A replacement front or back door is a new door and frame, usually composite, uPVC or aluminium, made to fit your existing opening and fitted with multi-point locks and weather seals to improve security, warmth and kerb appeal.
Planning a new front or back door for a home in Durham means making a handful of decisions about materials, layout, finish and timing. We help you work through them at a free survey, then confirm in writing what it will cost for the options you pick. Most projects of this type need Usually half a day to one day per door, and we cover every DH1 address as well as the rest of County Durham.
- Guide price
- £900–£3,200 inc VAT
- Time on site
- Usually half a day to one day per door
- Postcodes
- DH1
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- County Durham
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
What should you budget for a new front or back door in Durham?
The table below shows guide prices for a new front or back door in Durham. They are based on rates in the North East, which run about 10% below the national guide, giving an overall range of £900–£3,200. All figures include VAT and are firmed up after a free site survey.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Durham |
|---|---|---|
| uPVC back door | A standard uPVC back or side door with a half-glazed panel and multi-point lock. | £700–£1,350 |
| Composite front door | A made-to-measure composite door in your chosen colour, glass design and hardware. | £1,100–£2,200 |
| Aluminium or door with side panels | A premium aluminium door, or a composite door with one or two side panels. | £2,200–£4,500 |
What moves the price up or down:
- Door material: uPVC, composite or aluminium
- Side panels, fanlights and the amount of glass
- Lock, cylinder and hardware specification
- Colour, including different colours inside and out
Scope of the work
- Measured survey of the opening, threshold and frame condition
- Multi-point locking with anti-snap cylinders and matching handles
- Glazing panels, side panels or fanlights where specified
- Removal and disposal of the old door and frame
- Low threshold options for level or easier access
- Weather seals, sealant and internal trims finished neatly
Building in Durham
Colliery villages across County Durham are lined with brick and stone terraces, many built for mining families. Durham City has Georgian and Victorian streets, Darlington has Victorian terraces and villas, and Peterlee and Newton Aycliffe were planned as post-war new towns. Dales farmhouses in Weardale and Teesdale are stone, often under stone or slate roofs.
Colliery terraces commonly suit loft rooms, rear extensions and window replacement, and many need repointing. New-town homes often benefit from rendering or cladding upgrades and roofline renewal, while stone farmhouses may need lime work.
None of this holds for every street in Durham, which is why we look at your actual house before pricing a new front or back door rather than assuming from its age alone.
Planning and building rules in Durham
Which rules apply depends on where you live. For Durham, the answer is England, and the points below reflect that; we verify them with the council before quoting.
Replacing windows and doors on a house is usually permitted development in England when the new ones look broadly similar to the old. Flats, listed buildings and homes covered by an Article 4 direction can need consent, and conservation areas may limit materials or styles.
Replacement windows and external doors must meet Building Regulations for energy efficiency, ventilation and, on upper floors, escape. The work is either self-certified by an installer registered with a competent person scheme or signed off by building control.
Rules change and every property is different, so we check the planning history and constraints for your address before we quote.
What happens after you get in touch?
A visit to your home
A free survey comes first. It gives us what we need to price a new front or back door properly, including dimensions, existing materials and access for deliveries, and gives you the chance to ask anything you like.
Price and scope agreed
You get the price in writing, itemised so you can see where the money goes. As long as the specification stays the same, that is the price you pay for a new front or back door.
Booking the work
Before anyone starts, we confirm the programme in writing, check whether consents are required and arrange deliveries. If a skip or scaffolding on the road needs a permit, we apply for it.
Finish and handover
During the work we protect the areas around it and tidy up at the end of each day. Once complete, we check the finish, remove our materials and hand over paperwork such as building control sign-off where it applies.
How we work
Common questions
How much will a new front or back door cost in Durham?
As a guide, expect to pay £900–£3,200 including VAT for a new front or back door in Durham. That range is adjusted for the North East, which runs about 10% below the national guide. Where your project lands depends on size, materials, access and the condition of what is already there. We confirm a fixed price in writing after a free survey of your home.
Is the price fixed?
Yes, for the specification we agree. Your written quote sets out exactly what is included at a fixed price. It only changes if you ask for something different, or if a problem the survey could not reasonably reveal later needs extra work. In either case we explain the change and confirm it in writing before going ahead.
How secure are modern doors?
Modern external doors are far more secure than older designs because they lock at several points along the frame, not just at the handle. We fit anti-snap cylinders, which resist a common method of forced entry, in reinforced frames. Laminated or toughened glass panels add further protection. For extra peace of mind you can add a door chain, a viewer or a smart lock, which we can include in your quote.
How long will my home be open while the door is fitted?
Fitting a new door usually takes half a day to a full day, and your home is only open for the short time between taking out the old frame and fixing the new one. We keep the opening covered if there is any delay, and we never leave a doorway insecure overnight. Once the frame is fixed, we hang the door, adjust the locks, seal around the frame and finish the trims.
Can I have a low threshold for wheelchair or pushchair access?
A low threshold is a flat or very shallow sill that makes a doorway easier to cross with a wheelchair, walking frame or pushchair. Most composite, uPVC and aluminium doors can be supplied with one. The outside ground level and drainage need checking, because a low threshold must still keep rainwater out. We look at this during the survey and suggest a channel drain or small ramp if needed.
Nearby towns
From DH1 to the edges of Durham and on into Chester-le-Street, Houghton-Le-Spring and Stanley, we can arrange a site visit and a written quote for your project, planned around dates that work for you.