uPVC sliding patio doors across Dorset
Here is what to weigh up if you are considering uPVC sliding patio doors for a home in Dorset:
Planning a door wider than about 3.6 m for your Dorset home? That is beyond the uPVC range, so aluminium or a multi-track system would be the next step.
The rules for a replacement door in Dorset are checked at survey, and your written quote says which approval route applies to your home.
- Shoot-bolt or hook locking on the sliding panel, plus anti-lift devices, help stop the panel being lifted or levered out of the frame from outside.
- Woodgrain and colour foils, including anthracite grey and black, let a uPVC door match existing windows instead of appearing as a white frame on a coloured elevation.
- A two-panel uPVC slider usually fits the same opening as an old patio door, so a straight swap avoids building work and typically takes a day.
Guide prices for uPVC sliding patio doors in Dorset
Guide prices are the same across Dorset: the fitted price depends on the size, system and specification, not your postcode. These figures are for a standard 2.1 m high door, fitted, including VAT and removal of an old door of similar size.
| Overall width | Typical panels | Guide price (fitted, inc VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| 1.5 m | 2 panels | £1,695–£2,095 |
| 1.8 m | 2 panels | £1,895–£2,295 |
| 3.0 m | 2 panels | £2,495–£3,095 |
| 3.6 m | 3 panels | £2,895–£3,495 |
Every size is on the uPVC sliding patio doors page.
Daylight and glass in Dorset
In Dorset the shortest day has roughly 7 h 57 min of daylight and the longest about 16 h 30 min. The noon sun sits near 16° above the horizon in winter and 63° in summer — so glass that faces south collects useful warmth from October to March, while a west-facing door may need solar control to stop it overheating in July.
Towns we cover in Dorset
We survey and fit uPVC sliding patio doors in 12 towns across Dorset, including the BH15, BH19, BH2, BH20, BH21, BH22 postcode districts.
Approvals in England
In England, a replacement sliding door is a controlled fitting under the Building Regulations. In an existing home, a door with more than 60% glazing must reach a U-value of 1.4 W/m²K or better (or a Doorset Energy Rating of band C) under Approved Document L, and glass in doors must be safety glazing under Approved Document K. We arrange compliance through a competent person scheme installer or by notifying Building Control, and you receive the certificate.
Questions about uPVC sliding patio doors in Dorset
How soon can you survey in Dorset?
Surveys in Dorset are booked at a time that suits you, and we offer survey dates when we reply to your enquiry. After you approve the written quote, manufacture is typically 2–4 weeks from survey sign-off.
Do I need permission to replace a patio door with a uPVC slider?
In England, replacing a patio door on a house is usually permitted development if the new door looks similar, though flats, listed buildings and Article 4 areas may need consent. The work must be done by a competent person scheme installer or notified to Building Control, and the glass must be safety glazing. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own planning and building rules.
Are uPVC sliding doors energy efficient?
uPVC sliding doors are energy efficient because the plastic frame conducts little heat, with whole-door U-values typically around 1.3–1.6 W/m²K double glazed, depending on profile and glass. In England, a replacement door in an existing home with more than 60% glazing must achieve 1.4 W/m²K or better, so the sealed unit is specified to meet it. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland set their own energy requirements.
How much do uPVC sliding patio doors cost?
uPVC sliding patio doors start from a guide price of £1,695 for a 1.5 m two-panel door, fitted, inc VAT, at standard 2.1 m height. A 2.4 m door is a guide £2,195–£2,695, and a 3.6 m three-panel door is around £2,895. Coloured foils, glass upgrades and a low threshold move the figure up, and the final price is fixed in a written quote after survey.