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.
Across East Sussex, people look into a new front or back door to replace something worn out, to make the house work better for them, or to get it ready for a sale. We cover Brighton, Eastbourne, Hastings and Hove and the smaller towns around them, working to the rules that apply in England. Expect a guide of £1,100–£3,900, VAT included, in the South East, and every quote follows a free visit.
- Guide price
- £1,100–£3,900 inc VAT
- Time on site
- Usually half a day to one day per door
- Planning rules
- England
- Price level
- About 12% above the national guide
- Towns listed
- 12
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
Front and back doors prices in East Sussex
Budgeting for a new front or back door in East Sussex? The numbers below include VAT and are adjusted for the South East, where costs are about 12% above the national guide. The headline range is £1,100–£3,900. Nothing is final until we have measured up at a free survey and agreed the specification with you.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in East Sussex |
|---|---|---|
| uPVC back door | A standard uPVC back or side door with a half-glazed panel and multi-point lock. | £900–£1,700 |
| Composite front door | A made-to-measure composite door in your chosen colour, glass design and hardware. | £1,350–£2,800 |
| Aluminium or door with side panels | A premium aluminium door, or a composite door with one or two side panels. | £2,800–£5,600 |
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
- Condition of the opening, threshold and surrounding brickwork
What do you get?
- Measured survey of the opening, threshold and frame condition
- Made-to-measure door and frame in your chosen colour and design
- 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
- Building regulations paperwork where a glazed door needs it
Homes in East Sussex
Brighton and Hove are known for Regency stucco terraces and bow-fronted houses, alongside Victorian terraces climbing the hills. Lewes and Brighton have mathematical tiles and flint walls, Eastbourne has large Victorian and Edwardian villas, and Wealden villages use tile-hanging, weatherboarding and timber frames. Interwar suburbs and newer estates fill out most towns.
Regency and Victorian houses often need sash-style windows, stucco or render repair and careful decorating. Hillside terraces suit loft conversions, and flint or brick walls commonly need repointing in lime mortar.
Seafront homes face salt-laden south-westerly winds and driving rain, while Wealden clay can shrink and swell, affecting extension foundations.
Planning and building rules in East Sussex
As East Sussex is in England, read the following with that system of planning and building control in mind. We check what applies to your house with the council before you receive a quote.
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.
The four stages
We look at the job
Book a visit and we'll come to you. The survey covers measurements, the state of what's there now and any obvious constraints, so the price that follows is based on your actual home, not an average.
Written quote
Next you receive a written quote with a fixed price for the agreed specification. It lists what is included, what is not, and how payments are staged, so you can compare it properly.
Getting ready
With the quote agreed, we book the work in and handle preparation: permissions where needed, building control notifications, material orders and access arrangements for your East Sussex property.
On site to finish
The job proceeds in the order set out in the programme, with dust and debris kept under control. Finally we tidy away, inspect the work together and pass the finished project over to you with its paperwork.
How we work
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to make a new door?
Made-to-measure doors usually take a few weeks to manufacture after the survey and your order are confirmed. Bespoke colours, special glass designs and aluminium doors can take longer. Once the door arrives, we arrange a fitting date that suits you. We give you a realistic lead time with your written quote, and we keep you updated if the manufacturer's dates change.
Do you cover Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings?
Yes. As well as East Sussex, we cover Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings and the rest of East Sussex. Our coverage is UK-wide, so the process is the same wherever you are: a free site survey, a quote in writing that fixes the price for the agreed scope, and one point of contact while the work is planned and carried out.
Can you combine a new front or back door with other work?
Yes. Because we manage several trades under one contract, we can plan a new front or back door alongside other work on your East Sussex home, such as new windows with rendering, or a kitchen refit with an extension. Combining jobs can reduce repeat set-up such as scaffolding, skips and access, and every element is listed and priced in the same written 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.
Do I need permission to change my front door?
Planning permission is not usually needed to replace a front door, but it depends on the style and size of the change, your home's location, whether it is listed or in a conservation area, and which UK nation you are in. Listed homes generally need consent for any change, and some conservation areas control colours and styles. Flat entrance doors in shared buildings must also meet fire rules. We check before quoting.
Towns in East Sussex
Below is our list of East Sussex towns for a new front or back door. If yours isn't shown, we may still cover it, so it is worth asking us directly.