Shave Swollen Doors and Fix Sticking Doors in London

A door can start sticking for a few different reasons. In many homes, the door itself swells slightly in damp weather. In others, the frame moves a little over time, or a recently fitted carpet, wood floor or threshold leaves less clearance at the bottom of the door.

Our handyman service is for doors that need careful shaving, trimming or adjustment so they close properly again. We assess what is causing the problem first, then carry out the appropriate fix. That may mean shaving the edge of the door, easing the bottom where it is catching, or making small adjustments so the fit is right.

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Specific arrival times. We confirm a one-hour arrival window on every booking, so there is no waiting in all day.

How much does it cost to shave a swollen door in London?

Shaving or adjusting a sticking door in London is charged by time at £60 + VAT for the first 30 minutes and £30 + VAT for each additional 30 minutes, so you only pay for the time the job takes. Most single sticking-door adjustments are completed within the first half-hour to one hour, and you get an accurate estimate after the handyman has looked at the door, before any work starts.

• £60 + VAT for the first 30 minutes
• £30 + VAT for each additional 30 minutes
• Saturday appointments charged at the same weekday rate
• No separate call-out fee

A worked example: easing a door that catches in one spot, where it just needs the rubbing edge planed and the latch checked, is usually a first-half-hour to one-hour job, so around £60 to £90 + VAT. The reason it can take the full hour is that the door often has to come off its hinges to plane the edge cleanly and be rehung and tested, and a painted door edge has to be planed and then resealed or it will swell again. The diagnosis is part of the time too, because shaving a door that swelled in damp weather can leave a draughty gap once it dries out, so we work out the real cause before removing any timber.

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Why London chooses Silver Saints for sticking doors

Here is why London customers have booked Silver Saints for shaving swollen and sticking doors.

• 4.9 stars from over 1,000 Google reviews
• 5 stars on Trustpilot and Checkatrade
• £5 million public liability insurance
• Operating across London since May 2008
• All work guaranteed against faulty workmanship, with a 12-month guarantee on labour and parts we supply
• A specific one-hour arrival window confirmed on every booking

Ready to book? We can usually come today or tomorrow, subject to availability.

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Why has my door started sticking all of a sudden?

A door usually starts sticking for one of four reasons, and Silver Saints work out which before deciding how to fix it: the door has swollen with damp, a hinge has dropped or worked loose, the frame has moved slightly, or a new carpet or floor has reduced the clearance at the bottom. Each needs a different fix. A door that swells in damp weather and frees up when it dries is best eased only where it binds, because planing it fully will leave a gap once it shrinks back. A door that catches at the latch corner has usually dropped on a worn or loose top hinge, and tightening or packing the hinge often cures it with no planing at all. Getting the cause right is what stops a sticking door becoming a draughty or rattling one.

Can a handyman shave a door without taking it off, and where does it catch?

A door can rub at the top, the side or the bottom, and Silver Saints look at where the witness mark is before planing, because the rubbing edge tells you the cause. Where only a small amount needs to come off the latch edge the door can sometimes be eased in place, but a proper job on a binding door means taking it off the hinges, planing the edge straight with the door secured, easing the arris so it does not catch, and rehanging it, then resealing any bare timber so it does not take up moisture and swell again. We plane the hinge edge rather than the latch edge where possible, so the latch and lock still line up afterwards, and we check the strike plate so the door actually shuts rather than just swinging freely.

Sticking doors across London property types

The cause tends to track London building stock. In Victorian and Edwardian terraces and conversions across Wandsworth, Hackney, Islington and Camden the original doors are solid timber hung in frames that have moved over a century, so a door catching the frame is common and the timber is worth keeping rather than replacing. In mansion blocks across Kensington, Chelsea and Marylebone the heavy original doors drop on their hinges over time, so the fix is often the hinge, not the door. In modern new-build flats around Nine Elms, Battersea and Canary Wharf the doors are lighter hollow-core or engineered, where a new carpet or a humid bathroom is the usual cause of a door starting to bind. Reading the door and the building tells us whether to plane, adjust the hinge, or look at the floor.

Combine a sticking door with other jobs in one visit

Because a Silver Saint is multi-trade, easing a sticking door is a sensible moment to deal with the other small jobs around the same doors and rooms in one visit, with no second call-out fee. A door that has dropped or sticks often pairs with fitting or adjusting locks, hinges and handles while the door is off, and where the door is being repainted after planing it sits naturally with touch-up decorating. If the catching door is a sash window rather than a door, that is our sash window work. Tell us everything when you book so the visit covers the lot.

Shaving Swollen Doors FAQs

Can you fix a sticking door today in London?

Silver Saints usually offer same-day or next-day appointments for shaving swollen and sticking doors across London, subject to availability, and you can call 0207 0999 199 or book online to secure the earliest slot.

How much does it cost to shave a swollen door in London?

Shaving or adjusting a sticking door is charged by time at £60 + VAT for the first 30 minutes and £30 + VAT for each additional 30 minutes, with Saturday charged at the same weekday rate, and most single doors are eased within the first half-hour to one hour.

Why is my door sticking all of a sudden?

A door usually starts sticking because it has swollen in damp weather, a hinge has dropped or worked loose, the frame has moved, or a new carpet or floor has reduced the clearance, and Silver Saints check the cause before deciding whether to plane or simply adjust the door.

Can you shave a swollen door without replacing it?

In most cases a swollen or sticking door can be eased by planing the binding edge and adjusting the fit rather than replacing the door, which keeps the original door, and Silver Saints only recommend a new door where the timber is split, rotten or beyond adjustment.

My door catches at the bottom after new flooring, can you help?

Silver Saints can plane the bottom of a door that catches on a newly fitted carpet, wood floor or threshold, taking off just enough to clear the new floor level while keeping an even gap, and resealing the bare edge so it does not take up moisture.

Will you check the latch and lock after trimming the door?

Silver Saints check the latch, lock and strike plate alignment after adjusting a door, so the door does not just swing freely but actually shuts and latches cleanly, which is often the real complaint behind a sticking door.

Which London areas do you cover for sticking doors?

Silver Saints cover every London borough for shaving swollen and sticking doors, including Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea, Camden, Islington, Wandsworth and Hackney, plus the surrounding TW, KT, CR and BR postcode areas.

Is the work guaranteed and insured?

All door shaving and adjustment work by Silver Saints is insured with £5 million public liability cover and carries a 12-month guarantee on labour and on any parts supplied.

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Shaving swollen doors in London, in short

Silver Saints ease swollen and sticking doors across every London borough, working out whether the door has swelled with damp, dropped on a worn or loose hinge, is rubbing on a frame that has moved, or is catching on a new carpet or floor, then planing the binding edge, adjusting the hinge or clearance, resealing bare timber and checking the latch, lock and strike plate so the door shuts cleanly, on internal and external doors in flats, houses and rental properties across Victorian and Edwardian terraces, mansion blocks, converted flats, concrete builds and modern new builds, plus the TW, KT, CR and BR areas. Appointments run Monday to Saturday from 8am to 5pm with same-day and next-day slots usually available, a Fully Supported Service with a one-hour arrival window, charged by time at £60 + VAT for the first half-hour and £30 + VAT per further half-hour, and the team holds a 4.9-star rating from over 1,000 Google reviews. To book, call 0207 0999 199 or use https://bookings.silversaints.com.

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