TL;DR
- A fully fitted front door in the UK typically costs £1,200 to £4,500 in 2026, with composite doors at £1,800 to £3,500 covering most homeowners’ needs.
- Material choice depends on priorities: uPVC for budget, composite for all-round value, timber for period homes, aluminium for contemporary builds, steel for security.
- Quote variations of £1,500 or more usually come down to frame replacement, glazing, hardware specification, colour, sizing, and whether removal and disposal are included.
- A complete quote should cover survey, frame, slab, glazing spec, TS 007-rated locks, sealing, making good, and FENSA or CERTASS certification.
A front door is one of the few home improvements that earns its keep on day one. It is the first thing visitors see, the last barrier between your family and a wet Tuesday in February, and one of the largest single contributors to your home’s kerb appeal and security. Yet for something so important, the pricing landscape in the UK is surprisingly murky. Quotes can swing from £600 to well over £6,000 for what looks, on paper, like the same job.
This guide cuts through the noise. We will walk through what a new front door genuinely costs in 2026, what drives the price up or down, and where homeowners most often get caught out by quotes that look cheap until the installer arrives. Whether you are replacing a tired uPVC slab on a 1990s semi or specifying a timber door for a period property, you will leave with a clear sense of what to budget, what to ask for, and what a fair quote looks like.
How much does a new front door cost in the UK in 2026?
As a working benchmark, most UK homeowners in 2026 should expect to pay between £1,200 and £4,500 for a fully fitted front door, including the frame, hardware, and removal of the old door. The exact figure depends heavily on material, size, glazing, and the condition of the existing opening.
Here is a realistic snapshot of installed prices for a standard single front door (roughly 900mm wide, no side panels):
| Door type | Supply only | Fitting (labour) | Total installed |
| uPVC front door | £500 – £1,200 | £300 – £500 | £1,200 – £2,200 |
| Composite front door | £900 – £2,200 | £350 – £600 | £1,800 – £3,500 |
| Aluminium front door | £1,500 – £3,500 | £400 – £700 | £2,500 – £5,000 |
| Timber (engineered) | £1,500 – £3,500 | £400 – £700 | £2,500 – £5,500 |
| Hardwood / bespoke timber | £2,500 – £5,000+ | £500 – £900 | £3,500 – £6,500+ |
| Steel security door | £1,800 – £4,000 | £400 – £700 | £2,500 – £5,000 |
These are realistic 2026 figures from established UK installers. London and the South East tend to sit at the upper end, while the North, Midlands, and Wales typically come in 10 to 15 per cent lower for equivalent specifications.
Front door cost by material
Material is the single biggest lever on price. It also determines how the door will look, perform,m and age, so it is worth understanding what you are actually paying for.
If you are comparing prices because your existing entrance is draughty, dated, ed or no longer feels secure, it can also help to look at the wider range of replacement front doors and external door options available. Seeing the different styles, materials, and glazing choices in one place can make it easier to decide whether a simple like-for-like replacement is enough, or whether a more energy-efficient, secure door would better suit your home.
uPVC front doors
uPVC remains the most affordable option and is a sensible choice for rentals, side and back doors, or any property where budget is the priority. A modern uPVC front door is reasonably secure when fitted with a good multipoint lock and an anti-snap cylinder, and it is genuinely low maintenance. The trade-off is appearance: even the better foiled finishes can look plastic up close, and colour options are more limited than with composite or timber. Lifespan is typically 15 to 20 years before the seals, hinges,s or hardware start to feel tired.
Composite front doors
Composite is the dominant choice for UK front doors in 2026, and for good reason. A quality composite door is built around a solid timber or polyurethane core, finished with a moulded GRP skin that holds colour well and resists denting. Thermal performance is strong, security hardware is generally good as standard, and the visual range covers everything from traditional cottage panels to flat contemporary slabs. Expect a 25 to 30-year practical lifespan with minimal upkeep beyond an occasional wipe-down and seal check.
