How to Work With Tradesmen on Timber Doors
Before you call anyone, decide what the job actually is: easing a door that sticks, repairing rot or damage, restoring an old door to its original condition, or replacing it entirely. Get at least two written quotes that name the timber species, the ironmongery, and the number of finishing coats, not just a total figure. Ask who removes the old door and who makes good the frame afterwards. If the property is listed or sits in a conservation area, check with the local council before anyone changes the door's style, size or material.
What working with a tradesman on timber doors actually involves
Most people ring a tradesman because a door sticks, won't shut properly, or looks tired. But "fix my door" covers at least four different jobs, and the price, the skill needed and the result are different for each one. Easing a door means adjusting hinges or taking a small amount off the edge so it closes without dragging. Repairing means splicing in new timber where there's rot, splitting, or old woodworm damage. Restoring means stripping paint or varnish back, treating the timber, and refinishing while keeping the original door. Replacing means a new door, either off-the-shelf or made to match, going into the existing frame or a new one.
A general handyman can usually handle easing, draught-proofing, ironmongery swaps, and fitting a standard off-the-shelf door. A carpenter or joiner is the better call for structural repairs, splicing timber, or anything involving a period or listed door, because the timber has to be matched in species, grain and moisture content for the repair to last.
Timber door costs in London: what to budget
Prices below are typical ranges reported by tradespeople working across London in 2026. They vary with door size, timber type, access, and whether the job is labour-only or supply-and-fit. Always get a written quote rather than relying on a figure from a page like this one.
| Job | Typical price range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ease a sticking door (plane, re-hang, adjust hinges) | £70 to £150 | Labour only, existing frame |
| Replace hinges, handles, locks | £60 to £180 | Parts usually extra |
| Draught-proof a timber door | £90 to £180 | Strips, brush seals, letterbox flap |
| Splice repair to rotten section | £150 to £400 per section | Depends on extent of rot and access |
| Full restoration (strip, repair, refinish) | £250 to £600 per door | More if door is removed and dipped off site |
| Supply and fit standard softwood external door | £350 to £700 | Existing frame, standard size |
| Supply and fit hardwood or period-style door | £800 to £1,800+ | Hardwood costs more and takes longer to fit true |
| Purpose-made door to match a listed property | £1,500 to £4,000+ | Joinery lead time often several weeks |
If you only need a quick fix, our small jobs and odd job handyman service covers easing, draught-proofing and ironmongery without a joinery call-out fee.
Repair, restore or replace: how to decide
If the timber itself is sound and the problem is movement, hinges, or finish, repair or restore it. Solid timber doors, especially older ones in Victorian or Edwardian houses across Clapham, Battersea and Dulwich, are usually thicker and better made than anything you'd buy new at the same price point, so restoring is often the better outcome as well as the cheaper one.
Replace when the rot has spread through more than a third of the door, when the door has been cut down or altered so many times it no longer closes square, or when you genuinely want a different look and the property isn't under planning restrictions. A good tradesman will tell you honestly when a door isn't worth saving, rather than quoting for a restoration they know won't hold.
One thing that catches people out: a door that sticks badly in summer and swings free in winter usually isn't broken. Timber moves with moisture. The fix is often ventilation or a seasonal adjustment, not a permanent cut.
The most expensive mistake: permanently planing down a door that's only swollen with seasonal moisture. A door that sticks in a humid summer in a basement flat in Fulham or a ground floor room in Richmond will often shrink back by winter. If a tradesman planes a generous amount off there and then, you're left with a door that rattles and lets in draughts for the rest of the year, and the only fix at that point is a new door, not a repair. Ask any tradesman who suggests planing whether the swelling is moisture-related, and whether hinge adjustment or weatherstripping would solve it without removing timber permanently.
Questions to ask before you hire a carpenter or joiner
Ask these before you agree a price, not after the quote arrives:
- What timber species are you using, and has it been kiln-dried or air-dried? Timber that hasn't been properly seasoned will warp within a year.
- Are you supplying the door, or am I? If they supply, ask to see the specification in writing, not just "hardwood door" on an invoice.
- Who removes the old door and frame, and is disposal included in the price?
- How many coats of primer, undercoat and topcoat, or how many coats of varnish, are included? Two coats is thin for an external door that takes weather.
- Will you ease the door to the frame on site, or does it come pre-hung? Pre-hung doors rarely fit period frames without adjustment.
- If this is a listed building or conservation area property, have you worked on one before, and do you know whether consent is needed for this change?
- What's the guarantee on the work, and does it cover warping or sticking within the first year?
If the quote doesn't answer most of these without you asking twice, get a third quote.
