New internal doors - how much?

[MatLeaveForever]

We've recently moved into a new house and need some internal double doors between our dining room and playroom.

We got a quote from a joiner we found on a directory to fit 2 new doors (not folding, ones that fully open out) and I'm a bit surprised at how much he's quoted. We did ask him to match to our other nice internal doors which are Oak (or look like oak!) but he's quoted £699 which is about double what I'd thought! I think we'll have to get some more quotes but wanted to check if I've just misjudged it and if anyone has had any similar work done recently and how much did it cost you? I'm in Greater Manchester. The joiner did seem very good and professional and I would have liked for him to fit them, but not for that price!

Thanks in advance for your experience!

[MrsJAlfredPrufrock]

How much do the doors he's providing cost (ask him)
Do they need parliament hinges so that the doors entirely fold back on themselves?
Does he have to build a frame for the doors?

[PigletJohn]

"he's quoted £699 "

hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

I employed a joiner, who charged £300 a day (I said I wanted to pay his day rate as i am quite fussy)

We went to the door shop in his van and bought a heavy, six-panel fire door (I prefer the these as they are vey solid and attractive) for £60, and a door lining (frame) to suit for £30, and some architrave for about a fiver, and some expanding foam to go between the lining and the wall. I already had the hinges, lock, doorknobs and screws. He fitted it in a couple of hours, and spent the rest of the day laying floorboards and fitting skirting.

Your man doesn't want the job.

doors

brass parliament hinges are relatively expensive

[PigletJohn]

of course, he might be allowing for solid oak doors, which are going to be expensive, or oak veneer, less so. If your doors have to be specially made, that will cost a lot. I had not taken on board that you want double doors. but you can get a ready-made frame for that (as used for French Windows)

[bemybebe]

I got doors from Acorn Joinery (I believe they deliver wide enough) in Sept - fantastic guys. They were poplar, cost around 300+VAT each, but they made copies of original Edwardian doors I already had. You have to call them and ask what they will charge for oak, although I believe there is somewhere a price list on thier site with most popular designs. My carpenter was 150GBP per day (fitted 4 doors in one day).

[PigletJohn]

On further consideration, I was unfair. it's probably the oak doors that are putting the price up.

[befuzzled]

could a resonably competent diy'er fit them do you think?

[PigletJohn]

I wouldn't recommend it. A joiner can fit doors and frames faster and better. Some doors are also very heavy (my front door weighs five and a half stone, and the fire doors weigh about 35kg) and need a simple tool to support them while you are working. They have to be lifted up and down a number of times while you are checking the fit, especially if you are not skilled enough to do it perfect first time. Joiners boast that you can exactly fit a £1 coin all the way round between the door and frame because they have a regular small gap.

Cutting in door hinges, and especially mortice locks, will look very shoddy if you are not good at it.

[befuzzled]

hmmm that does sound a bit beyond DP. I shall strike that of the list of things he claims he can do himself in our new house, thanks.

[MatLeaveForever]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. Thinking again we're probably better off with white painted doors anyway to make the room a bit brighter, but I'm still going to get another quote. Worried about choosing doors myself online and them not fitting! My hubby is useless at DIY so it's not an option to do it ourselves!

[PigletJohn]

painted doors instead of oak should easily knock £200 off the price.

[MatLeaveForever]

Just incase anyone is still interested, I got another quote from a semi-retired carpenter/joiner who lives near me and he'll charge me £140 for fitting the doors that I buy (and I have to buy the hinges, handles etc). So I can decide how expensive I want my doors to be (or should I say cheap) and it suddenly seems affordable! He'll also create the frame. Now I just have to choose some doors hmmmm.......