Timber front doors
Nothing else looks quite like a real timber door, and for period properties, conservation areas, and homes where character matters, timber is often the only honest choice. Engineered timber doors, built up in laminated layers, are far more dimensionally stable than solid hardwood and resist warping in damp British weather. The catch is maintenance. A timber front door needs refinishing every three to five years, sooner if it faces south or west and takes the brunt of sun and rain. Done well, a timber door will outlast almost any alternative.
Aluminium front doors
Aluminium has moved from a niche choice into a genuine mainstream option, particularly for modern extensions, contemporary new builds, and architect-led renovations. The slim sightlines allow for larger glazed panels, finishes are durable, and thermal performance has improved markedly with modern thermal-break construction. Prices are higher than composite, but you are paying for a distinctive look and a long service life.
Steel security doors
Steel doors are a specialist purchase, usually chosen for high-security applications, flats with shared entrances, or properties in higher-risk areas. They are not the most thermally efficient option unless you specify an insulated core, but for sheer physical resistance to forced entry, nothing else compares at the price.
What affects the final price?
Two homeowners can ring the same installer, ask for a “new composite front door,” and end up with quotes £1,500 apart. The difference almost always sits in the detail. Here is what genuinely moves the price:
Frame condition is the biggest single variable. If the existing frame is sound, square, and watertight, an installer can sometimes hang a new slab into it. In practice, this is rare on doors more than 15 years old, and most reputable installers will recommend replacing the frame as part of the job. A new frame adds £200 to £600, depending on material and complexity.
Glazing choices matter more than people realise. A solid composite slab is the cheapest option. Adding decorative glazing, leaded effect,s or obscure patterns pushes the price up. Side panels (sidelights) and toplights can add £400 to £1,200 each, and they also affect the structural opening, which may require a new lintel.
Hardware specification has a quiet but real impact. The difference between a basic euro cylinder and a properly rated TS 007 three-star anti-snap cylinder is around £80 to £150, and well worth paying. Letterboxes, knockers, kno, bs, and handles in brushed brass, antique bronze, or designer finishes can add another £150 to £400 across the door.
Colour is no longer the simple choice it used to be. Standard white is still the cheapest. Anthracite grey, black and the popular heritage colours typically add £100 to £300. Bespoke RAL colour matching on aluminium or composite doors can add £200 to £500.
Size and configuration have a direct effect. Anything wider than a standard single door, or any non-standard height, moves the door from off-the-shelf to made-to-measure, which carries a 15 to 30 per cent premium. Stable doors, French entrance doors,s and arched heads sit in the same category.
Removal, disposal,l and making good are routinely missed from cheaper quotes. Taking out the old door and frame, disposing of it responsibly, sealing the new frame, and finishing the internal plaster reveals takes time and materials. If a quote does not mention these items, ask explicitly whether they are included.
Supply-only vs fully fitted: what’s the difference?
Supply-only prices are tempting because they look cheap, but they only tell part of the story. A supply-only quote covers the door, frame, and (usually) basic hardware delivered to your driveway. It does not cover survey, fitting, sealing, disposal, certification,n or any of the small adjustments that turn a door in a box into a door in a wall.
For most homeowners, fully fitted is the sensible route. A reputable installer will carry out a technical survey before manufacturing, which catches problems with squareness, lintels, da, m,p, and threshold heights before they become expensive surprises on installation day. They will also be responsible for the FENSA or CERTASS certification, which matters when you sell the property.
Supply-only is genuinely useful in two scenarios: experienced DIY homeowners with carpentry skills replacing a like-for-like door, and trade buyers who fit doors regularly. For everyone else, the savings rarely survive contact with reality.
Example homeowner scenarios
Generic price ranges only get you so far. Here are four scenarios drawn from typical UK installations in 2026, with realistic itemised costs.
Scenario 1: Budget uPVC door for a rental property
A landlord replacing a tired front door on a 1990s ex-council semi in the Midlands. The brief is straightforward: secure, weatherproof, no nonsense.
Specification: standard 900mm white uPVC door with obscure glazed top panel, multipoint lock, anti-snap cylinder, full frame replacement, removal of old door.
Realistic quote: £1,400 to £1,700 fully fitted, including FENSA certification.
