Do I Need Planning Permission Before The Doors Can Be Fitted

Home renovations, reconstructions and refurbishments can be exciting. They can also be nerve-wracking. When it comes to replacing doors, especially, many of us are concerned that we will need to navigate through a sea of confusing paperwork before we can even get started. Planning permission is probably one of the most frustrating concepts to any person hoping to achieve any home improvements at all. So this begs the question: If I want to install door, do I need to seek approval from the local building regulations authority?

Unfortunately, we live in a world where building regulations dictate our every move. If you plan to make any alterations to the existing structure of a building, you need to submit your plans for approval. The whole process is frustrating, to be sure, but it could save your skin further down the line. If, for example, you want to sell your house a few years down the line and the buyer asks to see the building plans, any unmarked changes could get you into trouble. It certainly seems unreasonable to have to ask for permission to move your front door, but in this case rules are not meant to be broken.


The good news is that you only need to ask for permission when you alter the structure of a particular building. If you want to enlarge your living room, or move your front door a meter to the left, you need to ask for permission. Any changes to the walls around your central draining system will need to be approved by the local authority. Essentially, various town planning committees have put rules in place to ensure at least some sort of uniformity. In the pursuit of neatness, certain rules must be adhered to.

If, however, you are replacing a door with another similar door without making any changes to your wall, you should be home free. There are no regulations against these kinds of changes. So if your old wooden door is losing a battle against the elements and you would like to replace it with a sturdy aluminium one, you probably will not need to deal with any paperwork. As long as you do not alter the original structure of the house or make any changes to the drainage system, you can decorate and replace as you please.

You may be planning to fit an aluminium  door that is larger than your current door. It may even be a slightly different shape. In these cases you might be able to get away with the installation without filing any paperwork. Of course, you might want to file for approval just in case. It is a lot simpler to file for approval in advance, rather than deal with the repercussions of completing alterations that have been disallowed by the council. Paperwork may be annoying, but it certainly stings a lot less than a hefty fine.

If your alterations do not change the exterior structure of your walls in any way, you have the option to install as many doors as your heart desires. If the structure undergoes even the slightest change, you may wish to play it safe and ask for approval first.