Reply to: To DIY or not to DIY

[Bob Dalek]

Get a local uPVC firm to do it. Get as many estimates as possible, in writing, and then start a bidding war. You'll be amazed at:

1. How low the price can go.
2. How utterly crap they are at doing a simple job that is, when all's said and done, something that should be a 2-hour job for "experts" like they purport to be.

Or, do it yourself and live with the sad consequences.

Easy, really.

[DS23]

if it is a standard size the job is not really as bad as has been suggested. if it is a non-standard size and you don't have the proper tools and place to work - forget it and get someone who can.

[FSM with Cheddar]

Ok, will take a look at the wood options.

Need to replace it because it has a big crack in it.

I was thinking of the uPVC option for better insulation.

[FSM with Cheddar]

Thanks everyone.

I'll stick to writing leaky code, rather than installing a leaky door.

[DS23]

why do you need to replace it?

[Chugnut]

Definitely get a pro in since it's a front door and has to withstand the elements. Water is persistent and will find a way in so it's important to get a good fit. The weather bar and draft proofing must also be on the money.

Experiment on an internal door by all means since you have some margin of error.

Keep it wood if you can, much nicer than uPVC.

[TimberWolf]

I fitted an internal wooden door for my parents a few years back. It was hard work as they didn't have great tools available (e.g. I used a wall scraper in place of a chisel to create insets for the hinges), but I did have a power saw to (un)square the door to the frame. I guess I got lucky as the door fitted perfectly and remains so to this day. Would I do a front door? Probably not, unless the alternative was too pricey.

[The Lone Gunman]

Get a pro to do it.

Rock Door.

[NickFitz]

Hanging a door is hard. You'll never do as good a job as a carpenter, and it will take you four times as long (and you'll need assistance too). And as it's your front door, you have to get the job done in one go; you can't just slope off down the pub and finish it the day after...

WHS

Alignment of the frame has to be perfect or you will have nothing but trouble with the door ever after.
Fixing the frame must also be perfect or it will start to shake loose with use.
Sealing must be good or it will leak.

Get a professional to fit it or you will regret it.

What They Said. I once had the pleasure (and I'm not being sarcastic, it was fascinating) of seeing two chaps, with about forty years of experience between them, give a presentation on how to hang a door. We were all on a course in Instructional Techniques, and this was their first attempt at constructing and presenting a training programme. It was a ten-minute presentation, and I learnt everything one needs to know about hanging a door.

I also concluded that it is non-trivial. Get an expert.

Even so, when it came to getting a new front door even he gets a carpenter in - just to make sure

Again, WHS. By all means make a complete arse of the dining room door (experience is always fun) but not the front door.

Footnote: I once lived in a flat that had a Yale and two mortice locks. When the bad people came to steal my stuff, they just broke the door off at the hinges. They left it propped against the wall in the hall, so it was out of their way. The locks were still locked

[Spacecadet]

My dad has developed a very good technique over the years for hanging doors they are a very good fit, no catching and no draughts. He's a very keen DIYer, has been for 40+ years and a perfectionist, he might take 10 times longer than a pro but quite often the job is done better and with less mess.

Even so, when it came to getting a new front door even he gets a carpenter in - just to make sure

[Diver]

Hanging a door is hard. You'll never do as good a job as a carpenter, and it will take you four times as long (and you'll need assistance too). And as it's your front door, you have to get the job done in one go; you can't just slope off down the pub and finish it the day after...

WHS

Alignment of the frame has to be perfect or you will have nothing but trouble with the door ever after.
Fixing the frame must also be perfect or it will start to shake loose with use.
Sealing must be good or it will leak.

Get a professional to fit it or you will regret it.

[swamp]

I’m planning on replacing my front door (currently wooden) with a uPVC door. Should I go for the DIY route, or pay someone to do it for me?

Has anyone attempted to do it themselves, only to wish they had paid? (I’m still talking about doors!!)

Hanging a door is hard. You'll never do as good a job as a carpenter, and it will take you four times as long (and you'll need assistance too). And as it's your front door, you have to get the job done in one go; you can't just slope off down the pub and finish it the day after...

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Pay someone else to do it.

[gingerjedi]

Why would anyone want a horrible UPVC door? Get a decent wooden one and paint it properly, you'll spend the next 3 years shaving bits off and repainting the edges every time it gets a bit damp but it looks much nicer.

HTH

[basshead]

I thought this was a contractor forum. Have your man replace it with something made of gold. Or a f**k off diamond.