External Door Fitting Cost UK 2026
An external door is priced as a supplied-and-fitted unit, with the door itself usually two-thirds of the cost. In Q3 2026 a composite front door costs about £900–£2,000 fitted, uPVC £600–£1,400 and a hardwood door £1,200–£3,000. Fitting alone, if you supply the door, is typically £180–£400.
Quick answer: what does it cost?
In Q3 2026, upvc front or back door typically costs £600–£1,400 in the UK. Across every option on this page prices run from £180 to £6,000. Where you land depends mostly on access, the condition of what is already there, and your region — London and the South East typically add 10–25%.
External Door Fitting Cost UK 2026 — Full Price Table
Typical UK prices for Q3 2026, supplied and fitted where relevant. Every quote varies with access, property type and region.
| Item | Typical cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| uPVC front or back door | £600–£1,400 | Cheapest secure option |
| Composite front door | £900–£2,000 | Best all-round for security and heat |
| Hardwood door | £1,200–£3,000 | Period properties; needs maintenance |
| Aluminium door | £1,400–£3,500 | Slim frames, contemporary look |
| French doors | £1,200–£3,000 | |
| Patio / sliding doors | £1,500–£4,000 | |
| Bi-fold doors (3m) | £2,500–£6,000 | Aluminium costs more than uPVC |
| Fitting only (you supply) | £180–£400 | Per door |
Indicative Q3 2026 UK market ranges. Confirm the figure for your job with a written quote.
Regional Price Variation
Labour rates are the main regional driver, so the same job can differ by a third across the UK. The table below applies typical regional labour weighting to upvc front or back door (£600–£1,400 at the UK average).
| Region | Typical range | vs UK average |
|---|---|---|
| London | £732–£1,708 | +22% vs UK average |
| South East | £672–£1,568 | +12% vs UK average |
| East of England | £630–£1,470 | +5% vs UK average |
| South West | £612–£1,428 | +2% vs UK average |
| Midlands | £600–£1,400 | 0% vs UK average |
| North West | £576–£1,344 | -4% vs UK average |
| Yorkshire & North East | £564–£1,316 | -6% vs UK average |
| Wales | £564–£1,316 | -6% vs UK average |
| Scotland | £576–£1,344 | -4% vs UK average |
| Northern Ireland | £528–£1,232 | -12% vs UK average |
Regional weighting is indicative and reflects labour-rate differences, not material costs, which are broadly national.
What’s Included in a Door Fitter Quote
A complete quote should cover all of the following. If any line is missing, it is not a cheaper quote — it is an incomplete one, and the gap usually reappears as a variation once work has started.
- Removal and disposal of the old door and frame
- New frame, cill and weather seals
- Multipoint lock, handles and letterplate
- Making good internally and externally
- FENSA or equivalent building regulations certificate
- Adjustment after settling if needed
What Moves the Price Up or Down
Access
Restricted access, upper floors, scaffolding, or no parking near the property all add labour hours before any work happens. This is the most under-estimated cost on almost every quote.
Region
Labour rates vary 20–30% across the UK. Materials are broadly national, so the more labour-heavy the job, the bigger the regional swing.
Specification
Material grade is the biggest controllable variable, and stepping up one level usually adds less than people expect because the labour is unchanged.
Existing condition
Preparation and remedial work to what is already there is the most common reason a final bill exceeds the headline rate. A survey before quoting protects both sides.
Timing
Emergency and out-of-hours work carries a premium, and weather-dependent trades charge more in peak season. Booking in advance is nearly always cheaper.
Scale
Fixed costs — set-up, access equipment, waste disposal, travel — are spread across the job, so the per-unit rate falls as the job gets bigger.
Five Ways to Bring the Cost Down
- Get three like-for-like quotes. The spread between the highest and lowest quote on the same specified scope is routinely 25–40%. That is the single biggest saving available to you, and it costs nothing.
- Book out of peak season. Weather-dependent trades are busiest spring to early autumn. The same job in the quieter months is often 10–15% cheaper and you will get a faster start date.
- Combine related work into one visit. Set-up, access and travel are charged once. Bundling jobs that need the same access — especially anything requiring scaffold or a tower — avoids paying for it twice.
- Be flexible on materials, not on preparation. Dropping a grade on finish is a legitimate saving. Cutting preparation, disposal or making good is a false economy that costs more within a few years.
- Do the unskilled parts yourself. Clearing the area, moving furniture, and taking waste to the tip are chargeable hours you can remove. Agree exactly what you are doing before the quote is finalised.
How to Choose the Right Door Fitter
Price is the easiest thing to compare and the least useful on its own. Before you accept a quote, check:
- Public liability insurance — ask for the certificate, not just a claim that they have it, and check it is in date.
- Relevant registration or accreditation for the trade, where one exists, and that it covers the specific work you need.
- Recent, verifiable work — ask for two addresses from the last six months, and follow them up.
- A written, itemised quote with scope, materials, timescale, payment stages and what is excluded.
- A workmanship guarantee in writing, and clarity on who honours it if the firm ceases trading.
