Sliding patio doors/renovation costs

[DoingItUp]

I have some 5ft wide wooden french patio doors in the living room that lead onto a tiny veranda. These are secured with ornate metal gates. It looks lovely but it’s just not practical, thermal efficient or very secure. The space I have to leave empty on the veranda in order to swing the metal gates open means the useable space is negligible. It seems sensible to get a sliding patio door instead.

My choices are between upvc or aluminium. If money were no object, I’d get the aluminium, particularly as I’ve just spent ££££ on a frameless oriel window so it would match much better. But the price difference is around £800 and I’m trying to work out if it’s worth the extra expense. I have the money but I also have a whole house to finish so it doesn’t feel like a straightforward decision.

So I’m turning to the wisdom of MN - worth the extra for aluminium or stick with upvc?

Just going through the same now, need 4 sets of doors, supply only upvc are 4200, aluminium coming in at 10k. Aluminium looks nicer and I assume will last longer, but 2.5 times longer I don't know

What would give you the most pleasure if you're intending on staying a long time?
If not staying, go for cheaper.

Go for the aluminium...it'll bug you otherwise.

Also doing this but we have 6 patio doors to replace 🙈 getting 4 sliding doors to the garden replaced with 2 pvc french doors and fixed panels either side. But the inner sliding patio doors have to be aluminium as they're too large for pvc. Sticking with sliding doors there to save space from the French doors opening out. It's costing £8k in total.

@Alexalee and @SuddenlyOld, that puts my tiny door dilemma into perspective! It’s such a lot of money involved although £8k sounds ok to me for so much glass.

@Ariela, I’m planning on staying so could be worth the investment. @BigDahliaFan, I think you’re right!

I’ve realised part of the problem is that I don’t know what ‘extra’ I’m getting for the additional money. They both look pretty similar from the product pictures. I’ve emailed to ask for more info on the measurements but it would have been better to see what they were like in person to compare the quality etc.

I believe they look the same but aluminium is stronger hence the higher cost

From what I’ve seen, aluminium is supposed to have smaller ‘sight lines’ compared to upvc. I had one quote where he brought a sample of the upvc frame and I was surprised at how bulky it seemed. But you can’t really tell any of this from the stock photos.

Aluminium will have slimmer sight lines and will look better. If you’re staying there long term, go for what you like and what matches the window.

If I was in your position op, I’d go for aluminium. Can completely understand larger jobs where the difference is huge ie 5k+ but in your case it’s not so bad.

Go for aluminium. I work in home renovations and find that people forget the extra cost before long when they pay the extra to upgrade to something they love and really wanted, but will be often be annoyed by something that was a cheaper compromise. Doesn’t seem a huge price difference either in the grand scheme of things. Also you will presumably look at and use them every day, so worth the extra IMO.