Front door replacement: what happens on fitting day, from old frame to new door
By Glazing London,
A new front door is one of the few home improvements that is finished in a single day. You go to work with the old door and come home to the new one. Here is what actually happens on fitting day, using photos from a job where we replaced a front door and a narrow window beside it with a composite door and a matching side light.
The quick answer
The new door is made to measure from the survey. On the day, the old door and frame are taken out, the opening is cleaned and checked, the new frame is fixed, levelled and sealed, the door is hung and adjusted, and the gaps are trimmed inside and out. Most front doors are fitted in a day. Call 07915 903485 for a free survey and quote.
Before fitting day: the survey
Everything that goes right on the day starts with the measurement. At the survey we measure the opening, check the brickwork and lintel, agree which way the door opens, and choose the style, colour, glass, letterbox and handle. The door is then made to that size, so it arrives ready to go in.
On the day, step by step
- Protect the hall. Dust sheets down, and anything fragile moved away from the doorway.
- Take out the old door and frame. The door comes off its hinges and the frame is cut out. On this job the old window beside the door came out too, to make room for a side light.
- Prepare the opening. Loose mortar and old fixings are cleared, the threshold is checked, and any damage to the brickwork is dealt with.
- Fix the new frame. The frame is set in the opening, packed so it is level and square, and fixed into the brickwork. A spirit level on every side, like the one in our photo, is the most important tool of the day.
- Hang and adjust the door. The door is hung and the hinges and keeps adjusted until it closes easily and the multi-point lock throws without force.
- Seal and trim. The gaps between frame and wall are filled and sealed, trims fitted inside and out, and the cill finished.
- Clear up and hand over. The old door and frame go on our van. You get the keys and a walk through the locks and handle.
The finished door
The finished job: a light blue composite door with a small diamond glass panel, and a white side light with Georgian bars that brings daylight into the hall. One opening, one day.
Composite or uPVC?
- Composite doors have a solid core and a thick, timber-like skin. They feel heavy and solid, hold their colour well and come in many colours. See composite front doors.
- uPVC doors cost less, are light and easy to look after, and suit back and side doors. See uPVC doors.
- Aluminium doors suit modern houses and wide openings. See aluminium entrance doors.
What you need to do
- Clear the hallway and the path to the door the night before.
- Let neighbours know if you share a path or porch.
- Be there at the start and the end of the day.
- Keep any parcels or deliveries for another day.
If your old door is broken now
If the door or its glass is broken and the house is not secure, do not wait for the new door. Our emergency glaziers make it safe and board it if needed, 24 hours a day, and our uPVC door repairs fix most locks and hinges without a new door.
Book a survey
We are a glazier in London with our own workshop in Wood Green, N22, and we supply and fit front doors across Central and North London. Ring 07915 903485, send a photo on WhatsApp or book a free survey and quote.
Front door fitting questions
How long does it take to replace a front door?
Most front doors are fitted in a day. A straight swap of door and frame is a morning or an afternoon; a door with a new side panel, or an opening that has to be altered, takes longer. We tell you at the survey how long your job needs.
Will my house be open while the door is changed?
Only for the time between taking the old frame out and fixing the new one in, and someone from the team is there the whole time. The house is never left open or unlocked.
Do I need to be at home?
Someone needs to be there at the start, to let us in, and at the end, so we can hand over the keys and show you how the locks and handle work.
Will the plaster and paint around the door be damaged?
Some making good is normal where the old frame comes out. We fill and seal the gaps inside and out and finish with trims and silicone. Decorating the plaster afterwards is usually left to you.
Composite or uPVC: which front door should I choose?
Composite doors are thicker and heavier, with a solid core and a timber-like finish. uPVC doors cost less and suit back and side doors well. Both are made to measure, and we fit both.