Composite Door Cost in 2026: Front, Bifold and French Door Prices
Researched 2026 UK ranges, every row backed by two sources. Use them to judge a quote; your own house sets the real price.
A new door is one of the easier home jobs to overpay for. The quote arrives as one number, and there's rarely a way to tell if it's fair. This guide sets out the composite door cost you can expect in 2026, plus what bifold and French doors cost, so you can check a Nottingham quote against real ranges.
The figures are fitted UK prices from price guides such as Costwise, MyJobQuote, MyBuilder and Checkatrade. Each range appears in at least two of them. Costwise and BestBuilders both treat the Midlands as the UK average, so a quote here should sit inside these bands.
A composite front door costs about £900–£2,500 supplied and fitted in 2026, and most land near £1,500. A uPVC front door is cheaper at £600–£1,400. In uPVC, bifold doors start at about £1,950. Aluminium sets reach £7,500. French doors cost £950–£1,800 in uPVC, or £1,800–£3,000 in aluminium.
Composite Door Cost in 2026
A composite door has a solid or foam core inside a tough outer skin. It costs more than uPVC and less than most hardwood or aluminium doors. Here are the 2026 fitted prices for a single front door:
| Front door | 2026 UK estimate | Where the figure comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Composite front door | £900–£2,500 | BestBuilders gives £900–£2,000, and Costwise £1,000–£2,500. GreenMatch and MyBuilder both put the average at around £1,500. |
| uPVC front door, for comparison | £600–£1,400 | BestBuilders gives £600–£1,400, and Costwise £700–£1,200. |
| Aluminium front door | £1,400–£4,000 | BestBuilders gives £1,400–£3,500, and MyJobQuote £1,500–£4,000. |
| Fitting only, if you already have the door | £150–£400 | Costwise gives £200–£400, BestBuilders £180–£400 and MyJobQuote £150–£350 for labour. |
Costwise also splits the composite band by spec. A plain door in a standard colour is £1,000–£1,400. Adding a colour and decorative glass takes most jobs to £1,400–£1,800. A premium door with every upgrade is £1,900–£2,500. These tiers come from one guide, so use them as a rough guide rather than a firm band.
Five Things That Set a Composite Door Price
The door slab is only part of the bill. Costwise lists what a proper supplied and fitted price should include: the outer frame, the multi-point lock and cylinder, the hinges, the handle, the threshold and the weatherseals. If a quote leaves any of these out, it isn't a like-for-like price.
Glass is the first thing that moves the price. A solid door with no glass costs least. Decorative or larger glass panels add to it. Colour comes next. A standard colour costs less than a special colour or a woodgrain finish.
Side panels make the biggest jump. Costwise says one side panel adds £250–£450, which takes a door with a sidelight to £1,500–£2,200 fitted. A top light over the door adds cost in the same way.
The state of the opening matters too. A like-for-like swap into a sound frame is quick. Costwise says the fitting is usually half a day for two fitters. A damaged opening or a door of an odd size takes longer and costs more.
Security is worth checking as well. Costwise and BestBuilders both say to ask whether the whole doorset has been tested to PAS 24. Costwise notes that the test covers the complete set, so a tested uPVC door and a tested composite door have passed the same thing. BestBuilders also suggests asking for a 3-star cylinder.
Region is a smaller factor. Costwise puts London about 20% above its UK average, and BestBuilders puts London 22% above. Both treat the Midlands as the baseline.
Composite or uPVC: Is the Extra Worth It
A composite door costs a few hundred pounds more than uPVC. On Costwise's figures, a plain uPVC door is £700–£1,200, and a typical composite door is around £1,500.
What you get for the gap is a thicker, heavier door that looks more like timber and holds its colour. BestBuilders says a quality composite or timber door, well fitted, should last 20 to 30 years. Costwise gives a decent uPVC door 20 to 30 years as well. It notes that longer claims for composite come from the firms selling the doors, so read the top end as a best case.
Composite has some weak spots. Costwise says dark doors facing the sun can fade over the years, and a warped slab usually has to be replaced rather than fixed. Deep scratches are hard to hide.
So the choice is mostly about looks and feel. If the front of the house matters to you, a composite door is usually worth the extra. For a back door or a rental, uPVC does the same job for less.
