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What changes the cost of patio doors?

The cost of patio doors depends on the type and size of door, the frame material and glass, and whether it is a straight swap into the same opening or a wider one. This page does not print a price, so ask each installer to itemise the door, fitting, making good and certificate.

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By the QuoteZila editorial team. Editorial policy.

What kinds of patio door are there?

"Patio door" covers several different products, and the type you choose is one of the biggest things that moves the cost.

  • Sliding doors. One panel slides behind another on a track. They do not swing into the room or the garden, which suits tight spaces.
  • French doors. A pair of doors hinged at the sides that open outwards or inwards. Often fitted with side panels of fixed glass.
  • Bifold doors. Several narrow panels that fold back against each other, opening most of the wall. They have more hinges, more rollers and more parts to set up.
  • Tilt and slide. A less common type where a panel tilts to ventilate, then slides open.

Each comes in uPVC, aluminium or timber frames, and each frame has its own strengths, looks and lead times. Glass choices, from plain double glazing to triple glazing or tinted panes, add another layer.

QuoteZila starts in Cheshire, with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach first, and anyone in the UK can post a patio door job.

What about the opening changes the price?

Same size, same opening. Taking out an old door and frame and fitting a new one in the same hole is the most straightforward job. Making good the plaster and render round the frame is part of it.

A wider or taller opening. Replacing a window with patio doors, or turning a single door into a wide set of sliders, means cutting into the wall. The wall above has to be held up while the opening is made, and a new lintel or steel beam carries it afterwards. That is structural work, so ask a builder to plan it and ask whether building control will be involved. GOV.UK: find your local council for building control. QuoteZila is not affiliated with this organisation.

A step or threshold. Some people want a level threshold between the room and the patio. That can mean lowering the floor or raising the patio, and dealing with drainage outside. Ask the installer to say what they propose.

Access. Large glass panels are heavy. If the door has to be carried through the house or round the side, ask how it will get there.

What rules apply to new patio doors?

The Planning Portal says an external door is a "controlled fitting" under the Building Regulations, so the regulations set standards to be met when one is replaced [S1]. It says you could use an installer registered with the relevant competent person scheme, who can do the work without involving local authority building control and will give you a certificate when the work is complete [S1]. Otherwise, approval can be sought from the relevant building control body [S1].

The same page covers safety glass. Its list says safety glazing should be provided within any glazed door up to 1500mm from floor level [S1]. Patio door glass is in that zone, so ask the installer whether the glass meets it.

GOV.UK lists replacing windows and doors among the alteration projects that may need building regulations approval, and says you do not need to get approval yourself if you use someone registered with a competent person scheme [S3]. GOV.UK explains more about building regulations approval.

For planning, the Planning Portal says you do not usually need permission for new doors of a similar appearance to those used in the house [S2]. Listed buildings, designated areas, leaseholders and Article 4 Directions are the exceptions to check [S2].

What should a patio door quote list?

  • The door: type, frame material, colour, size, and the glass in each panel.
  • Locks and handles: the locking system and how many keys.
  • Removal: taking out the old door and frame, and taking it away.
  • Fitting: fixing, sealing, and making good inside and out.
  • Building work: any lintel, beam or brickwork, priced separately.
  • Threshold: step height and how it meets the patio.
  • Certificate: the competent person scheme certificate, or who applies to building control.
  • Lead time: when the door will be made and fitted.

Citizens Advice suggests getting written quotes from at least 3 different traders before you decide on one [S4]. It also says some traders charge for quotes, so ask about this first [S4].

Who fits patio doors?

Our glaziers page covers the trade that supplies and fits most door and window jobs. For timber French doors, some joiners make and fit them. Where the opening is being widened, a builder usually does the structural part.

For the detail on each type, see patio door replacement, French doors and bifold doors.

Jobs you might post

These are examples, not taken from real job posts.

  • "Old aluminium sliding patio door, glass misting. Please quote for a like-for-like uPVC replacement in the same opening, including the certificate."
  • "We'd like to replace a back window with French doors onto the garden. Please quote for the building work and the doors separately."
  • "Wide opening to the garden. Please quote for bifold or sliding doors and say which you'd suggest for the space."

QuoteZila is free for customers and local businesses [QZ1]. Your job goes to up to five matched local businesses [QZ2].

Honest status: QuoteZila is new. We're starting in Cheshire, beginning with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach, and growing area by area. Anyone in the UK can still post a job or register a business. How fast you get quotes depends on how many local businesses have joined near you. Businesses can register and receive jobs straight away. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire.

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Questions about the cost of patio doors

Do new patio doors need building regulations approval?

The Planning Portal says an external door is a controlled fitting under the building regulations, so standards apply when one is replaced. An installer registered with the relevant competent person scheme can deal with this and give you a certificate, or approval can be sought from a building control body.

Do I need planning permission for patio doors?

Usually not for new doors of a similar appearance to those used in the house, according to the Planning Portal. It says listed buildings need consent for significant works, leaseholders may need their landlord's permission, and an Article 4 Direction can change the rules.

Is it cheaper to keep the same opening?

Usually, yes. A like-for-like swap into the existing opening avoids building work. Making the opening wider means a new lintel or beam to carry the wall above, which is structural work and often needs building control.

Does QuoteZila check glaziers and door installers?

No. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire. You can report a quote or a business from your job page.

This page is general information, not professional or legal advice. QuoteZila does not check Gas Safe, WaterSafe, NFRC, NICEIC or other registrations against the register on your behalf: look them up yourself.

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Sources

  1. QZ1: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila home and FAQ copy.
  2. QZ2: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila FAQ How does getting quotes work.
  3. S1: Doors and windows: Building Regulations, Planning Portal. Accessed 2026-11-01. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/permission/common-projects/doors-and-windows/building-regulations
  4. S2: Doors and windows: Planning permission, Planning Portal. Accessed 2026-11-01. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/permission/common-projects/doors-and-windows/planning-permission
  5. S3: Building regulations approval, GOV.UK. Accessed 2026-11-01. https://www.gov.uk/building-regulations-approval
  6. S4: Before you get building work done, Citizens Advice. Accessed 2026-11-01. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/getting-home-improvements-done/before-you-get-building-work-done/