Doors: compare quotes and prices

Distinguish internal, apartment and exterior doors

An internal door separates rooms. An apartment entrance separates the home from a stairwell; an exterior entrance forms part of the building envelope. Cellar and side doors may have other requirements depending on location. Use matters as much as appearance.

For glass doors, agree light, privacy and appropriate glazing. A sliding door needs space for its travel and hardware, sometimes within a wall construction. Unusual dimensions and design can be tailored without every sliding system necessarily being bespoke.

A door leaf and a complete doorset are different offers

A new leaf may fit an existing frame if dimensions, hinges, lock position and functions match. A complete assembly also includes a suitable frame. Not every old frame can be retained unchanged.

Where protective functions are needed, the appropriate system combination matters. Replacing one leaf does not automatically provide the required fire, acoustic or burglary resistance. Have the retained components assessed.

A product image showing a handle does not mean all hardware is supplied. Assign leaf, frame, handle, lock, cylinder, seals and fitting explicitly. Delivery to the building and carrying to the installation position are also different services.

Confirm dimensions and handing before ordering

Leaf dimensions, frame overall dimensions, wall opening and clear passage width are different measurements. Approximate information already known is enough initially. A specialist should confirm ordering dimensions, particularly when retaining a frame.

Opening direction and hinge side need an agreed viewing position. Have this checked against the situation or a sketch. An informal description such as ‘right’ may not prevent an ordering error.

Wall thickness, finished floor and threshold affect fitting. Coordinate flooring, plaster and door installation during refurbishment. Creating a new opening or changing structural elements is separate building work requiring professional assessment.

Select materials and finishes for actual use

Timber and engineered wood, metal, plastic and glass support different designs. Construction, finish and hardware jointly determine everyday properties. A material name alone proves neither high security nor good sound insulation.

Review samples, care and wear. Bathrooms, frequently used commercial doors and weather-exposed entrances have different conditions. An ordinary internal door is not automatically suitable for persistent moisture or outdoor use.

Glazing can bring light but must suit the assembly and its use. Later cut-outs and added components can change performance. Discuss such requirements before ordering rather than freely modifying a finished protective system.

Assess protective functions as a complete system

Acoustic, thermal, fire, smoke and burglary performance are different properties. Describe your aim in everyday language; the contractor determines a suitable specification and required evidence. You need not select technical classes yourself.

Sound insulation depends on the leaf, gaps, seals, floor junction and adjacent building elements together. A leaf laboratory value is not a guaranteed sound-insulation result between your rooms. A sliding door may also need a specific tested acoustic system.

Burglary resistance depends on a suitable complete assembly and fixing. A good lock alone does not make a door absolutely burglarproof. Fire or smoke performance requires compatible recognised components and fitting; requirements should be assessed for the actual building.

Compare door prices for the complete scope

A Swiss retailer lists a brown tubular-core leaf, 750 × 2015 mm, at CHF 145 including VAT. Frame and hardware are excluded; listed freight adds CHF 150. This is not an installed-door price.

A complete quote depends on count, dimensions, specification, frame, hardware and work. Removing old elements, disposal, plaster, painting and floor junctions may add costs. A low leaf price plus a generic fitting figure does not establish a reliable project total.

Check before ordering doors

A clear scope and confirmed ordering details help avoid incorrect purchases and unequal comparisons.

• Use. Position, door types and exact count.
• Scope. Separate leaf-only supply, complete assembly and fitting.
• Fit. Confirm dimensions, handing, floor and existing frame.
• Function. Agree protection and operating requirements.
• Junctions. Assign old components and surrounding finishing work.

From the request to a suitable door

Lead time and work depend on specification, survey and surrounding building work. Stock doors do not automatically fit without adaptation.

1. Describe the project. Give use, scope, count and information already known.
2. Agree the assembly. Review survey, functions, samples and hardware.
3. Compare quotes. Check complete supply and work for equivalent scope.
4. Review the result. Check operation, fit, agreed features and care instructions.