External doors are essential for both home security and personal comfort, allowing us to enter, and keeping unwanted guests locked out. They also form a vital barrier against the outside elements as a final layer of insulation keeping the warmth in and the cold out, saving on energy bills.
Whilst there are many types of doors available, uPVC doors win hands down when it comes to value for money, being the cheapest but still with reasonable durability – and compared to the classic wooden door, they offer vastly increased weather resistance with less upkeep.
With multi-point locking systems for security, the average life expectancy of a uPVC door is up to 25 years, and what’s more, 10-year manufacturer’s warranties are commonplace. In this article, we’ll be looking at:
- How much uPVC front doors cost
- What affects the cost of uPVC front door installation
- How to save money on a uPVC front door
- How to know if a uPVC front door is right for your home
- How to find and hire a joiner
If your current front door has seen better days and you think it’s high time for a replacement, keep reading to find out if a uPVC front door is the right choice for you and your home.
How Much Does a uPVC Front Door Cost?
To help with budgeting, let’s take a look at the costs associated with new uPVC doors in the first instance.
| TYPE OF DOOR | SIZE OF DOOR | ESTIMATED SUPPLY COST | ESTIMATED LABOUR COST | ESTIMATED TOTAL COST | TIME REQUIRED |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White uPVC | 1,000 x 2,200mm | £300 to £550 | £150 to £250 | £450 to £800 | 2 to 5 hours |
| Rosewood uPVC | 1000 x 2,200mm | £500+ | £150 to £250 | £650+ | 2 to 5 hours |
| Grey uPVC | 1000 x 2,200mm | £550+ | £150 to £250 | £700+ | 2 to 5 hours |
| White uPVC (double glazed) | 1000 x 2,200mm | £370 to £500 | £150 to £250 | £520 to £750 | 2 to 5 hours |
| Rosewood uPVC (half glazed) | 1000 x 2,200mm | £520 to £600 | £150 to £250 | £670 to £850 | 2 to 5 hours |
| Grey uPVC (half glazed) | 1000 x 2,200mm | £620+ | £150 to £250 | £770+ | 2 to 5 hours |
For a standard white uPVC front door of 1,000 by 2,200 millimetres, you can expect a supply cost of between £300 to £350. With labour fees of between £150 to £250 and an estimated installation time of between two to five hours, you can expect total estimated costs of between £450 to £800.
Next up, let’s discuss a rosewood uPVC front door, also of the 1,000 by 2,200-millimetre size. This is slightly more expensive than the white, being £500+, and with the same labour costs of between £150 to £250, a job taking between two to five hours will total at £650+.
For something a little more subtle, a grey uPVC front door can cost upwards of £550 for a 1,000 by 2,200-millimetre size. This gives a total estimated cost of £700+ for the supply and fitting of the door, with the same £150 to £250 labour charge for a job duration of between two to five hours.
If you want to have a front door with a portion of double-glazing in it, a white uPVC model of this variety will cost you between £370 to £500 for a 1,000 by 2,200-millimetre size. The labour time is the same for this type of door, giving a total of between £520 to £750 depending on how long it takes your installer.
For a rosewood uPVC door with half glazing, the cost rises to £520 to £600 for the supply cost alone, with an additional £150 to £250 in labour fees. This will total out to between £670 to £850 for the final estimated cost for installation and purchase.
Finally, a grey uPVC front door with a half-glazed section will cost over £620. Adding on the same labour charges, you can expect a total estimated cost, including installation, to level out at £770+.
It’s good to note that there may be additional charges to these base costs such as minimum fees, costs to remove old doors or additional costs for sealants and trims. In all instances, it’s best to get a written quote settled on before proceeding with any work to ensure everyone is on the same page when it comes to settling up.
What Affects the Cost of Installing a uPVC Front Door?
It’s important to note that if you have a listed building, you may be required to conform to certain regulations and standards for your front door and it generally will not be permitted for you to choose a uPVC front door. Before getting started on any work, it’s best to check in with your local building authority to check out your circumstances if you are under any doubts about what you can and cannot do.
Typically, the final prices for uPVC doors will depend on the following factors:
The Size and Type of the Front Door You Need
Custom-made doors or doors with additional security features are likely to be more expensive than more basic uPVC door options. A plain white uPVC door costs between £300 to £550, while a grey uPVC door with half glazing costs over £620.
