Composite doors are becoming increasingly popular in the UK. They offer excellent security, energy efficiency, and aesthetic appeal. But what exactly influences composite door prices?
This comprehensive guide will help you understand everything you need to know about composite door prices and the factors that affect them.
What Are Composite Doors?
Composite doors are made from a combination of materials, including wood, uPVC, and glass-reinforced plastic (GRP). This mix of materials results in a door that is strong, durable, and low maintenance. Unlike traditional wooden doors, composite doors don’t warp, crack, or require regular painting. To learn more, read our blog post on why choose composite doors
How much do composite doors cost?
The price of a composite door can range from £900 to over £2,300 fitted, with an average price of £1,500. This, however, depends on many different factors.
Factors Affecting Composite Door Prices
When it comes to composite door prices, several factors come into play. Understanding these can help you make an informed decision. As installers of composite doors, we see a wide range of prices like for like. We have seen some companies charge more for a uPVC door than we would for a Rockdoor! So we want to outline some of the reasons for this, and why it is not always best to go for the cheapest price.
Brands of Composite Door
The first thing that will determine the price of a composite door is the brand. There are many, many different brands out there and they all vary greatly in price.
For example, a Rockdoor is a premium composite door, considered the best of the best, so the prices of these can be substantially higher than a standard generic composite door. Below is a table of some popular composite door brands with their price bracket. Investing in a reputable brand ensures you get a door that offers superior performance and longevity.
Brand | Price Bracket |
---|---|
Rockdoor | Expensive |
Solidor | Expensive |
Endurance Doors | Expensive |
Virtuoso | Mid-range |
GRP | Mid-range |
Hallmark | Mid-range |
Doorstop | Cheaper |
Specification of Your Composite Door
The second biggest factor that will determine the price is the specification you choose. The extras can add up to alot, especially on the premium brands.
For instance, a Rockdoor Vermont starts at around £1,380 including VAT and installation, however if you add the following:
As you can see from above, just two extras for your door, the price has already increased by £500. Now yes, these bar handles are full 316L marine grade stainless steel, and their glass designs are very nice, but it is a lot of money. Some companies will charge more for the base door, and then charge less for the optional extras.
Again, another two options and another £260 added. These doors can get very expensive very quickly. Cheaper composite doors such as GRP or Doorstop will offer better prices on optional extras, but this is also reflected in their quality (typically things like 304 stainless steel bar handles instead of the 316 marine grade) so the options you choose is always something to consider.
Rockdoor Options | Cost |
---|---|
Rockdoor Vermont | £1,380 |
1200mm Round Bar Handle | £250 |
Contemporary Letterbox | £130 |
Bullring Knocker | £130 |
Decorative Glass | £250 |
External Colour | £100 |
Total Price | £2,240 |
As you can see in the above table, you can almost add an extra £1,000 to the price of a composite door with just a few extras.
Sidelights and Toplights
If your door has a sidelight or toplight, they can add a significant cost to the price of your composite door. Just like the furniture options above, these also follow the same path in that a sidelight from Rockdoor or Solidor will cost more than a sidelight from say Doorstop.
One of the reasons for this is that these premium composite door brands use much higher quality outer frames. Rockdoor and Endurance doors both use Rehau outer-frame, considered one of the best in the business, where as a cheaper composite door may use an outer-frame that is not of the same quality.
Another reason that will also affect the price of your sidelight especially, is what type of couplers are used. Between the door frame and the sidelight frame, you typically have an aluminium or steel coupler for reinforcing. This can be anywhere from 3mm to 20mm thick and will affect the price. Different manufacturers may use several different couplers (for example Rockdoor offer 3 different couplers).
The glass chosen in your sidelight and toplight will also affect the price, a common glass is Satin (which is very opaque) and will add a little more to the price, and if you have two sidelights and a toplight, this can add up. Bespoke glass such as Satin glass with clear numbers or letters can cost an extra £60 to £120 depending on the size and numbers and letters.
Sidelights are more expensive to have than a toplight. The below table gives a rough idea of the extra cost to have a sidelight or toplight.
Brand | Per Sidelight | Toplight |
---|---|---|
Rockdoor | £320 to £450 | £250 to £350 |
Solidor | £320 to £450 | £250 to £350 |
Endurance Doors | £320 to £450 | £250 to £350 |
Virtuoso | £270 to £400 | £180 to £290 |
GRP | £270 to £400 | £180 to £290 |
Hallmark | £270 to £400 | £180 to £290 |
Doorstop | £230 to £320 | £140 to £250 |
What is Involved
Another factor that will affect the price is what is involved in the overall job. For example, a single door in an old house with big thick wooden frames and architrave on the inside, will take twice as long, with more materials and trims etc used than it would for the same door fitted into a newer house, so the price will be slightly higher.
In contrast, installing a composite door into a new extension, or porch, will be cheaper than installing it into a newer house, as typically it takes less time and less materials are used such as silicone and trims, so the cost is slightly lower.
If you have a coloured frame and you require 60mm or 90mm rims to finish off (very rare, but typically older houses), these are expensive to buy and the cost of the coloured frame will be higher than normal.
Other factors like any building work, such as lintels or re-pointing required, removal and disposal of extra rubbish, or removing other doors (such as an external arch door), if your house is rendered, all can slightly affect the price.
Location and Area
The location of where abouts you are in the country will play a small role in the price of a composite door. For example, in London or Kent, the same composite door is likely to be more expensive than it would be up north or in Scotland.
