Fitting patio doors to a Victorian terrace in NP4

Victorian terraces on Pontypool's ironworks-era stone cottages on the hills streets share a specific set of quirks. Reveals are painted brick, not plaster, so the frame must sit proud enough to take render touch-up. Many Victorian terraces sit inside conservation areas — colour and glazing bar profile are usually restricted to sympathetic period options. Lintel and floor checked for level, track set with stainless packers, doors hung and aligned so they roll true under their own weight. Rear outshut kitchens often have flat felt roofs at 2.1m — glass and frame heights are set to clear the eaves. Tile porches are laid on a lime bed that reacts poorly to modern silicone; we mask and use low-modulus polymer instead. Salt spray in high winds reaches inland elevations at coastal properties — we spec stainless furniture on rear frames too. Single day for a 2-panel slider, 1–2 days for French sets. Salt air pits cheap aluminium at the fixing points; genuinely marine-grade powder coating resists. Original 60s sliding aluminium frames cold-bridge — you can feel a two-degree temperature drop within a foot of the glass in winter. Single-skin wall means the frame carries no thermal break at the perimeter — sealant bead depth matters more than usual. Frame colour on the front elevation is often deed-restricted to white, cream or a heritage green in conservation areas. Vaulted internal ceilings mean the crew works off a small tower for gable glazing — ground protection sheeting mandatory. Off-street parking makes van access straightforward — we can stage glass in the driveway rather than on the pavement.