A front door may not seem like a particularly complicated fixture, but as anyone who has attempted to install one will tell you, this is not necessarily the case. Unlike fitting an internal door, your front door installation will require significantly more care and attention if you want to save the £130 - £200 it would cost to hire a professional.

In the guide below, we’ll go through everything it takes to fit a front door, the issues you may come across and more importantly, how to solve them.

• What to Know BEFORE You Begin
• Are you Replacing the Door Frame as Well?
• Step-by-Step
• How Much Does it Cost to Buy and Install a Door?
• What's Next?

The first thing to decide when fitting a new front door is whether you just want to replace the door slab or both the door and the frame, as this will determine if you have to get permission from Building Control.

You will need permission if you are replacing the door AND the frame unless you employ a registered installer who will be able to issue you with a certificate that can be used as proof of compliance. If are not going to hire anyone you will need to submit your notice and pay a fee to have the fitting inspected after the work has been completed.

Fortunately, there are plenty of options for door sets (meaning doors which come pre-hung in a frame) which make the installation a lot quicker and easier, especially if there are issues with your current frame for example, if it is damaged or not square. With all that in mind, we can now take a look at the steps you will need to take to fit your new door.

Step 1. Measuring 

The obvious first step is to get an accurate measurement of your door opening. If you are replacing your door and keeping the frame, you can just measure the old door as long as it fits well. The best way to do this is to take at least three measurements both lengthways and widthways, taking the largest measurement as your guide when shopping for a replacement. This would also be the case when measuring just the frame.

If you are measuring the door opening for a door set, the frame will first need to be removed. To do this, carefully cut around the casing and the wall and then use a pry bar to gently pull the casing out followed by the frame. You can then measure the opening freely. 

Bear in mind that not all doors can be trimmed down indefinitely, different materials will allow for different amounts of cutting so if you can’t find one to meet your exact size requirements make sure to check how much can be trimmed before buying. 

Step 2. Cutting Your Door

Once you have measured and purchased your new door, hold it in place in the frame to see if it needs any adjustments. The ideal fit will be a door that has a 2mm gap around the top and both sides.

If you do need to cut your door the best tool for the job is an electric plane. This will ensure an even and clean cut. When cutting you should trim from all four edges of the door to keep any panels and detailing centralised e.g. if your door needs to be taken in by 4mm widthways you should cut 2mm from either side. Once cut remember to also sand for a smooth finish.

Step 3. Adding Extras

Once the door has been cut to size it would good time to work on any additional elements you would like to include. A letterbox for example. Measure the openings required and cut out the holes needed (when doing this the door will need to be protected with a base sealer). With the hole cut, you can fit the furniture as per the relevant manufacturer’s instructions. We would also recommend incorporating some weatherproofing features like a rain deflector.

You should make sure that your additional furniture (including locks) meets the correct British Standards and your insurance policy.

Step 4. Fixing Hinges 

If you are installing a door set, these next few steps may not apply. Instead, you should simply perform the installation as laid out in any instructions provided. 

For an external door, you will need three hinges at least. They should sit between 125 – 150mm away from the top and bottom of the door with another positioned at the centre. You will need to chisel out recesses on the side of the door so that the hinges can fit flush and level.

Once installed you can then hold the door in place against the frame. (if you are installing a new frame, now would be the time to do so.) Check the gaps around the door are correct. If they are, you can then mark on the frame where the hinges will sit and fix them using one centre screw. Check the door opens and closes smoothly and if it does fix the remaining hinge screws.

If you are replacing your door and keeping your frame, you may wish to install new hinges onto the frame first if those new hinges can be placed in the same positions as the old. In this case the above would simply be reversed, meaning you would mark the positions of the hinges on the door relative to those on the frame. You should still only fix them with one screw at first to test the door functions as it should and then fix the rest of the screws.

Step 5. Installing Handles and Locks

Once fitted your door will require a lock and potentially some additional security measures. There are a lot of options here to suit varying budgets including Rim Locks, Mortice Locks and Cylinder Locks so it is worth shopping around for a bit to find the best lock for you. Once you have one it can be installed either by following the manufactures instruction or by hiring a qualified tradesperson.

To give you an idea of how much it might cost to buy and hire someone else to install your door, below is a list of estimated total costs.

Source: Priceyourjob.co.uk

Keep in mind that this may change depending on the time it takes to perform the installation as well as your location.

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