'I was quoted £5k for new front door so did it myself for a fraction of the price'
After being quoted £5.3k for a new front door, a couple who are renovating their period home, decided to save thousands of pounds by upcycling the UPVC door they already have
A woman who was quoted over £5k for a new front door decided to upcycle her own for a fraction of the price. Hester and Harrison, who are renovating their period home in Dorset, were quoted £5.3k for the fitting of a new front door.
The cost included £2,161 for the door itself along with a number of other costs for door knobs and locks, three fully glazed window panels and fitting. The couple, who post under the handle @hh_home_reno on TikTok, described how the door was their "dream", but they did not think it was worth the cost.
Hester said: "Honestly, our front door at the moment is not terrible. It's UPVC, relatively new, not awful quality, but it doesn't match the vibe we want for the house.
"And the hallway was one of the selling points for us with the house. All the natural light it brings in, and all the traditional wood flooring, so we wanted to accentuate that."
She then showed a mock-up of the door they were quoted for, which was a navy blue frame with gold hardware and patterned glass both on the door itself and on the three large panels surrounding it.
Hester then described that she envisioned having something more Victorian style with stained-glass, but explained the budget was "tight".
Instead of paying the £5.3k for a new front door, the couple decided to do it themselves on a budget for just £26.99.
The couple explained that they decided to paint the white UPVC door they already have to navy with a special uPVC paint from Rustoleum.
The couple added that the door was not "complete" yet, and that they planned to buy stained-glass effect vinyl for the windows surrounding the door.
One creator said: "The colour is brilliant!"
A second added: "Looks great."
A third commented: "Looks amazing. Wanting to update my front door too."
A fourth penned: "I painted my old door until we could afford a new one, it held up for two years. Could have help up longer but we got new windows and doors."
Another user said their painted door lasted four years with "no chips or retouches".