I'm replacing the entrance door to my unit. To save $ I'm thinking of replacing it with an internal door of the same dimensions. I understand that it won't be as durable as a proper solid timber door, but this is for a rental unit and there's security door/ cameras one must go through before reaching the unit itself.
Is this a common thing to do? What are the gotcha's to be aware of aside from durability? TIA :)
The door will be weaker, it will not last as long, there are fire rating implications. Not worth the reduced cost to be honest. if you have consulted any of the body corps or similar and they say it's ok, get it in writing. I can guarantee they won't do it because they're full of shit.
Lol the OP needs to cough up the money for a proper door and stop being such a tight ass
Man don't treat people that way. Did you charge them for breathing air too?
my house entry door is an internal door (i found about it 12 years ago). if door have enough cover to protect from sunlight and rain , it will be fine.
Security prospect : windows is much easier to break than internal door.
FFS! Don't be a cheapo landlord. Just because it is investment property does not mean you have to treat your tenants like sh!t.
-rep OP
I'm not going to comment on the appropriateness of it, but if you do use an internal door I'd suggest 2 coats of sealer before top coats to try and limit moisture getting into the MDF.
A relative has used 2 internal doors for external and they are still going ok after 5 years except for the fact that the useless handyman that cut them to size left the top and bottom raw without telling her so I had to sand, seal and paint them once some swelling became evident.
I would ask - is there a hydraulic/spring closer fitted at the inside top of your door ?
this would be an indication of a fire door - such closers are designed to resist the strong sucking action of a fire seeking oxygen and reduce the chances of a fire increasing and spreading rapidly through a multi-residential building.
if it's a much older building I don't know what regulations or exemptions might apply, but I'd guess your best chance is strata should pay for a new fire door - usually about $1000+ painting
It's only $63 for an external door at Bunnings. Your local tip recycling centre might sell one cheaper. If you do go for an internal door put an extra coat of paint on the top and bottom edges to stop water getting in and de laminating the door.
Personally I would not want to live in a place with an internal door used as an external door. I would feel bad leaving the place unfit for others. Bad karma will get you in the end.
It needs to be fire rated. Full stop.
But good luck when you receive a Building Notice from Council and end up paying more to do the job right the second time.
OR you get prosecuted if there is a fire and people needlessly die because you wanted to save a couple hundred
But seriously, do it right, please.
I mean, you can, you can replace it with cardboard, or a piece of linen if you wish.
Should you however? No.
Noise, thermal transfer, secuirty, longevity spring to mind in an instant. If you are cost adverse, check second hand doors on facebook/gumtree etc, might get lucky. Otherwise solid doors aren't that expensive really.
Most likely it will be illegal.
Prosecutor will have an open and shut case.
i don't know why the OP is being cheap on the door, you still need to have the locks installed and hang as well.
Rather you do it right the first time, peace of mind for all parties involved.
Can't have quality "Knock Knock" jokes without a door.
1: "Knock Knock"
2: "Who's there?"
1: "Ozbargainer landlord"
2: "(profanity) tightarse"
Just get it done properly mate, not worth the risk of being liable for something to save a few dollars.
Lot of comments here about the door being required to be fire rated. So let's just get some things clarified first.
When you say it's a unit, do you mean a dwelling on a land shared by other dwellings? Are there any common areas? Is there a basement carpark? Most of the dwellings we see in residential neighbourhoods are what the Building Code of Australia defines as a Class 1a dwelling. If, however, you've got a shared basement carpark, or one dwelling above another, then their classification changes to Class 2, which is the same classification as apartment buildings. Apartment buildings are required to have a fire door installed as the front door if the building is 3 storeys or higher. Class 1a dwellings on the other hand only require a solid core door at the entrance, unless it is within 900 mm of the property boundary, in which case it must be a fire door.
imagine the noise coming through a hollow door
Thickness also matters.
You can do it, but it will be terrible for the sake of $100?
Fire ratings.
I'm getting hammered for the reno on my apartment due to having to comply with current fire ratings rather than what was in place 15 years back when it was built.
120/120/120 everywhere.
you should ask yourself would you like this done to you if where they tenant? I think not! why put yourself at risk to save a couple of bucks. Not worth it. Just do the right thing the first time.
I think that is a terrible idea there's always ways to bypass that crap and the fact that someone can just punch a hole straight through the thing and open it isn't right in my opinion
I did lots of DIY projects and if experience taught me anything : don't cut corners. You do a shabby job today you have to do it twice. Do it right in the first place!
Might depend on the house but my internal doors are hollow but the front door is a thick slab of wood.
You could probably kick a hole through the internal doors
Or just open them like normal people…
That would cut down on costs
I had an idea earlier today about making and selling Doors out of empty Pizza Boxes.
Early signs are good, but the Fire Resistance trials often prove to be a problem.
I am recycling though. :+)
What’s the price difference?
You are a Bloody Cheap Landlord. At the very least, buy a second hand solid timber door so your apartment doesn’t look like a toilet entry. WTH.
Geez hate to think what else has been "cheapened" within OPs rental unit(s).
"hey guys i wanna do this can i do this?"
[everyone says no]
"well i'm going to sit here and argue with you about all the ways i can do this because my strata etc says so"
"it's just a rental" as a justification for being stingy, is a big part of the reason tenants have the perception that us landlords are scum. Do it right, claim what you can on tax and move on.
An absolute joke if you think you can place a $38 dollar hollow core door as a front door.
Issues:
- A small child running into it would cause a hole.
- An adult without any tools could break it in half by just kicking it.
- It's not weather resistant.
- Poor sound insulation
- Poor weather insulation
- Can't fit anything other than a handle lock
External Door
- can be had for less than $200
- can even buy it second hand
- cost the same as a $38 door to hang, paint, and fit a lock to it
- wont warp
- will provide bear minimum sound and weather insulation to our poor building standards
As above depending on the class of building your in, sounds like a townhouse, or a detached house like a class 1 you can put anything as a front door.
You have a false economy thinking you're saving money here. What's the reason your first EXTERNAL rated door failed? Exposure to weather, damage from a break in? And your going to replace it with a unsuitable door.
Source: Lived in a house with a front door not made of cardboard.
Do it once, do it right
Had an internal as external in my rental from when I bought it.
Rotted to the shit.
If you're going to install one seal / prime / paint properly and make sure you put a security door on it.
That said, fire ratings and shit. I'd just not be cheap and do it properly. Proper doors aren't that expensive + a lot of the cost is the labor in installation.
Paint it yourself to save some cash and have a local carpenter install. Buy the door yourself and have it ready for them if that helps too.
People like you are the reason why landlords have a bad name in Aus.
My question is why are you replacing the entrance door? Either way the landlord needs to sign off on this, are they ok with this?
Don't be a (profanity), put in a fire resistant door.
Just ask yourself one question. If you were the tenants would you be comfortable living in unit with a cheap internal door instead of a proper external door?
Just do the right thing.
What’s the address of the building? Not your individual apartment number, just the building address?
Per others advice you should to check the fire requirements if you replace an external door, also check if the external door is your property or part of the common property of the group.