Wood, steel, aluminum, PVC, glass: which material to choose for your front door? What are their characteristics and prices? What other criteria should be taken into account? And how much does the installation cost? Find out all the answers to these questions.
Choosing your front door is a complex choice that deserves careful thought. In addition to practical criteria, aesthetics play a big role here. Indeed, the front door is often the first thing you see in a house. It is therefore also the first image that visitors will take of it.
Before making your choice for a model, it is therefore important to think about several criteria. These will influence the final price of your front door.
But what are these criteria to take into account? What are the different possible materials for your door? And how much does a front door and its installation cost? We detail everything in this article.
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The different styles of front door
Before you start buying your door and requesting quotes, it is worth asking yourself what type of door you are looking for. There are three main styles, which will not look the same on your facade at all:
- Solid doors : these are the most classic doors. Formed as a single unit and generally uniform, they are often associated with safety.
- Semi-glazed doors : thanks to the mixture of solid and glazed parts, they will allow you to combine security and aesthetics.
- Glass doors : these fully glazed models have the advantage of letting light into your home. However, it is recommended to put opaque glass so as not to be invaded in your privacy.
Obviously, for these three styles of doors, you will have the choice between several colors and sizes.
Factors influencing the price
After choosing the style of door you want to install, you can think about your budget. However, it is difficult to estimate precisely the final cost of your front door, because you will have to take into account a multitude of criteria. Here they are :
- The main material of your door : this is the element that will have the most impact on the final cost . Between wood, glass, steel, aluminum and all other materials, it is possible to find all ranges of price and quality.
- Security : the front door being the main point of access to your home, security is an essential point to take into account when making your purchase. So you will need to analyze the security details, such as the lock and armor. Obviously, the price increases depending on the level of security.
- Quality : as with any product, quality greatly impacts the price of a front door. For example, an industrially designed, assembly line door will be much cheaper, but also likely of lower quality.
- The installation : whether it is the type of installation or the choice of your craftsman, this point will also have a strong influence on your final budget. It is therefore important that you obtain information from several professionals in order to be able to compare the quotes.
The different materials and their price
There is a wide variety of materials. Obviously, they do not all necessarily have the same properties and objectives, nor the same cost. Here’s what to help you choose the right material for you:
Wood
It allows great flexibility and offers safety , an aesthetic aspect and very good thermal insulation . In addition, wood goes very well with other materials which will increase its security, such as steel armor, or which will give it a more aesthetic side, such as glass panels. Note, however, that wooden entrance doors require regular maintenance . Indeed, you will have to apply varnish or stain every 5 to 10 years.
Entry-level wooden models are priced around € 200 . For a standard unshielded wooden door, expect between € 600 and € 1,200. Finally, if you prefer a high-end model, it will cost between € 2,000 and € 3,000 .
Steel
The steel door is recommended for its secure side, as it is very resistant and will easily repel any burglars. However, its weight is more important, which is to be taken into account when choosing the door jamb, especially in case of renovation.
It is possible to find steel models from 300 € . However, for a better quality model, it will take between 600 € and 800 €. Finally, if you opt for an armored model, plan a budget of between € 1,500 and € 3,000 .
Aluminum
Aluminum doors do not require any maintenance except normal cleaning. In addition, they offer good safety and have very good thermal insulation (provided that the interior is provided with a thermal break). Finally, since aluminum is very rigid, it makes it possible to fit larger openings without increasing the thickness and, consequently, the weight of the door. It is particularly the ideal model if you do not want to modify the door frame.
For aluminum models, prices start at around € 700 . A standard, unshielded model costs between € 1,000 and € 1,500. Finally, for a high-end model, you can count the budget goes from 1,500 € to 4,000 € .
PVC
PVC doors are very affordable , even in the mid-grade range. In addition, they do not require any maintenance and can offer excellent insulation and good safety . It is for all these reasons that they are used more and more.
Entry-level PVC models are around € 300. However, in order for your door to be of quality, we recommend that you spend at least € 550 on it .
Glass
The advantage of a glass door is that it can let in light and illuminate your entrance. However, be careful with your privacy: if you do not take opaque glasses, everyone will be able to see you from the outside.
For glass models, you will need a budget of around € 1,500 on average. Depending on the options and the quality of the glass, its cost may even climb to more than 2,000 €.
Security
After choosing the main material for your front door, you will need to think about the security of your home. Indeed, 75% of burglars go through the main entrance. Although no system prevents breaches 100%, it is therefore important and necessary to think of measures to delay them. The goal will therefore be to discourage thieves with options that delay entry through the door.
The security of a front door is linked to three points: the lock, the door itself and the door jamb .
For each point, there are more or less secure models, and therefore more or less resistant to infringements. In particular, there are many types of cylinders and multiple lock points. To help you find your way, the A2P schedules for locks and R for glazing let you know how long each point will withstand. This time is numbered from 1 to 3 according to the following scale: 1 indicates an average resistance of 5 minutes, 2 of 10 minutes and 3 of 15 minutes.
Generally, type 3 locks are used, which combine quality and reasonable price. Depending on the security level chosen, the price of the lock on an entrance door can vary between € 300 and € 2,000 .
Besides the lock, you can also decide to armor your door to increase your security . Note that the shielding may concern the entire door or only its frame.
The choice of shielding will directly affect the price of the front door. It takes on average a hundred euros extra for an armored door.
Why call a professional to install a front door?
The installation of an entrance door is an operation as complex as the installation of a window, a patio door or a garage door. It must be carefully carried out, as the security implications are significant.
For a renovation project, you will be able to install your door on the already existing hinges. However, for this you will need to make sure to purchase a door with the same dimensions as the old one. For this type of installation, intervention by a professional is recommended, but is not mandatory. If you call on a craftsman, the cost of installation invoiced in his estimate will be lower than that of a complete installation with change of frame.
However, whether in renovation or construction, it is often mandatory to install a new fixed frame that matches the dimensions of the door you have chosen, but also the safety criteria you want to install. To ensure optimal installation (easy opening and closing, no burglary problems, etc.), it is therefore essential to ensure that the door frame is level and plumb.
All of this requires precise and controlled technical know-how , as well as complex tools .
Finally, the lock must be installed securely while remaining fluid. This should not be overlooked, as it has a direct influence on your ease of use in everyday life and on security against crime.
For all these reasons, it is very often advisable to resort to the use of the services and advice of a qualified professional. Indeed, an experienced professional will offer you faster work, great peace of mind and high quality in terms of safety.
The cost of installation
Of course, the installation of a front door by a professional has a cost, which should be taken into account when calculating the total amount of a front door estimate.
To give you an idea, the installation of a front door by a professional generally costs between 100 € and 500 € . This price does not take into account the possible installation services of a fixed frame, or the realization of a different opening.
All these little details, as well as the specifics on a case-by-case basis, make accurate budget estimation very difficult. We therefore recommend that you obtain information from various professionals. This step is useful and important because the various craftsmen will be able to write you a personalized quote, but also give you advice adapted to your situation and answer your questions.
In addition, do not hesitate to inquire about the experience of your installer in order to know his references and make sure that he is equipped to mount the door that you need.
The choice of your front door and its installation is an important step in the finishing of your home, because this opening will give a certain identity to your house. But it’s also a part of your home that you’ll use every day. It must therefore provide you with a certain comfort in its handling, and give you a sufficient feeling of security in order to be able to make the most of your home.