Need to replace my front door...

CaptainComedy · 3 Jan 2017 at 21:04

The door we have is about 33 years old now (same age as the house) and is leaking heat like it's nobodies business (at some angles you can see outside)

we've been here for about a year and a half now and it's time to get it looked at.

The dimensions are 116cm x 203cm

do you have any suggestions on what I need to look for in a door?

We were thinking on a single wooden door (no side window) - we'll be linking it up to the house IoT so we can have remote locking etc - I'm setting a budget of around 2k for it, will this be enough?

any help is much appreciated

rexehuk · 3 Jan 2017 at 21:11

Guys on here recommended Rockdoor. I've taken a look at they seem quite good, and will last for ages.

I also found these guys, but not sure of reviews at the moment (in early stages like you) http://www.compositedoorprices.co.uk/door-stop-composite-doors/

If I go rockdoor, not going to get glass... if smashed it means whole door off (taken apart) to refit new glass!

SPG · 3 Jan 2017 at 21:32

Bit the bullet and went for rockdoor, not cheap £1400 quid fitted.

CaptainComedy · 3 Jan 2017 at 21:34

Good to know I'm not alone in this, I'm looking at RKDoors at the moment, I think I checked with them before and they were quoting a 5k price for a full bells and whistles door, will check out rockdoor

have a lot of options though and offer decent locks

Firestar_3x · 3 Jan 2017 at 22:34

5k for that? lol! I bet the door aren't even a patch on Rockdoor either, 2.5 to 3k would be my guess for a Rockdoor ultimate.

CaptainComedy · 4 Jan 2017 at 15:30

Firestar_3x said:
5k for that? lol! I bet the door aren't even a patch on Rockdoor either, 2.5 to 3k would be my guess for a Rockdoor ultimate.

Cool, I've asked for an installer to call me, no call as yet so maybe tomorrow...

Dandle · 7 Jan 2017 at 02:11

You could always buy a Rockdoor direct of the manufacturer here. We did that and an Ultimate door with two full length side panels was about £1300. We then payed some one else £250 to fit it. The warranty from Rockdoor sits with who buys the door from GAP not with the end customer so the way we have done it it doesn't matter if the fitter goes bust as we have the guarantee.

I'm pleased with the door but it is bowed slightly when you look down the length (you can see it with the naked eye looking side on) and my father in law is now having trouble with his 8yr old Rockdoor that has bowed in length and width causing closing issues when it really cold.

Psycho Sonny · 7 Jan 2017 at 08:43

£1500+ on a door which will what save you what £20 a year max on gas?

Why not plug the gaps using foam strips? or get a cheap solid door which fits the gap better? If it's for security then fair enough but if your doing it to save money i can't see how you will tbh unless you keep it for 200 years.

SPG · 7 Jan 2017 at 10:42

What if your old door is warped... wooden... 20 years old.... and built in 60s....

Psycho Sonny · 7 Jan 2017 at 10:55

SPG said:
What if your old door is warped... wooden... 20 years old.... and built in 60s....

Doesn't mean you need to spend £3000 on a new one

£150-£500 from B and Q should suffice for instance

rexehuk · 7 Jan 2017 at 11:21

Psycho Sonny said:
Doesn't mean you need to spend £3000 on a new one

£150-£500 from B and Q should suffice for instance

From a guy living in a basement flat, where his cheap wooden door expands so much that it prevents us opening the door (pretty deadly), and lets through huge drafts... I think sometimes it pays to spend a bit more. I won't be touching a wooden door ever again for front/back door purposes... composites all the way.

Psycho Sonny · 7 Jan 2017 at 11:27

rexehuk said:
From a guy living in a basement flat, where his cheap wooden door expands so much that it prevents us opening the door (pretty deadly), and lets through huge drafts... I think sometimes it pays to spend a bit more. I won't be touching a wooden door ever again for front/back door purposes... composites all the way.

you can get pvc ones for that money

CaptainComedy · 7 Jan 2017 at 11:57

Dandle said:
You could always buy a Rockdoor direct of the manufacturer here...

Thanks, I'll take a look now

My partner and I had a look around for some other companies.

We found a few - from looking at their website, solidor seems ok

I keep going back to RKDoors because they do custom sizes which is important for me - our door has a side panel which I really don't want, and RKDoors let me have a very wide single door (116 wide), which will help bringing items through...

Psycho Sonny said:
Doesn't mean you need to spend £3000 on a new one

£150-£500 from B and Q should suffice for instance

It's about aesthetics as much as it is savings, I am going to be spending a lot of money on this house over the years... why would I spend 150 on a low quality door?

On a side note, I think I'll be getting one of them August smart locks - anyone had any experience with them? Seems good as you can still use a key with them

**Edit**
Tried that rockdoor link, needed to use IE11, and even then wouldn't let me register to start desiging...

Psycho Sonny · 7 Jan 2017 at 12:10

more money = / = more quality

I'm sure you can get a high quality good looking door for less than £1000. It's a door after all not exactly the biggest technological advancement in history.

CaptainComedy · 7 Jan 2017 at 12:37

Psycho Sonny said:
more money = / = more quality

I'm sure you can get a high quality good looking door for less than £1000. It's a door after all not exactly the biggest technological advancement in history.

well that would be nice, but I do need to be realistic too...

I just noticed that none of these doors come with deadlocks? just the standard door lock :S am I missing something here?

rexehuk · 7 Jan 2017 at 13:07

Psycho Sonny said:
you can get pvc ones for that money

PVC are pretty horrible to be honest. Not saying £1500 on a door, or £3000 on a door is justified.

I'll probably go for a £500~ composite in my new place.

CaptainComedy said:
well that would be nice, but I do need to be realistic too...

I just noticed that none of these doors come with deadlocks? just the standard door lock :S am I missing something here?

Rockdoor at least has hooks running all the way up the door, controlled by the main lock. Thinking that'll be pretty standard to be honest (for high end doors).

CaptainComedy · 7 Jan 2017 at 15:42

rexehuk said:
PVC are pretty horrible to be honest. Not saying £1500 on a door, or £3000 on a door is justified.

I'll probably go for a £500~ composite in my new place.

Rockdoor at least has hooks running all the way up the door, controlled by the main lock. Thinking that'll be pretty standard to be honest (for high end doors).

hmm how would I use something like that with an August smart lock? From what I have seen, that lock only works with deadlocks, so a standard lock might not be appropriate?

Shimmyhill · 7 Jan 2017 at 22:51

Psycho Sonny said:
Doesn't mean you need to spend £3000 on a new one

£150-£500 from B and Q should suffice for instance

My sister has a B&Q upvc door and its terrible, my Rehau upvc one is much better, more hinges so pend/close smoother with vastly better build quality and handle etc - really is no comparison.

My front composite door is even better, under a grand still so I see your point to a degree - you don't need to spend 3k but you also don't buy anything from B&Q door wise as it will be terrible.

CaptainComedy · 7 Jan 2017 at 23:08

I don't intend on spending 3k on a door

I just had a crazy quote once.

Still waiting on responses from these quotes I sent off though

Vanquish-Storm · 8 Jan 2017 at 00:04

We had a rock door ultimate installed for our front door when we moved in in 2014. Pretty sure it was around £2000 from a local company.

Great doors but we have nothing to compare them to as this is our first house. The door on the house was wooden so anything would have been better.