How to choose and buy a front door for a flat or a house
Flat or independent house
The key question is where the door will go. For a flat people usually take a door with a steel sheet, several locks and sound insulation. For an independent house, facing the outdoors, you need a door with a thermal break, insulation and a weather-resistant finish, or it will get damp and rusty in the rainy season and frosty in the cold hills. For utility rooms, simpler models are cheaper and more practical.
The construction that sets the price
- Metal thickness and number of sealing lines — affect strength and insulation.
- Thermal break — an insert that breaks the “cold bridge” between the outer and inner sheet; for outdoor doors in cold regions it is almost a must.
- Locks — their number and class. Ask whether the lock core can be changed if you lose the keys.
- Finish — MDF panels, powder coating, PVC film. The outer side must resist water and sun.
Size and opening side
Measure the opening's width and height, then check with the fitter whether you need a standard door or a made-to-order one. The opening side (left or right hand, inwards or outwards) is defined when you look at the door from outside. It is easy to mix up, so write it in words: “left-hand, opens outwards”.
What to put in your request
- Where the door goes — flat, house, office, utility room.
- Opening size — for example 960×2050 mm.
- Construction — thermal break, metal thickness, insulation, number of locks.
- Finish and colour — MDF in walnut, powder coating, anthracite.
- Opening side — left or right, inwards or outwards.
- Brand — if you have a preference.
- Fitting — with removal of the old door and finishing of the reveals, or without.
- Address and budget.
Example: “I need a front door for an independent house, opening 960×2050 mm, with a thermal break and two locks, powder-coated outside and MDF in walnut inside. Left-hand, opens inwards. I need fitting and removal of the old door. Singapore. Budget up to $460.”
How to collect offers for doors
Instead of driving from showroom to showroom, you write one request, and door sellers answer in the chat: which model, the price, how long it takes, and whether fitting is included. Sellers see which place their offer takes and improve their terms. BlaBlaPrice shows the best offer first, and the seller's reviews are next to it. Your phone number stays hidden until you choose an offer. How it works is on the How it works page.
How to compare
Compare not only the price but the whole set: frame, casing, extra locks, reveals. Ask about the production time, the warranty and who exactly will fit it. A door in a showroom may differ from the one you order, so ask for a description and photos of the exact model. When you prepare the reveals and walls, you may need finishing materials, and for window work see windows, doors and glass.
