Apartment Windows and Doors (recommendations for contractors)

errlloyd

Right so slightly awkward question I think I'd need specialist help for. I live in an apartment with a terrace running the whole way along the front of it. So all the doors and windows are accessible inside and outside. Work should be relatively straightforward.

The main room has two floor-to-ceiling windows on either side of a door that opens outwards onto a balcony (pic attached). According to the management agency, I can make whatever changes I like to these doors and windows, as long as they look the same from the outside as everyone else. In a perfect world, I'd change this to have a sliding door. The way the door opens out (on to a relatively small balcony) reduced balcony utility. And only the window on the left opens, so it's not as effective at getting air into the apartment as I'd like.

So I wanted to post here to ask two things.

1: Realistically is there a workable solution that wouldn't dramatically change how these look? I suspect there is some wiggle room, but don't want to chance it.

2: Does anyone know what type of contractor I should contact about doing this work, and can anyone recommend one.

FA12345

Given the restrictions on you regarding the windows, your best bet is probably a carpentry joiner who specialises in windows/doors, they can make everything completely custom to your specifications. The regular windows and doors suppliers likely won't have something that looks the same from the outside and they don't do fully custom work anyway for the set up.

As an aside, I reckon you'd get away with having the door slide over the left part of the window, but have it look the same when closed! Or you could have the door open inwards though you may go up against Fire & Safety regs with that option. And I'd also imagine you could get them to design it so that the right hand window opens on a tilt.

I lived in a similar style/aged apartment before with the exact same doors onto terrace issues. A joiner will cost you, they are not cheaper - especially since the cost of timber has gone through the roof. I've just almost finished a self build house build. Good luck!

errlloyd

Top-notch response, thanks FA12345