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.
We take on a new front or back door throughout Gillingham and the surrounding ME7 and ME8 postcodes, as well as in Chatham, Rochester and Strood. The guide range for this work in the South East is £1,100–£3,900 including VAT; where your project falls depends on its size, the materials you pick and how easy the site is to reach. A free survey turns that range into a fixed figure.
- Guide price
- £1,100–£3,900 inc VAT
- Time on site
- Usually half a day to one day per door
- Postcodes
- ME7 and ME8
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- Medway
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
What should you budget for a new front or back door in Gillingham?
Here is how the guide price for a new front or back door breaks down in Gillingham. We start from national figures and adjust for the South East, which comes out about 12% above the national guide. The resulting range, VAT included, is £1,100–£3,900, and a survey, at no cost to you, firms it up.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Gillingham |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
The main things that change the figure:
- 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’s included?
- Made-to-measure door and frame in your chosen colour and design
- 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 regulations paperwork where a glazed door needs it
What are homes like around Gillingham?
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.
In Gillingham, as elsewhere in Kent, we take the building's age and construction into account before recommending anything, because both can change what is involved in a new front or back door.
Permissions for a new front or back door in Gillingham
Because Gillingham 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.
From survey to handover
Survey and measure
We arrange a free site survey on a date convenient to you. We measure up, look at the existing structure and access, and discuss your plans for a new front or back door so the price reflects your home.
Price and scope agreed
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.
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 Gillingham property.
Build and hand over
On site, the agreed plan is followed and any change is put in writing first. At completion we do a final clean, go through the snagging list with you and leave you with the relevant documents.
Why homeowners choose us
Front and back doors in Gillingham: questions
How do I look after a composite or uPVC door?
Looking after a composite or uPVC door is mostly a matter of regular cleaning with warm soapy water and a soft cloth. Avoid solvents and abrasive pads, which can dull the finish. Once or twice a year, lightly oil the lock mechanism and the moving parts along the edge of the door, and check the seals. If the door starts to catch, the hinges can usually be adjusted easily.
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.
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 Gillingham 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.
Do you cover Chatham, Rochester and Strood?
Yes. As well as Gillingham, we cover Chatham, Rochester and Strood and the rest of Kent. 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 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.
Also covering areas around Gillingham
Live in Gillingham? Our coverage takes in the ME7 and ME8 postcode areas and reaches out to Chatham, Rochester and Strood, so homes on the outskirts and in the next town along are included.