18 Oct Planning a Composite Door in Swansea? Consider Smart Locks and Doorbells First

If you use a video doorbell or think you may add a smart lock later, decide where they will go before the new door is fitted. The lock and handle you choose can limit which smart locks will fit, while the frame, nearby wall space and power supply affect where a doorbell can be mounted.

If you plan to source the smart lock or video doorbell separately, mention it before the door specification is finalised so compatibility can be considered. Planning it at this stage makes it easier to choose a door and hardware setup that leaves suitable options later.

Check the smart lock before choosing the door

App features are important only if the lock is physically compatible with the door. Affordable Quality Windows supplies standard composite doors from the Universal Collection and 65 mm Palladio doors with multi-point locking systems.

Yale Conexis L2 works with most multi-point locks and provides a compatibility checker. Ultion Nuki is another option designed to fit UK doors.

Confirm the fitted lock before buying. Mention the smart lock when you get your quote, before the door specification is finalised. If you already have a model in mind, give the installer the exact details. They will need to know whether it replaces the handle or cylinder and whether you plan to add anything beside the door, such as a keypad or fingerprint reader.

If you have not chosen a smart lock yet, ask which lock and handle setups will leave you the most options later.

Check the door hardware before changing the lock

Similar looking doors can use different cylinders, thumbturns, handles and multi-point mechanisms. A retrofit lock may work with the existing cylinder, while another model may require a new cylinder, handle or both.

Adding a smart lock does not improve security if the replacement hardware weakens the existing locking setup. Do not judge the smart lock in isolation. The cylinder, frame, hinges, glazing and multi-point lock still have to work together as a secure door.

Affordable Quality Windows lists a 10-year guarantee on standard and Palladio composite door ranges, although separate guarantee periods may apply to locks and door furniture. If you plan to drill into the door or frame or replace any original hardware, check with us first to confirm what effect, if any, this could have on the applicable guarantee.

Decide where the video doorbell will go

Do not assume the doorbell has to be fixed to the door frame. Consider the approach to the entrance as well as the mounting position. The open door itself, a porch column, a downpipe or a recessed wall can easily block part of the image.

If there is a suitable wall beside the entrance, mounting the doorbell there avoids drilling into the composite door. Ring sells wedge and corner mounts for entrances where the camera needs to be angled towards approaching visitors.

Decide early whether you want a battery-powered or wired doorbell. A battery model used on battery power is usually easier to fit because there is no power cable to hide, although it will need recharging.

With a wired doorbell, decide where the power will come from and how the cable will reach the mounting point without being left exposed. If the entrance is being renovated anyway, choose the doorbell first and plan the correct power route before the walls or porch finishes are completed.

Before drilling any holes, hold the doorbell in position and check what the camera sees, particularly at a recessed entrance or where people approach from the side. Angle the camera towards your own doorway rather than taking in more of the pavement or neighbouring properties than you need. The ICO’s guidance on domestic CCTV and smart doorbells provides further information about privacy considerations when cameras capture areas beyond your property.

Test the Wi-Fi from the exact spot where the doorbell will sit before you drill anything.

Decide what needs to go on the door

Treat the doorbell and smart lock as part of the door layout. A letterplate, knocker, house number or spyhole can all compete for the same space.

Finalise the door layout before the door is ordered for manufacture. Decide which fittings need to be on the door itself, and which (like a doorbell or keypad) can be mounted on the wall beside it.

If you are postponing the smart lock, keep a note of the exact lock, cylinder and handle fitted to the new door. If the doorbell is coming later, leave somewhere sensible to mount it and plan the appropriate cabling in advance if you expect to use a wired model.

Planning a composite door in Swansea?

Affordable Quality Windows supplies and installs composite doors across Swansea and South Wales, including Palladio and standard composite ranges, including the Universal Collection. If you are considering a composite door in Swansea, contact Affordable Quality Windows for a free quote or home survey. Mention any smart lock, keypad or video doorbell you want to use so it can be taken into account before the door is ordered.