New Composite door fitted - chip
- Thread starter ivrytwr3
- Start date
Soldato
I'd let the company know and then just colour it in with permanent marker. 
If they wanted to refund some cash that'd be cool.
If they wanted to refund some cash that'd be cool.
Soldato
for the price of them i'd complain and want a replacement. They may offer to come and fill it but it depends if its a colour chip or a actual chip out of the material meaning it could be a gap for drafts or rain
Soldato
When I was fitting composite doors this was fairly common. We had a remedial guy that went around sorting it out and he had a kit that had loads of different coloured blocks that you melt into the chip, then sand it down and polish and it's pretty much invisible after that. They will probably have something similar and offer you a small refund as well, but you're well within your right to expect a full replacement.
Soldato
They should come and sort it out for you.
I expect they'd use something like...
https://www.screwfix.com/p/colorfill-worktop-compound-black-granite/26816
I expect they'd use something like...
https://www.screwfix.com/p/colorfill-worktop-compound-black-granite/26816
This is of course the problem with plastic doors and windows. The beauty really is only skin deep!
They look great when they are new but can look pretty damn scruffy after a couple of years unless you are really careful and look after them.
I have seen some dreadful looking ones over the years, and yes I am talking about the composite ones not just the UPVC, (which frequently end up looking dreadful for different reasons EG Fine cracks around the corners of the widows, sort of like a De Havilland Comet blow-out!
)
At least with timber you can always rub it down and re-paint/re-stain it.
As for the damage, I imagine that there is some sort of touch-up paint available for minor damage like that, though I do not know where you might get some off hand but I wouldn't bother really, after a couple of years of barging the door open with the shopping bags and/or catching it with your brief-case, that tiny chip will not be noticeable any more.
They look great when they are new but can look pretty damn scruffy after a couple of years unless you are really careful and look after them.
I have seen some dreadful looking ones over the years, and yes I am talking about the composite ones not just the UPVC, (which frequently end up looking dreadful for different reasons EG Fine cracks around the corners of the widows, sort of like a De Havilland Comet blow-out!
)At least with timber you can always rub it down and re-paint/re-stain it.
As for the damage, I imagine that there is some sort of touch-up paint available for minor damage like that, though I do not know where you might get some off hand but I wouldn't bother really, after a couple of years of barging the door open with the shopping bags and/or catching it with your brief-case, that tiny chip will not be noticeable any more.
Caporegime
@ivrytwr3 mine came with a repair kit when they were fitted. Same colour as yours actually!
Soldato
- Joined
- 30 Sep 2005
- Posts
- 16,543
Good quality composite doors are what these days? a grand? I'd want a new one
In fact, I'd stick with a good quality wooden one and pay a decorator every couple of years to paint it
In fact, I'd stick with a good quality wooden one and pay a decorator every couple of years to paint it
Really useful - ty. That sounds a sensible solution - repair and small refund.
Thanks all for your help, i'll report back with any updates!
The Doors arent that much, but including fitting it is going to be that.
I installed a composite door for a friend some years ago (It was an emergency, IE Door company could supply the door within 3 days but couldn't install it for several weeks and she needed it NOW This wasn't a stampy foot thing either. Her old door had warped/dropped and she couldn't reliably close it)
If anybody is considering doing this for themselves and has not done anything like this before. Here is a warning for you.
(Like I hadn't, talk about steep learning curve!
Mostly when I try something new, I take my time to work out what I am doing and get it right. but a front door has to be done in one day! and though the result is satisfactory. It is not as good as I would have liked 
)The doors are sold enough, but the frames are really flimsy and will distort all over the place if you treat them like wood. You cannot screw them into place as you would with a timber frame. you need to wedge it up and then, very gently, use the big masonry fixings to hold it in place.
Also didnt help that my friends house is a modern one. IE only the outer leaf was brick. The rest is made of cardboard so once I had removed the old door, there was nothing left to attach the new door to.
(The old door had been located with thin metal strips attached to the studs on the inner wall. and the gap just filled with a plaster skim.
Horrid construction really. Not surprised that the door/frame had warped and the whole thing shook every time she shut the door 
)The 1800mm spirit level/straight edge is your friend!
Which is what I said earlier,
Though it would be nice to be able to fit a modern multi-latch lock into a sold timber door. Can this be done?
Soldato
You don't get such a good fit with a wooden door or all the multi point locking AFAIK. Plus part of the point is to not have to paint them ever.
Associate
This seems like a huge exageration to me. I had a new doors fitted to my house about 3.5 years ago now. Composite at the front and UPVC at the rear. I've done literally nothing to maintain them aside from running a duster over the inside every so often and giving them an occasional wipe down outside just to get dust / muck off as it develops and they look exactly as good as the day they were fitted. At the current rate I can easily see them lasting 20 years, I've certainly never come across a composite door that looks scruffy after only 2 years!
In my past life as a mobile mechanic I have seen loads of homes.
IME the overwhelming majority of plastic windows/doors look like utter crap after 5 years or so.
I will not dispute the idea that if one is really careful they might look reasonable for longer.
But in the main, they deteriorate really fast and it is not something that is easy to recover from.
Me, Wood every time!
You're paying a lot of money so get it replaced, don't settle for any type of repair.
They've said they will repair it, but no discount and no replacement.
"In regards to the slight damage on the door, we are unable to arrange a discount. Our company policy regarding any damages risen during installation is to repair before replacing."
Well...........................
"In regards to the slight damage on the door, we are unable to arrange a discount. Our company policy regarding any damages risen during installation is to repair before replacing."
Well...........................
My reply:
I appreciate that you have offered to repair the door, however, we did not pay for a 'repaired' door and i believe a replacement or a repair/discount is the fairest way to resolve this. The damage may appear 'slight' to you, but it is instantly noticeable and not what we agreed with or paid for.
The Consumer Rights Act 2015 says that reasonable care and skill must be used while working. In my opinion, you did not use reasonable care and skill when you carried out this work and you have broken your contract with me.
As i said, i want to work with you on resolving this, but to simply state we are to accept a repair is unfair and wrong. If you have already decided xxxxx will not work with us on this, then we will have no other option but to seek legal advice.
I appreciate that you have offered to repair the door, however, we did not pay for a 'repaired' door and i believe a replacement or a repair/discount is the fairest way to resolve this. The damage may appear 'slight' to you, but it is instantly noticeable and not what we agreed with or paid for.
The Consumer Rights Act 2015 says that reasonable care and skill must be used while working. In my opinion, you did not use reasonable care and skill when you carried out this work and you have broken your contract with me.
As i said, i want to work with you on resolving this, but to simply state we are to accept a repair is unfair and wrong. If you have already decided xxxxx will not work with us on this, then we will have no other option but to seek legal advice.