Bifold Door Prices in 2026
Bifold doors fold back in panels to open most of a wall. The frame material and the number of panels set the price. Here are the 2026 fitted prices for a set of three to five panels:
| Bifold set, three to five panels | 2026 UK estimate | Where the figure comes from |
|---|---|---|
| uPVC bifold doors | £1,950–£4,500 | MyJobQuote gives £1,950–£4,250, and Checkatrade £2,000–£4,500. |
| Timber bifold doors | £2,000–£5,500 | Checkatrade and MyBuilder both give £2,500–£5,500, and MyJobQuote £2,000–£4,200. |
| Aluminium bifold doors | £3,000–£7,500 | Checkatrade and MyBuilder both give £3,000–£7,500, and MyJobQuote £3,150–£7,200. |
| Fitting labour on its own | £600–£1,200 | Checkatrade and MyBuilder both give this band, and MyJobQuote gives £600–£1,000, depending on the number of panels. |
Each extra panel adds more frame and hinges. It also adds fitting time. Across all frame types, MyJobQuote puts a three-panel set at £1,950–£4,700. A five-panel set is £3,550–£7,200.
Aluminium costs most, but it gives slimmer frames and a wider view. Costwise gives aluminium frames 25 to 45 years and uPVC 20 to 30. It adds that the running gear and the sealed glass tend to wear out before the frame does.
The big extra is the opening. Costwise says widening an opening for bifolds adds £1,500–£4,000 for the steel lintel, the building work and the sign-off. Fitting a set to the width you already have avoids that cost. Plan ahead on timing too. HomeBuilding says a bespoke set can take up to eight weeks from order to fitting.
French Door Prices in 2026
French doors are a pair of doors hinged at the sides that open outward. They're the simplest way to open a wall to the garden. Here are the 2026 prices for a standard pair fitted into an existing opening:
| French doors, existing opening | 2026 UK estimate | Where the figure comes from |
|---|---|---|
| uPVC French doors | £950–£1,800 | MyJobQuote gives £950–£1,250, Checkatrade £950–£1,175 (by width), and Costwise £1,100–£1,800. |
| Timber French doors | £1,100–£2,500 | MyBuilder gives £1,100–£2,500, and MyJobQuote gives softwood sets at £1,250–£1,750. |
| Aluminium French doors | £1,800–£3,000 | Costwise gives £1,800–£3,000, and MyBuilder £1,850–£3,000. |
| Fitting labour, existing opening | £300–£700 | MyBuilder gives £300–£650, and MyJobQuote £300–£700. |
Hardwood and premium sets cost more. Costwise puts them at £2,500–£4,000.
Width moves the price less than you might think. Checkatrade prices a 1.2 m pair at £950–£1,050, and a 1.8 m pair at £1,075–£1,175.
A new opening is where the cost climbs. MyJobQuote says turning a window into uPVC French doors costs around £2,350–£2,650, all in. Costwise says forming or widening an opening adds £800–£2,500 on top of the doors, for the lintel, the building work and the sign-off.
French Doors or Bifolds for Your Opening
For the same gap in a wall, French doors cost less. Costwise says a uPVC set from £1,100 undercuts aluminium bifolds, which start at around £2,000. MyJobQuote also says French doors are generally cheaper than bifolds, because bifolds need more panels and hardware, plus the tracks.
The width of the opening decides a lot. Costwise says French doors suit openings up to around 1.8 m wide. A wide rear wall suits bifolds, which can fold almost all the way back.
Sliding patio doors sit between the two on price. They don't swing into the garden or the room, which helps where space is tight. So price all three if your opening could take any of them.
Building Regulations and Glass in Doors
Replacing a whole external door is building regulations work. A door that's no more than 50% glass is an exception to the notice rule. Costwise points out that French doors are mostly glass, so they don't fall under that exception, even in the same opening.
The simple route is an installer who can sign off their own work. Ask for the certificate from FENSA, CERTASS or another authorised body once the door is in. You'll want it when you sell the house.
The thermal standard applies to every replacement door. The limit is a U-value of 1.4, or an energy rating of band B. For a door that's more than 60% glass, band C is allowed. An A rating is better than the legal minimum, not a requirement.
Glass in a door must be safety glass up to 1.5 m above the floor. Costwise adds that the same applies to a side panel within 300 mm of the door. Check the quote says toughened or laminated glass.
