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.
Getting a new front or back door right in Chatham starts with understanding the house you already have: its age, how it was built and what has been altered over the years. We survey first, then commit on paper to a price that holds as long as the scope stays the same. Across the South East, guide prices run at £1,100–£3,900 including VAT, and homes in Rochester, Gillingham and Strood are covered too.
- Guide price
- £1,100–£3,900 inc VAT
- Time on site
- Usually half a day to one day per door
- Postcodes
- ME1, ME2, ME4, ME5 and ME7
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- Medway
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
Front and back doors prices in Chatham
Prices for a new front or back door vary from house to house, but in Chatham most projects fall within £1,100–£3,900 including VAT. That reflects costs in the South East, about 12% above the national guide. Treat the table as a budgeting aid; the written figure follows a survey we carry out for free.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Chatham |
|---|---|---|
| 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:
- Side panels, fanlights and the amount of glass
- Lock, cylinder and hardware specification
- Colour, including different colours inside and out
- Condition of the opening, threshold and surrounding brickwork
What’s included?
- 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
- Weather seals, sealant and internal trims finished neatly
- Building regulations paperwork where a glazed door needs it
Local housing and a new front or back door
Kent's older buildings include oast houses, weatherboarded cottages, Wealden timber-framed houses and Kentish ragstone walls. Medway towns have long rows of Victorian terraces, Margate and Ramsgate have Regency and Victorian seafronts, and Ashford, Maidstone and Dartford have seen large new estates alongside interwar and post-war housing.
Victorian terraces suit loft rooms and rear extensions; weatherboarded and timber-framed buildings may need cladding repairs and lime work. Newer estate homes often take garage conversions, porches and landscaping.
Building traditions across Kent also raise conservation and planning questions, so we check those for a new front or back door in Chatham at the survey stage.
Do you need permission in Chatham?
Because Chatham falls under England's rules, the guidance below is the version relevant to you. Before sending a price, we check your property's position with the council.
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
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.
Written quote
We put everything into a written, fixed-price quote: the specification, what's excluded, staged payments and the expected time on site. Take whatever time you need to decide; there's no pressure to commit.
Booking the work
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 Chatham property.
Build and hand over
The work is carried out to the agreed specification, with floors and furniture protected and the site kept tidy. At the end we clean up, walk through the finished job with you and hand over any certificates.
Why homeowners choose us
Frequently asked questions
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 Chatham 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 much does a new front door cost?
A new front door costs £1,100–£3,900 supplied and fitted, depending on the material, the amount of glass and whether you want side panels. A uPVC back door sits at the lower end, a composite front door in the middle, and aluminium doors or doors with side panels at the top. Locks, letterplates and dual colours also affect the figure. We confirm a fixed price in writing after measuring your opening.
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.
What is the difference between a composite and a uPVC door?
A composite door has a tough outer skin over a solid insulated core, so it feels heavier and more solid than uPVC and holds its colour well. A uPVC door is built from reinforced plastic panels and costs less. Both can have multi-point locking and good weather seals. Many people choose composite for the front door and uPVC for back or side doors, where looks matter less.
Do I need planning permission in Chatham?
It depends on the work, the size of the project, your property type and whether the building is listed or in a conservation area. Chatham is in England, so England's rules apply. Many smaller jobs need no planning application, but some still need building control approval. We check what applies to your address before quoting.
Nearby towns
Coverage for Chatham spans ME1, ME2, ME4 and ME5. Close by, Rochester, Gillingham and Strood are covered too, and the rest of our UK-wide area follows the same survey-then-quote process from start to finish.