Scenario 2: Composite door for a 1930s semi
A family upgrading the front door on a typical bay-fronted 1930s semi. They want better thermal performance, improved security, and something that lifts the kerb appeal without looking out of place on the street.
Specification: composite door with a six-panel design in racing green, brushed chrome hardware, TS 007 three-star cylinder, decorative leaded glazing top half, full frame replacement, weather bar, internal making good.
Realistic quote: £2,400 to £3,200 fully fitted.
Scenario 3: Timber-style door for a period property
A homeowner with a Victorian terrace in a conservation area. The local authority has indicated that a sympathetic replacement is acceptable, but a modern uPVC or composite slab would not be.
Specification: engineered timber door with traditional four-panel design, hand-finished in heritage paint, polished brass furniture, encaustic-style stained glass panels, full hardwood frame, weather seals, threshold detail to match original.
Realistic quote: £4,200 to £5,800 fully fitted, with a separate maintenance schedule for the painted finish.
Scenario 4: Front door with side panels and a damaged frame
A homeowner discovers that the existing timber frame has rotted at the base and the brick reveal has spalled. The replacement involves more than just a new door.
Specification: composite door with two glazed sidelights, anthracite grey, full frame replacement, new structural lintel, brick repair, internal plastering, full security upgrade.
Realistic quote: £3,800 to £5,500 fully fitted, with the structural work invoiced separately if a builder is involved.
What should a quote include?
A complete quote should leave you with no surprises on installation day. Before you sign anything, check that the following are explicitly listed:
Technical survey ahead of manufacture. Door slab specification including core, skin, and finish. Frame specification and material. Glazing details, including U-values where relevant, and whether the glass is toughened or laminated. Lock specification and cylinder rating. All ironmongery: handles, letterbox, knocker, spy hole, hinges. Removal and disposal of the existing door. Sealing internally and externally. Making good of plaster reveals where required. FENSA or CERTASS certification. Manufacturer’s guarantee and installer’s workmanship guarantee, with their separate durations stated.
If a quote is silent on any of these, ask. A good installer will welcome the questions because it tells them you understand the job. A reluctant installer is telling you something useful about how they work.
Do you need a new frame?
In most cases, yes. Reusing an old frame seems like a sensible saving, but it rarely works in practice. Frames warp, settle, and weather over decades, and a brand new door fitted into an out-of-square frame will never seal properly. You end up with draughts, water ingress, and security hardware that does not engage cleanly.
The exception is a genuinely sound frame less than ten years old, where like-for-like replacement of the slab can work if the new door is built to the existing dimensions. Even then, an honest installer will check the frame carefully before recommending it.
A full frame replacement also gives you the chance to upgrade weather seals, install a proper threshold detail, and address any damp issues at the same time. Treated as part of the same job, it is far cheaper than going back to fix problems later.
Installation process and timeline
A standard front door installation is a half-day to one-day job for a two-person team. The sequence usually runs as follows: protective sheeting laid internally, old door and frame carefully removed, opening cleaned and checked, new frame offered up and packed level, frame fixed and sealed, door slab hung and adjusted, locks and hardware fitted and tested, glazing checked and beaded in, internal and external sealing completed, reveals made good, certification paperwork issued.
Where the existing opening needs structural alteration, such as a new lintel or brick repair, the job extends to one and a half or two days, often with a builder involved alongside the installer. If you are removing a door and side panel and combining them into a single wider entrance, expect two to three days.
Building regulations, safety glazing, and security standards
Replacement front doors fall under Building Regulations in the UK, specifically Approved Document L for thermal performance and Approved Document Q for security in new dwellings. For most replacements in existing homes, the practical implications are straightforward: the door must meet a minimum thermal standard, and any glazing in or around the door at low level must be toughened or laminated safety glass.
FENSA and CERTASS are the two main self-certification schemes. A registered installer can self-certify the work, which means you receive a certificate confirming that the installation complies with Building Regulations. Keep this certificate safe. Buyers and conveyancers will ask for it when you sell.