The Colour Choice
White is usually standard with uPVC doors, but there is a wide variety of colour choices – even wood imitations such as Rosewood and Golden Oak are available. As we can see from the price comparison table above, these options can add up to £150 to your final door price, with a white uPVC door starting at £300, white rosewood and grey colourways starting at £500+.
Any Glass Inserts and Panels
uPVC door prices will rise depending on your choice of glass. Across the range of clear, tinted, decorative and safety, expect the additional costs to creep up by an extra £100.
For example, a standard grey uPVC door starts at £550, while the same size and colour but with half glazing starts at £620. While it is nice to have a little extra light in your hallway and entrance to your home, it isn’t an essential feature, so if you’re looking to keep costs low, perhaps navigate away from glazing panels.
Any Door Grids
Having Georgian bars and other decorative grids will push prices towards the higher end of the scale. For example, a grey uPVC door with Georgian glazing grids can cost over £700 – far higher than the starting price of £550 for a solid uPVC door.
Accessories and Door Furniture
The costs don’t end with the door being fitted – any additional accessories will need to be added to the total price for your door. Examples of these items can include:
- Letter plates – £10 to £20
- Door knockers – £15
- Spyhole – £10
- Custom sills – £10
- Cylinder pulls – £15
- Door handles – £15
- Letterboxes – £15
- Doorbells – wired £10 to £15, wireless £15 to £30
- Video Door Entry System – £600 to £800
Additional Insulation
Additional insulation within your door may cost around £20. You may choose to take it further with sealing tape for an additional £5, or warm edge spacing bars for £10.
Your Location
Finally, as with all home renovations, your geographical location plays a key part in determining the price you’ll pay for your job. Those in capital cities will see higher costs, whereas those in towns or villages will likely see lower costs due to the levels of demand.
Are you ready to find a uPVC front door installer? HouseholdQuotes can help you find the right tradesperson.
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How Can I Save Money on a uPVC Front Door?
Now we know how uPVC front doors can rise in price, let’s take a look at some of the cost-saving initiatives you can employ to make sure your project comes in on budget.
By simply choosing a door with a basic style and limited additional features such as plane glass or glazing, you can trim your costs down considerably. What’s more, without a glass pane you won’t need to consider any extra fees for window cleaning, and where necessary, blinds or shutters for the door to keep prying eyes out when necessary.
Fitting new external doors is often best left to professional carpenters or joiners. It’s a fiddly job that requires several tools, joinery equipment, patience and experience.
Another factor to consider is that external doors are a “controlled fitting”, which means any work will require consent from your local building authority. If workers are not FENSA registered, you will need to pay for an inspection – and if you cannot obtain a certificate of compliance, you may encounter a problem when trying to sell.
While you can easily install some features yourself – from your door number to a new door knocker or wall plaque – it’s best to leave the actual installation of your door to the professionals to ensure the safety of your home isn’t compromised, and that you adhere to the building trade guidelines so that nothing is hindering your ability to sell up when the time comes.
To prevent future headaches, you should consider hiring professional tradesmen who are FENSA registered to fit your door.
Comparing quotes is a great way to potentially reduce the cost of your project. HouseholdQuotes can help you get quotes from multiple tradespeople near you, so that you can find someone that suits your budget.
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Is a uPVC Front Door the Right Choice for My Home?
Let’s take a look at the main advantages and disadvantages of having a uPVC front door installed in your home.
| ADVANTAGES | DISADVANTAGES |
|---|---|
| Cheap and cheerful, offering a good level of durability for the price point | Not as robust as other types of door, such as composite |
| Lots of extras and styles available to suit most personalities and decorative styles | Colour will fade over time |
| Easy to alter and bespoke options are available if desired | You might not be able to have one fitted if you live in a protected area or in a listed building |
| Good level of security offered from multi-point locking systems | You need a professional to fit it to ensure it is certified and doesn’t hinder your ability to sell your home |
What’s Involved in Installing a uPVC Front Door?
Fitting a single door is a two-man job. It may only take half a day to fit the new door, yet allow a full day for removing and disposing of the existing door/frame.
See below for a rundown of the basic procedure:
Firstly, take precise measurements of your space. Take three vertical measurements and three horizontal measurements.
Always deduct 1cm from the smallest to allow for fitting tolerances. Measurements are to be taken from brick to brick. Now you can order a new door/frame.