Is your supplier or fitted located near you? For example, we will charge slightly less to fit a door 5 miles from us than 50 miles away, it’s a small difference, but one worth mentioning as all these small bits can add up on the price. Typically we will just cover the extra fuel cost.
Do remember that it if your installer is 50 or 60 miles away, they could have one trip to survey (we always measure when we are in the area to ensure efficiency and keep our prices competitive) and another trip to install, so that could be 200 miles just to fit a composite door, plus any adjustments etc that may be needed down the line so this will affect the price of your composite door.
Company
The company you choose to purchase your door from, will be the biggest factor in your composite door price. Larger companies who have showrooms, fitters etc will have much bigger overheads than a family run business or a one man band.
We have seen and heard experiences of companies charging more for a uPVC door than we have for a Rockdoor supplied and fitted, it’s not uncommon. However, whether a company has a showroom or fitters, does not mean they are automatically bad or anything like that. Some people prefer to deal with a showroom, see the doors etc.
As we work from home, we have very little overheads and no showroom to pay for, so our prices are as competitive as you can get.
Why Cheapest is Not Always Best
As mentioned at the start of this blog post, there is cheap, and then there is cheapest. There can be several reasons why going for the cheapest composite door price is not the best option, in fact, it can often be the worst.
When you buy a composite door, especially a Rockdoor, Solidor or Endurance door, they come with substantial guarantees. The supplier of that door is key to ensure your guarantee is valid.
Cheapest Composite Door Prices
Let’s say for example, you buy a door from a company, they offered the cheapest price compared to any other company, and that company goes bust or stops trading, your door guarantee is thrown out of the window unfortunately and you are left on your own.
This is why too cheap for a composite door can sometimes be a bad thing as we unfortunately do get a lot of calls ‘I had a door fitted by xyz and it’s not quite opening, locking etc’.
One thing I would always strongly recommend when looking to buy a composite door is ensure that the company you buy the door from:
Ensuring the company you buy a composite door from meets the criteria above, you should be in good hands to ensure that should anything go wrong at any point during the guarantee period, you can rest assured knowing your supplier is still around to help and honour the guarantee.
How do composite door prices compare to uPVC?
When comparing the prices of composite doors to uPVC doors, the difference is initially minimal. A half-glazed white uPVC door may cost around £950 fitted, which is similar to a half-glazed mid-range GRP composite door. At this price range, the composite door is the better choice.
The price changes when you start adding options on a composite door, such as bar handles, decorative glass, knockers and so on, items you typically don’t see on a uPVC door.
How do composite door prices compare to timber?
When comparing composite door prices to timber doors, prices for timber doors can vary widely depending on the type of wood and hardware used. Generally, a timber door will cost slightly less than a composite door. However, the much higher maintenance required for timber doors outweighs this price advantage.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Several factors influence composite door prices, including the brand, specifications, and additional features like sidelights and toplights. The material quality, customisation options, and installation costs also play significant roles in determining the final price.
The price of a composite door can range from £900 to over £2,300 fitted, with an average price of £1,500. This, however, depends on many different factors.
Composite door prices vary due to differences in brand reputation, material quality, design complexity, and additional features like security enhancements and decorative elements. Installation costs, regional price differences, and company overheads also contribute to the variation.
Generally, composite doors are more expensive than traditional wooden doors. This is due to their superior durability, security features, and low maintenance requirements, which justify the higher initial cost.
The brand significantly impacts composite door prices. Premium brands like Rockdoor tend to be more expensive due to their high-quality materials and advanced security features. Investing in a reputable brand ensures long-term performance and reliability.
Rockdoor composite doors typically range from £1,000 to £2,500. The exact price depends on the door’s style, specifications, and any additional features or customisations.
Premium composite doors are more expensive because they use higher-quality materials, offer better security features, and often include advanced insulation properties. These doors are designed for durability and long-term performance, justifying their higher cost.
Specifications such as the door’s design, colour, glazing options, and additional security features can significantly impact the price, especially on premium brands.
Yes, adding sidelights to composite doors increases the cost. Depending on the brand, specification and sizes, this will vary from £230 to £450 per sidelight.
Yes, adding a toplight to a composite door increases the cost. Depending on the brand, specification and sizes, this will vary from £140 to £350 for a toplight.
The location of installation can affect composite door prices due to regional price variations, availability of installers, and transportation costs. Urban areas might have higher installation fees compared to rural locations.
Buying composite doors online can sometimes be cheaper due to competitive pricing and direct-to-consumer sales models. However, local suppliers might offer better installation packages and after-sales services.
Composite doors are generally a little more expensive than uPVC doors. While uPVC doors are cost-effective, composite doors offer superior durability, security, and aesthetic appeal, which for the price difference is worth it.
The cheapest composite door options often compromise on quality, security, and durability. Investing in a higher-quality door ensures better performance, longevity, and overall value for money.
The cost of maintaining composite doors is relatively low compared to their initial price. Regular cleaning and occasional hardware checks are usually sufficient, making them cost-effective in the long run.
To get an accurate quote for a composite door, contact us by phone, email or use our website form. We can offer excellent prices and fast lead times.
Investing in higher-priced composite doors offers benefits such as enhanced security, better insulation, superior durability, and aesthetic appeal. These doors often come with longer warranties and require less maintenance, providing long-term value.