Cost of a bespoke front door?

[Paul D.Smith]

Background - I have a rescued original 1920s front door of the same design that was originally fitted to my 1920s house. Now I have two options...

1. Fix up this door (time has taken its toll) and fit this.
2. Get a new one made to the same design but, for example deeper to allow for double glazing etc.

So, has anyone had a bespoke front door made and if so, what is a ballpark for for cost? If you know of any suitable websites that show sample designs and costs then please let me know.

And yes, "how long is a piece of string..." is a reasonable answer but not helpful ;-). The door has 4 small panels at the base and three narrow window panels with the top of the window curved. Nothing too tricky but not a DIY job for my at least ;-).

Cheers, Paul DS.

[Dave Fawthrop]

|!Background - I have a rescued original 1920s front door of the same design |!that was originally fitted to my 1920s house. Now I have two options... |! |!1. Fix up this door (time has taken its toll) and fit this. |!2. Get a new one made to the same design but, for example deeper to allow |!for double glazing etc. |! |!So, has anyone had a bespoke front door made and if so, what is a ballpark |!for for cost? If you know of any suitable websites that show sample designs |!and costs then please let me know. |! |!And yes, "how long is a piece of string..." is a reasonable answer but not |!helpful ;-). The door has 4 small panels at the base and three narrow |!window panels with the top of the window curved. Nothing too tricky but not |!a DIY job for my at least ;-).

Long time ago I bought a outside door from the local joiner. It cost no more than the equivalent from a shed, at that time. I would allow say

*double* the cost of an equivalent door from a shed, then get the usual three quotes for the work.

[dom]

It partly depends how complex the shapes/mouldings are, and whether they can be readily cut with existing tooling/jigs or they have to be made up specially.

Very roughly, assuming the door is pine, for supply-only, unfinished, that all the mouldings can be cut with existing router bits/spindle moulder tooling and that there's no complex curved work that requires jigs to be made up -I'd guess 1-2 days work at 400-500 quid.

A piccy would help in guessing how complex the door design is.

Could the panels/glass be pulled out of your original door - or is the whole thing shot?

[Stuart Noble]

I'd go with 1. You could fit stepped DG units to avoid extra thickness.

1. would be mighty expensive and I doubt there is much demand given the range of manufactured doors available.

[The Natural Philosopher]

As a guide, my solid oak with bullion glass tudor style doors with frames were 850 quid each.

A more basic hardwood door without frame probably £400-£500

[dom]

Alternatively, get a professional opinion on fixing up your existing door. Usually they rot from the bottom and it's a case of repairing/ replacing the bottom rail and scarfing bits onto the stiles. Damage around the locks/hinges can sometimes be worked around by reversing the handing of the door.

[Paul D.Smith]

I'll be taking a close look this weekend to see what is/isn't possible. Thanks to all for the ballpark figures though.

Paul DS.

[Jonathan Pearson]

Our hardwood door with frame & fitted was just over £1k, however the quality of the work was superb ( we had 3 quotes all similar priced) Jon

[NickNoxx]

I've just had a door made in softwood, primed, with two wooden panels and six glass ones (unglazed) with ogee mouldings, delivered for £300 - but we give the carpenter quite a lot of business and probably got a good deal.

[Ian_m]

A friend just had new hard wood door and new frame fitted, all in for £600. The door manufacturers (Salisbury somewhere) came out and fitted it as well, looks nice and has proper locks unlike previous door.

[Andy Hall]

It depends on what you want.

A good quality hardwood door and frame to a custom design can be in the region of £800 to £1000. If the frame is extra width - e.g. additional panel at the side, then £1000 - £1200.

If you want curved double glazed panels that it going to be somewhat specialised.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Ah, fitting is extra. Its a day's carpentry and several days of staining and rubbing down, plus decent hinges & screws etc, and door furniture, all of which adds up..

[dom]

If it is a curved outline (most likely) rather than the glass itself that is curved - then you take a hardboard template along to the glazier and they charge about 25% extra (of the charge for the bounding rectangle) to make up a sealed unit (and sealed units are something like 50 quid per square metre). I had a lot of these made for chapel windows, and was pleasantly surprised for once at the modest charges.

[The Natural Philosopher]

HOWEVER the fact remains that if you cut out the retail chain, such doors do not cost a great deal more than what is obtainable at the BM.