On security, the standards worth knowing are PAS 24, which is the UK enhanced security standard for doors and windows, and Secured by Design, the police-backed accreditation scheme. For locks, look for TS 007 three-star cylinders or a combination of a one-star cylinder and a two-star handle. Sold Secure SS 312 Diamond is the highest cylinder rating and is worth specifying on more exposed properties or insurance-sensitive postcodes.
How to choose the right front door for your home
Material is rarely the right starting point. Start with what matters most to you, and the material follows.
If budget is the priority, uPVC remains the best value and a perfectly sensible choice for many homes. If security is the priority, a composite door with a three-star cylinder, or a steel door for higher-risk situations, is the right answer. If kerb appeal is the priority, composite gives you the broadest range of looks at a sensible price, with timber as the premium option. If low maintenance is the priority, composite and aluminium are well ahead of timber. If you live in a period property or conservation area, timber is usually the only sympathetic choice, and engineered timber gives you the look without the worst of the maintenance.
One useful rule: spend the money where it shows. A premium hinge or a properly weighted handle will be touched every day for the next twenty years. A slightly fancier glazing pattern that no one notices from the pavement is a less efficient use of the budget.
Frequently asked questions
1. How much should I budget for a new front door in 2026?
For a typical UK home, a sensible working budget is £2,000 to £3,500 fully fitted. This puts you firmly in good-quality composite territory, with a proper frame, decent hardware, and a security-rated cylinder. Below £1,500, expect compromises somewhere. Above £4,000, you are paying for material upgrades, bespoke sizing, or design features.
2. Is composite worth more than uPVC?
For a front door, yes, in most cases. The visual difference is significant up close, the thermal and security performance is better, and the practical lifespan is longer. For side or back doors where the door is rarely seen, uPVC is often the smarter spend.
3. Does the price include the frame?
It should, but check explicitly. Some quotes use the word “door” to mean only the slab, with the frame priced separately. A complete, fully-fitted quote should include slab, frame, hardware, fitting, and removal of the existing door.
4. How much does fitting cost?
Labour for a standard front door installation typically runs £300 to £700 in 2026, depending on region, complexity, and whether the existing opening needs any remedial work. London and the South East tend to sit at the higher end.
5. Can I install a front door myself?
Technically, yes, practically no for most homeowners. A front door involves accurate measurement, structural opening checks, weatherproofing, security alignment, and Building Regulations compliance. Mistakes are expensive to fix, and self-installation forfeits the FENSA or CERTASS certification that a buyer will eventually ask for. If you are an experienced carpenter replacing a like-for-like door, it is feasible. For everyone else, professional installation is the right call.
6. How long does installation take?
A straightforward replacement is a half-day to one-day job. If the frame needs replacing, the opening needs structural work, or you are adding sidelights, allow one and a half to two days.
7. Do I need FENSA or CERTASS certification?
Yes. Replacement external doors fall under Building Regulations, and a registered installer will self-certify the work through FENSA or CERTASS. The certificate is what conveyancers ask for when you sell the property. Without it, buyers can demand a retrospective Building Control inspection, which is both costly and avoidable.
8. Do front doors need toughened glass?
Any glazing in or close to a door at low level (within 300mm of the door, or below 1500mm from floor level) must be toughened or laminated safety glass under Building Regulations. Most reputable manufacturers fit this as standard, but it is worth confirming on the quote.
9. What lock standard should I look for?
A TS 007 three-star cylinder, or a Sold Secure SS 312 Diamond cylinder, paired with a multipoint locking system. Avoid basic euro cylinders without a security rating: they are the single weakest point on most front doors and the easiest upgrade to specify.
10. Will a new front door reduce draughts?
A properly fitted modern door with new weather seals and a square frame will essentially eliminate draughts. Most homeowners notice the difference in the hallway temperature within days of installation, particularly if the previous door was more than 15 years old.
11. Does a new front door add value to a UK home?
It contributes to perceived value rather than adding a specific figure. A well-chosen front door lifts kerb appeal, signals that the property is well maintained, and removes a potential point of negotiation during a sale. For homes already in good condition, the return is often felt in faster sale times rather than higher offers. For tired properties, a new front door is one of the highest-impact small improvements you can make