Composite door cost: what the job involves and who is registered to do it

How composite door cost works

1. Ask what the core is. A composite door is a moulded skin over a core, and the core is what the door actually is. Solid timber cores, foam cores and hybrid constructions behave differently for weight, insulation, security and how they hold a lock. A quote that describes only the colour and the glass has not told you what you are buying.
2. Read the frame and the threshold. The frame is part of the price and part of the performance. Whether it is reinforced, how the door is hung in it, and whether the threshold is a standard or a low one all change cost. A low threshold is easier to cross and needs more care about weather and drainage.
3. Specify the glazing separately. Decorative glass, obscured glass and side panels are priced on top of the door and can be a substantial share of it. Glazing in a door and beside a door is in a critical location, so it has to be safety glass rather than ordinary glass, which is a requirement rather than an upgrade.
4. Look hard at the locking. The cylinder and the multipoint mechanism are where security actually lives, and they vary far more than the price difference suggests. Ask what standard the cylinder meets and what the multipoint locking engages, since this is the part a door is judged on after it is fitted.
5. Check the fitting and the certificate. An external door is notifiable glazing work in England and Wales, so a registered installer certifies it. Fitting quality decides whether a good door set closes properly in five years, and it is not visible on the day, so the registration and the guarantee are what you have to go on.

Insurance and paperwork

Common questions

Is a composite door better than uPVC?

It is heavier and more rigid, and it holds paint effects and woodgrain finishes better, which is why most people choose one. Whether it performs better depends on the specific construction and the lock, not on the category name.

Can a composite door be painted later?

The factory finish is part of the skin rather than a coat of paint on top of it, so repainting is not a routine option and is not usually covered by the guarantee. Choose the colour as a permanent decision.

Does the door come with the frame?

Usually, and it should. Hanging a new composite slab in an old frame is possible but rarely sensible, because the frame, the hinges and the keeps are engineered to work with that door.

Registered contractors by region

• Registered roofers in the East Midlands postcode area
• Registered roofers in the East of England postcode area
• Registered roofers in the London postcode area
• Registered roofers in the North East postcode area
• Registered roofers in the North West postcode area
• Registered roofers in the Scotland postcode area
• Registered roofers in the South East postcode area
• Registered roofers in the South West postcode area
• Registered roofers in the Wales postcode area
• Registered roofers in the West Midlands postcode area
• Registered roofers in the Yorkshire and The Humber postcode area