Collect or receive your new door. Remove all packaging and double-check the condition and dimensions.
Remove your existing door. Use a hammer, chisel and pry bar to extract the old frame from the wall. Be careful not to damage existing brickwork. Clean away old silicone and mastic from the surface.
Fit sill (if required). Make sure it has been positioned correctly using a spirit level. Align the sill with packing and shims, and then secure it with silicone.
Attach all fixings to the new door. It may be easier to remove your new door from the frame, take it to one side and fit the handles and cylinders.
Position the new door/frame in the opening. Check the bottom is level and swing open the door.
Drill holes down through the frame and brickwork, and secure the frame with anchors and bolts. Check to ensure the door is still level.
Drill and secure each side. Hinged side first, then the lock side and check the door still closes parallel. If the top or bottom is sealing first, adjust the lock side.
Position the plastic packers. The hinge side requires one vertically and one horizontally from the bottom. The lock side requires one vertically and one horizontally from the top
Check the door closes and locks. Then fill in beads and tap down using a soft hammer.
Make final adjustments. Use a screwdriver to adjust the door latch to remove play. Adjust the hinges until they provide smooth operation.
Lay the final seal. Clean the frame and seal it to the brickwork using waterproof silicone sealant.
How Do I Find and Hire a Joiner?
One of the best routes to take when looking for a joiner for your project is to simply seek recommendations from family, friends, and neighbours. If they have had similar work completed in their home, it’s a great way to find reputable leads – and it saves you time that would otherwise be spent looking for a suitable trader.
If this isn’t possible, consulting FENSA will help you to find a trusted trader. Alternatively, you can use HouseholdQuotes to find local traders in your area, helping you to keep your search to just one website instead of between many, and also helping to save you up to 40% on your project’s fee.
Finding the right tradesperson can be challenging. At HouseholdQuotes, we can connect you to professional joiners in your area.
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Ensuring the Professional Is the Right Fit
You’ll want to check your chosen tradesperson is competent and qualified before you agree to work with them. This can take a few forms, from looking at their experience and previous jobs as well as any customer references to looking at photos or videos of their past work to see if the finish is what you are looking for.
It’s important to double-check they have the relevant insurance in place before any work begins to keep both parties safe, and you should settle on a written quote before any work starts to ensure there are no surprises with hidden fees come completion.
Final Checklist
When it comes to home security, nothing is better than having a brand new front door installed for ultimate peace of mind when it comes to keeping unwanted guests out. Let’s take a look at our final checklist to make sure everything is taken care of when it comes to your project:
- Ensure you can have a uPVC door fitted – do you live in a protected area or own a listed building? This could hinder your uPVC door installation, and it’s always best to check with the local building authority before going ahead with any work to save you from wasting both your time and your money
- Find which style is right for you – do you want something simple and cost-effective, such as a white uPVC door, or do you want something more ornate like a coloured uPVC door with Georgian bars and glazing?
- Consider your budget and pick a style that fits your wants and your wallet
- Find a reputable trader using HouseholdQuotes, and ensure they are FENSA registered as doors are a ‘controlled fitting’ which needs to be signed off and certified by a trade body
- Get and agree upon a written quote before any work begins
- Choose your extras such as a video doorbell or security system, and enjoy your newly-secure home!
Use HouseholdQuotes to find local tradespeople and potentially save money on your project.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the Difference Between a uPVC Door and a Composite Door?
While a uPVC door will be made purely from plastic, a composite door will be made from a combination of materials which are bonded together under high pressure to create a new material. Because of the manufacturing methods, composite doors are typically more hardwearing than uPVC, withstanding more robust conditions, making them better choices for homeowners in more extreme climate environments.
What’s the Best Material for a Front Door?
The best material for a front door can only be decided on a case-by-case basis, as what is ‘best’ for one homeowner might not be right for the next. For example, those in harsher weather climates might favour a composite door for durability and robustness, while those in more temperate conditions could favour a uPVC door because there are fewer extreme events to contend with.
For more information on external front doors and their associated costs, as well as their pros and cons, take a look at our dedicated page.
How Much Do Locksmiths Charge to Change a Lock?
Locksmiths will typically charge between £125 and £140 to replace a standard mortice and rim lock. Prices can be higher for emergency call-outs, which should be kept in mind – for more information on locksmiths and their associated costs, take a look at our lock changing guide.
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