How Much Do Patio Doors Cost?

How We Calculated This

Our sliding door calculator prices a patio door as supply cost plus fitting: Total = (Area × Supply Rate × Frame Factor × Glazing Multiplier) + Installation. Here is its default worked example — a 2-panel inline aluminium slider in a standard 3m × 2.1m structural opening:

• Opening area: 3.0m × 2.1m = 6.3m²
• Supply rate: £800/m² (premium/slimline inline tier) × 1.0 frame factor (aluminium) × 1.0 glazing multiplier (double) = £800/m²
• Supply cost: 6.3 × £800 = £5,040
• Fitting: £600 (typical single-day installation into an existing opening)
• Total: £5,040 + £600 = £5,640, with each panel 3,000 ÷ 2 = 1,500mm wide

That is the premium/slimline tier. Mainstream aluminium sliders are commonly supplied at around £250–£450/m², which for the same 6.3m² door works out at 6.3 × £250 = £1,575 up to 6.3 × £450 = £2,835 supply — roughly £2,175–£3,435 fittedonce the £600 installation is added. Switching the same premium door to uPVC applies a 0.7 frame factor (£800 × 0.7 = £560/m²), giving 6.3 × £560 = £3,528 supply, or about £4,128 fitted.

Indicative Fitted Prices by Door Type

Pulling together 2025–2026 UK cost guides (MyJobQuote, HomeHow, GreenMatch and BookaBuilderUK), typical supply-and-fit budgets are:

• French doors (uPVC): from about £750 fitted for a basic white set; £890–£3,750 across materials and sizes
• Sliding doors (uPVC, 2 panels): from about £850 fitted; £1,350–£3,550 across materials and sizes
• Sliding doors (aluminium): roughly £1,800–£4,500 fitted for 2–3 panel systems; a large aluminium slider averages around £3,000
• Bifold doors: £1,650–£5,250 fitted across most domestic sets; large 4–5 panel systems run £3,000–£8,500+

Treat every figure as an indicative estimate rather than a price list — the same door can vary by hundreds of pounds between regions, brands and glass specifications. Always get at least three like-for-like written quotes.

What Drives the Price

• Door type: French doors are cheapest (two hinged leaves, simple hardware), inline sliders sit mid-range, and lift & slide, pocket and bifold systems cost the most because of their running gear and panel count
• Size and panel count: cost scales with glazed area, so a 4m three-panel slider costs substantially more than a 2.4m two-panel set
• Frame material: our calculator applies frame factors of 1.0 (aluminium), 0.9 (timber) and 0.7 (uPVC) to its base rates — uPVC is typically the cheapest like-for-like option
• Glazing: triple glazing adds about 30% to the supply rate in our calculator model, in exchange for a better U-value
• Labour: installer day rates are typically £150–£250, rising to around £300–£400 per day in London and the South East; a straightforward replacement is usually done in a day
• Structural work: creating or widening an opening adds a steel lintel at roughly £800–£2,500 and knock-through work at £1,000–£3,000 on top of the door itself

Building Regulations to Budget For

Building regulations have applied to all replacement glazing since 1 April 2002, so a new patio door is notifiable building work — not just a shopping decision:

• Thermal performance: under Approved Document L 2021 (Table 4.2), a replacement door with more than 60% of its face glazed must achieve a whole-door U-value of 1.4 W/m²K or better — check the certified Uw on the CE/UKCA label rather than assuming double glazing passes
• Safety glazing: glass in a door up to 1,500mm above floor level is a “critical location” under Approved Document K and must be safety glazing (toughened or laminated)
• Sign-off: use an installer registered with a competent person scheme (such as FENSA or Certass) who can self-certify compliance, or budget roughly £150–£400 in building control fees for an unregistered installer or DIY fit
• Accessible thresholds: where a level entrance is needed, Approved Document M limits the threshold to 15mm maximum — a low or flush threshold option typically adds to the cost and is worth pricing separately

Tips for Getting It Right

Compare quotes on the same basis — supply-only prices can look £600–£1,500 cheaper simply because fitting is excluded, and removal of the old door plus waste disposal can add £250–£340 if it isn’t included. Ask for the door’s certified whole-door U-value and PAS 24 security rating in writing, and confirm who is notifying building control before any deposit is paid.

If your opening is non-standard, measure the structural opening (brick to brick), not the old frame — made-to-measure doors are priced on that area, which is exactly how the calculator works it out.