Building Regulations and Security Standards
A new external door is not just a fitting job; it has to meet two sets of rules, and a good installer prices for both:
- Thermal performance (Part L). A replacement external door must meet a minimum energy standard, expressed as a U-value. Reputable door sets are supplied with the certification to prove it.
- Security (Part Q) on new dwellings. New-build doors must resist forced entry to the PAS 24 standard; it is good practice to ask for PAS 24 door sets on replacements too.
- Safety glazing. Glass in and beside a door must be toughened or laminated to the impact-safety rules.
- Fire doors to an integral garage or in a flat have their own rating and self-closing requirements.
Fitting a compliant door set through a registered installer, or notifying building control, is what keeps the work signed off — and gives you a certificate to hand a buyer later. A quality composite or timber door, well fitted, should last 20 to 30 years.
Front door brands compared: Solidor, Rockdoor, Origin, Endurance, Comp Door and Distinction
Composite doors dominate the UK front-door market and the differences are real: solid timber core against foam-filled, and the lock and cylinder that come fitted as standard. Aluminium is the alternative where the look matters most.
| Brand | Known for | Ranges you will be quoted | Typical door price | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Comp Door | British composite with a solid core | Comp Door range | £800–£1,600 | Popular with independent installers rather than nationals |
| Distinction Doors | Composite door slabs used by many fabricators | Distinction slabs | £700–£1,500 | You may be quoted the fabricator's name rather than this one |
| Endurance | Solid timber core composite; wide colour range | Endurance doors | £850–£1,700 | Solid core; often the direct comparison against Solidor |
| Origin | Aluminium doors; slim frames, long guarantee | OB-49, OB-72 | £1,500–£3,000 | Aluminium, so a different look and a higher price than composite |
| Rockdoor | Reinforced composite with a steel frame inside | Ultimate, Elite, Select | £900–£2,000 | Marketed on security; check which lock spec the quote includes |
| Solidor | Solid timber core composite; British-made | Italia, Traditional, Conservation | £900–£1,800 | Solid core rather than foam-filled, and usually supplied with a 3-star cylinder |
Prices above are for the door only — fitting is separate and is priced in the table further up this page. Brands are listed alphabetically, not ranked: BestBuilders does not sell or endorse any of them.
Work out your own figure
What changes an external door quote the most
The door itself is most of the cost, and the range is wide: a composite front door is the mainstream choice, uPVC is cheaper, aluminium and hardwood cost more, and bifold or sliding patio doors are a different order again. The glazing, the locking spec and the finish all move the price of the same opening.
Whether the opening changes decides the labour. A straight like-for-like swap into a sound frame is quick; making an opening bigger, squaring up a dropped or out-of-square frame, or fitting where the lintel or brickwork needs attention turns a fit into a small building job. Older properties throw up more of these surprises than new ones.
Security and weatherproofing are where corners get cut cheaply and cost later: a multi-point lock to the current standard, a proper threshold and a clean weather seal are worth paying for. If enlarging or squaring the opening leaves brickwork and plaster to make good, the plastering calculator prices that side of the job.
External Door Fitting Cost UK 2026 — FAQs
Yes — replacement external doors are notifiable for thermal performance and, where relevant, means of escape. Use a FENSA or Certass registered installer and the certificate is handled for you; otherwise you must apply to building control yourself, which costs more and is often forgotten until you come to sell.
For a front door, generally yes. Composite doors have a solid core, better insulation and better security ratings, and they hold colour longer. uPVC remains a sensible economical choice for a back or side door that is less exposed and less visible.
Ask for a door tested to PAS 24 with a 3-star cylinder (TS 007) or a 1-star cylinder combined with 2-star security handles. Many home insurers ask about this, and it is the difference between a door being opened in seconds by snapping and it holding.
A straightforward like-for-like replacement is 3–5 hours. If the opening needs resizing, or a new lintel is required, allow a full day or more.
Three is the sweet spot. One gives you no benchmark, two leaves you guessing when they disagree, and beyond three you are usually just delaying the job. Make sure all three are quoting the same scope — a cheap quote that excludes preparation, disposal or making good is not actually cheaper.
Ranges on this page are what a homeowner typically pays. Sole traders below the VAT registration threshold do not charge VAT; VAT-registered firms add 20%. Certain works — some energy-saving measures, and renovations of properties empty for over two years — can qualify for a reduced rate, so ask if you think you qualify.
Usually three reasons: different scope (what preparation and making good is included), different materials, and how busy the trade is — a firm with a full order book prices high because they do not need the work. Always compare the written scope line by line, not just the total.
Compare Quotes From Vetted Local Trades
Tell us about your job and we’ll match you with up to three vetted local specialists. No upfront cost, no obligation — and you deal direct.
Get my 3 free quotes →Registered members: Double Glazing
3 businesses offering double glazing have a public profile with BestBuilders. Each listing is a business that registered with us directly; the details shown are the ones it declared at registration, and a Companies House number appears only where one was given.
All registered trades · Recent projects · Run a double glazing business? Add your free profile