How Much Are Patio Doors?

There are many benefits to installing patio doors in your home; they provide natural light, make your space feel larger, and bring the outdoors in. Another key benefit to the surge in patio door purchases is their modern appearance and elegant design.

Patio doors come in many shapes, sizes, and styles. This results in them being accessible to any price budget. No matter your idea of cost, there will be a style of patio door that suits it.

In this article, we’re going to take a look at the prices of patio doors and what factors affect the overall cost.

How Much do Patio Doors Cost?

Patio doors can cost anywhere from £499 to £4449 - yes, the range is that broad! There are many factors that influence the overall price of your patio doors:

• Type of patio door

• Door frame material

• Door size

Let’s take a look at these factors in a little more detail…

Type of Patio Door

There are 3 main types of patio doors:

• French patio doors

• Bifold patio doors

• Sliding patio doors

All 3 of these doors contain glass inserts. Aside from that, they all offer different features, operate in different ways, and give off an overall appearance that differs greatly from each other.

French Patio Doors

A French patio door is a style that immediately comes to mind when someone mentions “patio door”. This style is extremely popular no matter the size or your budget.

French patio doors open outwards from a central point. They usually have 2 glass panes - one in each door -  and have a central locking system. French doors are easier to install than sliding and bifold doors. The centre point also makes them incredibly secure.

Bifold Patio Doors

Bifolds are beautiful to look at; however, their style means that you’re better off paying a little more on the material to ensure smooth running. We’d suggest either uPVC or Aluminium for this type of door as the risks of the material expanding in higher temperatures are reduced.

Bifold doors come in different sizes; you can opt for a simple 3-pane bifold or have it stretch your entire wall with 5, 6 or sometimes even 8-panes.

Bifold doors run on a tracking system and operate in a concertina fashion. You can open up the entire space by folding the full length of the doors back onto the end wall.

Before you purchase a bifold door set, make sure you have enough room for the doors to fold all the way back.

Sliding Patio Doors

Sliding patio doors are similar to bifold doors at first glance. When closed, their appearance is very similar. The difference is that sliding doors operate in a different way than bifold doors.

Sliding doors will slide behind each other until they reach the end of the track and sit behind the last pane. Unlike bifold doors, they don’t sit at the end of the track on the wall, therefore giving you more internal space.

For more detailed information, check our guide: what style of patio doors should I choose? 

Door Frame Material

There are 3 main types of material for patio doors; wood, uPVC, and aluminium. All of these have their pros and cons, each of which is determined by your personal preference. Some prefer the look of wooden doors, while others prefer aluminium. Some want a low maintenance door, like uPVC, while others value the look over the maintenance making wood a good choice. 

Let’s have a quick look at the material for door frames:

Wooden Door Frame

Wood is a very popular choice due to its appearance. It fits in with the aesthetic of most homes. If uncared for, wood can become susceptible to changes in weather conditions, especially wet weather. This can cause problems with the running of your patio doors. If you give your wooden patio doors a little TLC every few months, your doors will be able to withstand wet weather for much longer.

uPVC Door Frame

uPVC is a great material to use for patio doors. It’s weather-resistant making it a good choice for areas that experience high volumes of rain or snow. It’s also a low-cost material that won’t break the bank and requires little maintenance.

Some uPVC can expand in higher temperatures and the overall appearance of uPVC is often not preferred over wood.

Aluminium Door Frame

Aluminium is a great all-round material. It requires little maintenance and looks lovely on modern properties.

The only issues with aluminium patio doors are that they have a modern feel so don’t lend well with dated properties, and the material is pretty costly making the overall price of an aluminium patio door costly when compared to uPVC.

Door Size

As with anything, the size usually factors into the cost. If you’re planning on installing a patio door that covers the entire back wall of your property, it’s going to cost more than a simple French patio door.

Establish the size that you want before looking into the style and material that you require. You can easily compare the prices between the materials and type of door once you have established how large, or small, you want your patio doors to be.

How Much Does a Patio Door Cost to Install?

The next thing you need to consider when purchasing a patio door is the installation costs. You can install any form of patio door yourself; however, we advise that you obtain professional help to ensure that your door is in full working order. In some cases, you can even remove the warranty by installing the door yourself.

Door installation can cost anywhere from £900 to over £3,000. This includes the door itself, the man-hours, and the equipment required to install the door.

Same as the above, there are factors that determine the overall cost of installation. These factors are:

• The material of the door

• The type of door

• The size of the door

On average, a standard size French patio door made from uPVC will take around 4 - 6 hours to install. For large bifold patio doors made from aluminium, you’re looking at around 2 - 3 days. As you can see, these factors will determine how long the doors take to install and will therefore determine the cost of installation.

Patio doors are a wonderful addition to homes. They come with a decent price tag, and clearly, there are many factors to consider before you make your decision. As an overall glance into patio doors, we hope this article has given you some food for thought and will help you decide upon the best patio door for your home and your lifestyle.