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 Guildford 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 GU1, GU2 and GU4 address as well as the rest of Surrey.
- Guide price
- £1,100–£3,900 inc VAT
- Time on site
- Usually half a day to one day per door
- Postcodes
- GU1, GU2 and GU4
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- Surrey
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
What should you budget for a new front or back door in Guildford?
Every figure below is a guide for a new front or back door in Guildford, inclusive of VAT. Regional pricing for the South East works out about 12% above the national guide, and the overall span is £1,100–£3,900. The survey costs you nothing, and after it we commit to a firm price for your specification in writing.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Guildford |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Your price depends mostly on:
- 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
What does the job include in Guildford?
- 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
- Building regulations paperwork where a glazed door needs it
Building in Guildford
Surrey has many Victorian and Edwardian villas, interwar semis in the commuter towns near London, and Arts and Crafts houses with tile-hanging and tall chimneys. Bargate stone appears around Godalming, and large detached homes are common in Guildford, Woking, Weybridge and the Surrey Hills villages.
Mild and relatively dry, with clay soils in the north and Weald that can move in summer; mature trees near houses affect foundations.
Building traditions across Surrey also raise conservation and planning questions, so we check those for a new front or back door in Guildford at the survey stage.
Do you need permission in Guildford?
England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each handle planning a little differently. Guildford comes under England, covered below, and we raise any questions with the council before your quote is finalised.
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?
We look at the job
First, someone visits your home in Guildford to see the space, take measurements and note anything that could affect the work, such as access or the condition of what is there. There is no charge for this visit.
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.
Plan and prepare
We handle the paperwork side: checking whether planning permission or building control approval is needed, submitting applications where they are, and scheduling the trades and materials around your dates.
The work itself
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.
Working with SK Home Improvements
Front and back doors in Guildford: questions
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 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.
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.
What happens at the survey?
We visit your home at a time that suits you, look at the area involved, take measurements and check access, condition and any services that might be affected. We talk through what you want from a new front or back door, explain the options and answer questions. There is no charge and no obligation; afterwards we send a written quote.
Near Guildford
Guildford and its GU1, GU2 and GU4 postcodes are part of our coverage. Homeowners in Godalming, Woking and Aldershot can also book a free survey with us and receive a written price for their job.