Get the cost to replace a window with French doors broken into its parts, each with a sourced 2026 price. A fitted uPVC pair is £1,100 to £2,200, and the brick cut-out and a new lintel come on top; making the opening bigger also needs building control sign-off. Local installers can then quote for the whole job free.
What the price is made of
The building work depends on the wall, the width and what sits above the opening, so there is no honest single total.
| Part of the job | Price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| uPVC French doors, pair, fitted | £1,100 to £2,200 (typical £1,650) | Site benchmark: MyJobQuote 2026, Costwise June 2026 |
| uPVC sliding patio doors, fitted | £1,500 to £2,200 (typical £1,850) | Site benchmark: Costwise June 2026 |
| Brick cut-out, single door | £700 per cut-out | Checkatrade door installation costs, September 2026 |
| New lintel | £400 per lintel | Checkatrade door installation costs, September 2026 |
| Building control application | Set by your council | Ask your local authority for its fee |
Door prices are the site's own benchmarks (lib/data.ts). Checkatrade's cut-out price is for a single door; a wider French door opening can cost more.
Do you need building control?
A like-for-like replacement is self-certified by a FENSA or CERTASS installer. Making the opening bigger is different.
- FENSA: if a structural opening is made wider, local authority consent is required, and that is outside the scope of FENSA registration.
- LABC: you will need a building regulations application for the structural opening and new lintel as well as the door, even if you use a competent person.
- Apply before the work starts, not after.
If the doors fit the window's width and only the wall below the sill comes out, ask your council's building control whether it counts; the sources we checked do not settle it. The doors are mostly glass, so safety glass rules apply too.
French doors or patio doors?
French doors are a hinged pair that open onto the garden; patio doors slide to save space and give more glass. The opening work is the same. The Door Cost Calculator prices both. If you want the paired look but would rather keep the wall below the sill, the French Window Cost Calculator prices French windows, which sit at window height.
Get free quotes for French doors
Tell us about the window you want to replace and we pass your details to local installers covering your area, who will contact you to arrange a survey.
Questions before you book
Do I need building regulations approval to turn a window into a door?
If the opening is made wider, yes. FENSA says widening a structural opening needs local authority consent and is outside its scheme, and LABC says you will need a building regulations application for the structural opening and new lintel, even with a competent person. Apply before the work starts.
Do I need planning permission to put French doors where a window was?
Not usually, in England. The Planning Portal says new windows and doors of a similar appearance to the house's do not usually need permission. Listed buildings need consent, conservation areas and Article 4 directions can add rules, and leaseholders may need the landlord's permission first.