The front door is one of the first aspects of a new property a buyer sees. Tony Pell, Senior Product Manager at Jeld-Wen discusses the options available when it comes to composite doorsets.
A key part of creating attractive and profitable new builds is relating product choices to the needs and aspirational desires of consumers. Whilst the kerb appeal of a property can still appeal to the emotional response of a buyer looking at a property, the impact of the front door can still be something that a housebuilder overlooks.
Not only is the front door the first thing that the potential homeowner comes into contact with, but it’s an instant reflection of what quality and style might be inside. Plus, smaller development sizes mean that each property needs to be sold at a higher cost, making a premium finish and added selling points, such as the promise of low maintenance, even more crucial.
Furthermore, an external door is about much more than just how it looks. A recent Robert Palmer Report showed that aesthetics, thermal performance, and security ranked in the top three things people want from their front door. With this in mind, any housebuilder looking to create a show home with a difference should be considering what they’re specifying.
GRP Doorsets
Traditional Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) doorsets, such as those in the Jeld-WenELD-WEN Castle Composite doorset range, have long been favoured for the long-lasting quality they provide. This is in-part thanks to a thermoset manufacturing process, which means the panel will not expand or contract with a change in temperature.
As a result, this prevents a GRP composite from warping or twisting and ultimately means that it won’t splinter, dent, or rust, which reduces the upkeep required.
Timber composite options
More recent developments have seen the rise of the timber composite door that has a real wood exterior finish, to give the true appeal of a timber door. These doorsets offer a traditional finish combined with high performance thanks to the internal construction, which can include – in the case of the new INSULUX doorset range from Jeld-Wen – aluminium interlayers and an insulating foam core to provide added stability, security and thermal benefits – achieving U values down to 1.2 W/m2K. Quality manufacturers will also be able to supply as PAS 24 certified in order to meet Approved Document Q of the Building Regulations and Secured by Design.
In addition to heightened performance benefits, this type of composite door with a real wood exterior can also be stained to maintain a natural look for a high-end finish, as well as painted in any colour including dual colour options, with a choice of glazing and hardware. This versatility helps to differentiate from the competition or to make premium properties on a development stand-out even further.
Aspirational market
It is clear that real wood composites are building on the popular strengths of traditional GRP composites through the aspirational appeal of timber, with the additional points of improved security and a strong thermal performance. Additionally, thanks to the low maintenance and stable construction of modern composite designs, once fitted, the likelihood of having to return to site after it has been handed over to occupants is also reduced.
This offers even more added-value to a sector that needs the promise of long-lasting quality to protect the reputation of the housebuilder. As such, for those working to create homes that truly stand out from the crowd, all while providing exceptional performance and added-value, external doors provide a greater contribution than ever before.