Listed buildings and conservation areas: the rules nobody mentions
Large parts of Chelsea, Kensington, Belgravia, Notting Hill, Marylebone and Primrose Hill sit inside conservation areas, and many individual properties in Mayfair, Holland Park and St John's Wood are listed buildings in their own right. In both cases, the rules around timber doors are stricter than most homeowners expect.
In a conservation area, replacing a front door with one of a different style, material or proportion can require planning permission, even though the same change on a non-designated street wouldn't. On a listed building, almost any alteration to an original door, including removal for restoration off site, can require listed building consent, and doing it without consent is a criminal offence, not just a planning breach.
The practical fix is simple: before anyone touches an original front door on a listed or conservation area property, check with the local council's conservation officer. A good joiner working regularly in Kensington or Wimbledon will usually know the local authority's position already and can tell you whether consent is likely needed, but the legal responsibility sits with you as the owner, not the tradesman.
How long timber door work takes
| Job | Typical time on site |
|---|---|
| Ease or adjust a door | 1 to 2 hours |
| Replace hinges or ironmongery | 1 to 2 hours |
| Draught-proofing | Half a day |
| Splice repair to frame or door | Half a day to a full day, plus drying time if filler or epoxy is used |
| Full restoration | 1 to 2 days per door, longer if stripped off site |
| Supply and fit a new standard door | Half a day to a full day |
| Custom-made door for a listed property | Several weeks lead time for joinery, then a half to full day to fit |
Lead times for made-to-order doors are the bit people forget. If your front door is damaged and you're waiting on a replacement to be built, ask about a temporary secure fix in the meantime. Our emergency handyman service covers temporary securing of doors and frames while longer joinery work is arranged.
Areas we cover
We send tradesmen out for timber door repairs, restorations and replacements across Chelsea, Kensington, Wimbledon, Knightsbridge, Mayfair, Belgravia, Notting Hill, Holland Park, Fulham, Hampstead, Richmond, Marylebone, St John's Wood, Battersea, Clapham, Putney, Islington, Highgate, Primrose Hill, Barnes, Dulwich, Canary Wharf, Kew and South Kensington. Period properties are common in most of these areas, so we're used to matching timber, mouldings and ironmongery rather than just fitting whatever's in stock. If the job is part of a wider job list rather than a single door, our property maintenance service can bundle door work with other repairs on the same visit.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a carpenter or a handyman for a timber door repair?
A handyman can usually ease a sticking door, replace hinges or handles, and fit draught-proofing. A carpenter or joiner is the better choice for structural repairs like splicing in rotten timber, or any work on a period or listed door, because the timber needs to be matched correctly for the repair to last more than a season.
How much does it cost to rehang a timber door in London?
Rehanging a door, meaning adjusting or replacing the hinges so it closes squarely, typically costs £70 to £150 for labour on a standard interior or exterior door. The price rises if the frame itself needs adjustment or if new hinges and ironmongery are needed, which usually adds £60 to £180 including parts.
Can a handyman replace a front door?
Yes, a handyman can fit a standard off-the-shelf timber front door into an existing frame, typically for £350 to £700 supply and fit. For hardwood doors, period-matched doors, or any door on a listed building, a carpenter or specialist joiner is the safer choice because of the timber matching and consent issues involved.
Do I need planning permission to replace a timber door in a conservation area?
Possibly. Many conservation areas restrict changes to a front door's style, material or proportions, even where the same change wouldn't need permission on a non-designated street. Check with your local council's conservation or planning team before ordering a replacement, since removing or altering an original door without permission can mean having to reinstate it at your own cost.
Why is my timber door sticking in winter or summer?
Timber absorbs and releases moisture with the seasons, so a door can swell and stick in humid summer months and shrink and loosen by winter. This is normal movement, not a fault. Permanently planing the door down to fix summer sticking often leaves it loose and draughty once it shrinks back in winter, so a seasonal hinge adjustment is usually the better fix.
Should I repair or replace an old timber door?
Repair or restore if the timber is sound and the problem is hinges, finish, or movement, which is usually cheaper and keeps a door that's often better made than a modern replacement. Replace only if rot has spread through more than roughly a third of the door, or if it's been cut down and altered so many times it no longer closes correctly.
What timber is best for an external door in London's climate?
Hardwoods like oak or Accoya perform well against London's damp winters and have good resistance to rot and warping, though they cost more upfront. Softwood doors, usually pine or redwood, are cheaper and perfectly adequate if properly primed, painted and maintained, but they need repainting and checking more often, roughly every two to three years on an exposed, west-facing door.
How long does it take to fit a new timber door?
Fitting a standard off-the-shelf door into an existing frame usually takes half a day to a full day. A custom-made door built to match a period or listed property typically has a joinery lead time of several weeks before it even arrives on site, so factor that into any timeline if your existing door needs to come out first.