Slim sliding doors create a perfect extension for new family home in Ruislip

When Chris and Bernadetta started looking for their new London family home, they knew exactly where it was meant to be located. They only had to wait, a bit. In their case it was nearly 2 years of waiting for the opportunity to arise on this one particular street in Ruislip. Why here? Chris knew the area, as he’s been living here for 2 years prior to purchasing the house, and absolutely fell in love with the tranquil surroundings, woodlands and lake – all at their doorstep. You only have to look around to understand why the area offers a perfect balance of proximity to central London and a tranquil haven, where you can go for a relaxing walk into the woodlands straight from your garden with a large lake just a few minutes away.Having extensive experience in the construction industry, Chris wasn’t looking for a perfect new build – but rather something with potential. He wanted to build the house as he wanted it to be – not as someone else had already designed. He was looking for a house that he could renovate. A house that he could turn into their new home.”I was looking for a property with the intention to develop”, says Chris, “And we finally found a 3 bedroom detached house. The previous owners were in their 90’s, and they’d been living there for 54 years. When I bought the property it required some serious attention.”But Chris knew exactly what it could be turned into. Having spent all his life in the construction industry he wasted no time. Once he acquired the property and had all necessary permissions, it took him and his building crew 6 months to erect and fully furnish an entirely new building. Only parts of the front and one of the side walls were left – the rest was demolished. “I left them, as it was solid old English brickwork and there was nothing wrong with them – no cracks. But all the rest had to go. “

Chris was fully involved during the entire process, and also had a skilled team of trusted builders in place. As the property was extended at the rear and one of the sides, their new home is now significantly larger than it was originally.This property came with a spacious, south facing garden, and gives the opportunity to go directly for a forest walk through the back gate. Having a large garden and patio area and a lot of privacy at the end – the couple were looking for a solution to make the back of the property more connected with the garden.”The architect initially designed the back with 2 windows and I really didn’t like it. I asked him to redo it, so the entire back wall could be fully opened into the garden.” says Chris. “Initially I was thinking about installing bi-folding doors. I visited Perfect Crystal Windows’ showroom in Park Royal, and they showed me the alternative patio doors, ideal for large openings. Their signature 26 Slim Sliding Doors, with large panes of glass that can be 3 metres high and equally wide stood out. Especially that they have minimal vertical frames – only 26mm wide interlocking frames, and less vertical lines/frames than in bi-folding doors of a similar size.”

“If you have large aperture, opting for large sliding doors instead of bi-folds is not only very popular nowadays, but also very practical and beneficial. That way our clients and their families can not only enjoy the stunning and unobstructed garden views, but also let more natural light inside their kitchen/living area, without compromising on energy performance or safety features, as our double glazed 26 Slim Sliding Doors have excellent thermal performance and excellent locking mechanisms” says Damian from PCW.”I also managed to see other houses completed by PCW with the slim sliding doors installed.” Chris didn’t need to be convinced. He knew straight away that the large and tall slim sliding doors would be a much better fit for his large opening than bi-folds. “Bi-folding doors are good but only up to the point” – Chris summed it up.Having contemporary interiors Chris and Bernadetta were toying with the idea of having the doors in black – especially considering that the initial kitchen units were meant to be in black gloss finish.Having a lot of grey and white accents throughout the house, they finally decided to do the kitchen in white – and so it was decided that aluminium slim sliding doors should have a white powder coated finish. A simple and contemporary finish made these doors very aesthetically pleasing, as they blend perfectly with the surroundings.  Chris had also decided to go for a neatly concealed drainage system, to have seamless transition between the kitchen and patio area without any potential trip hazards. This system – though well concealed, can withstand British torrential rains – his building team made sure that it was installed as it should be.

Perfect Crystal Windows had also manufactured and installed all double glazed Deceuninck windows.uPVC windows had the black foil added to make them stand out more against the creamy exterior of the front elevation. Once we tested a few colour options – white proved to be the winner. But in order to make it a little more interesting and create a little contrast, we went with a little accent of black. PCW suggested to add black foiling to the white uPVC windows and this worked perfectly. The other large window – a feature window, that serves as a backdrop to a feature light over the landing. This large picture window had received a leaded design window – to make it more of a feature – rich and outstanding.Krzysztof and Bernadetta had finally moved in in April last year, after the incredible 6 month turnaround.

What’s best about working with PCW?

Just co-operation. You can always feel that they care, serve with their best advice and always add that extra personal touch – even the installers are very friendly and personable

So it’s a pleasure to work with their teams.

I had worked with PCW on multiple projects before, and I know I can always trust their expertise and professional advice. I would definitely recommend them (and have been!) to everyone searching for a good glazing company in London.