How to Compare Door Quotes
BestBuilders says the gap between the highest and lowest quote for the same job is often 25 to 40%. That makes three quotes worth the effort. Make sure each one prices the same door, the same glass and the same lock.
Then check the extras. Ask whether the quote covers taking away the old door and frame, making good inside, and the certificate. For bifold or French doors, ask whether the price assumes the opening you have. A quote that skips the lintel work will look cheap until it's added back.
Look at the VAT line as well. BestBuilders says VAT-registered firms add 20%, while small sole traders below the VAT threshold don't charge it. Compare the full price you'll pay, not the number before tax.
BestBuilders also lists warning signs. These include a large deposit up front, cash-only pricing, pressure to decide on the day, and no written quote. Walk away from any company that shows them.
Verdict on Composite Door Cost in 2026
The composite door cost for most homes in 2026 is £900–£2,500 fitted, with a typical price of £1,500. A uPVC door saves a few hundred pounds. The glass, the colour and any side panel decide where your quote lands.
For uPVC bifold doors, budget £1,950–£4,500. Aluminium bifolds cost £3,000–£7,500. French doors are cheaper at £950–£1,800 in uPVC. In every case, the opening is the cost people forget, so ask each company whether its price assumes the one you already have.
Getting a Door Quote in Nottingham
Read these prices as 2026 UK estimates, not a quote for your door. They come from national price guides, and the final figure depends on the door you pick, the glass, the lock and the state of the opening. An installer will measure up before giving a firm price.
No door on this page is made, sold or fitted by Nottingham Double Glazing. We're an enquiry service: you tell us what you need, and we pass it to an independent local installer who surveys and quotes you direct. The installer, not you, may pay us a fee once your enquiry reaches them. We don't inspect, approve or check the installer, so read how to choose an installer before you sign anything.
The composite doors page explains how a front door enquiry works, and bifold, patio and French doors covers the wider openings at the back of the house. If the lock, the hinges or the glass on your current door has failed, door repairs may be the cheaper place to start. For windows, double glazing costs has the matching price guide.
Two checks before you commit. Citizens Advice suggests agreeing to a deposit of no more than 25%. A door made to measure is usually exempt from the cancellation period, even when you sign at home, so decide before you sign and ask about cancellation first. If you live in a flat, or your home is listed or in a conservation area, read planning permission before you choose a new style or colour of door.
Everything above is general information, not advice on your own door. Your council's building control team can answer building regulations questions. Enquiries outside working hours get a call back the next working day.
Common Questions
How much does a composite front door cost fitted?
A composite front door costs about £900–£2,500 supplied and fitted in 2026. BestBuilders gives £900–£2,000 and Costwise £1,000–£2,500. GreenMatch and MyBuilder both put the average near £1,500. Colour, decorative glass and a side panel push the price up, and a side panel alone adds £250–£450.
Is a composite door worth the extra over uPVC?
For a front door, usually yes. A composite door costs around £1,500 against £700–£1,200 for a plain uPVC door, on Costwise's figures. It's thicker and heavier and looks more like timber. Both last about 20 to 30 years if they're well fitted, so uPVC is fine for a back door.
How much do bifold doors cost?
In uPVC, a fitted set of three to five bifold panels costs about £1,950–£4,500. In aluminium, it's £3,000–£7,500. Timber sits at £2,000–£5,500. Checkatrade, MyBuilder and MyJobQuote all give bands in this range. Widening the opening is extra, and Costwise puts that at £1,500–£4,000.
Are French doors cheaper than bifold doors?
Yes, for the same opening. uPVC French doors cost £950–£1,800 fitted, while uPVC bifolds start at about £1,950. Costwise says a uPVC French set from £1,100 undercuts aluminium bifolds, which begin near £2,000. French doors suit narrower gaps, and bifolds suit a wide rear wall.
How much does it cost just to fit a door?
If you already have a front door, fitting costs about £150–£400. Costwise gives £200–£400, BestBuilders £180–£400 and MyJobQuote £150–£350. Labour for bifold doors costs £600–£1,200, and for French doors in an existing opening £300–£700. If the door is more than half glass, ask how the work will be signed off.
Ready for a Quote?
Once you know what to ask, send us the job and an installer who covers your part of Nottingham will be in touch.