re products that the fashion and technically conscious consumer is ready to invest in to create that grand entrance to their home.