New back door

[shalalala]

We need to replace our back door and don't know where to start? Don't want to spend a fortune, but want something good enough quality to last and that looks good from the kitchen. Would we want wood, pvc, composite? And what are rough prices? (We are in the SE). We currently have a wood stable door but it's totally rotten. Thanks for any help

[PigletJohn]

does it have any weather protection?

Plastic doors are not very secure, even when they are festooned with multiple hooks and bolts to try to compensate for their inherent weakness.

How old is the house, and what do you think is the condition of the old doorframe? (new ones are not expensive)

[Fourbyfour]

We are looking at stable doors and composite styles range from £1200- £1800 not including fitting. Solidor was cheapest. We are going to go for solid wood though to match the rest of our external doors.
I've always read a definite no to pvc.

[shalalala]

@PigletJohn No weather protection and the frame will also need doing. The house has character. Built 1950s but looks a bit like a big cottage from the front and has a great garden. Kitchen (that the door be in) is a cream shaker with wood floor. I don't want too cottage-y but not modern either. Basically a good price is our number one consideration

@Fourbyfour wow that's loads. Presume if we went for a 'normal' door and not stable it would be cheaper

[Bluntness100]

Those sound awfully expensive, you can buy decent wood stable doors for a couple of hundred pounds.

[PigletJohn]

my preference is a hardwood wooden door.

A weatherbar and a canopy would help protect it from rain.

Paint is more hardwearing than stain, and varnish is not as good.
Look out though, because many doors are "engineered core" and veneered now, which I don't consider to be as good.

There will be a door specialist retailer in your town, even though you might not have seen in. Start by asking around for a good chippy to do the fitting.

For a wooden door, take extra care to paint the top and bottom, which are often neglected.

For the price of a plastic door, you should be able to get a hardwood door and frame with ease.

[Fourbyfour]

@shalalala you're right, non stable doors would cost less. Sorry I got confused and thought it was stable door you wanted to replace, but now realise you didn't mean like for like.

@bluntness100 yes you can but it's softwood at that price which is not a good choice for an external door.