Getting those windows and doors right is key to making your house stand out from the rest and also for making a favourable first impression!

Doors and windows are like teeth and eyes – you don’t really notice them unless something goes wrong or they look worn out and tired! But investing money in getting the best doors and windows for your house and your needs is well worth doing. It can escalate the kerb appeal of your house no end, important if you are selling, and the extra security can give you peace of mind as well.

The doors
Whether you live in a grand, detached gated residence, a farmhouse or a surburban terrace, the doors into and inside your house can make a real difference to the welcoming feel of your home. The key is to pick doors that suit the period and style of your property, particularly inside when you will have several of the same type of door, most of which are highly visible.

Here are your main options:

External doors
These doors are the interface between the inside and outside worlds and they have to perform several different functions: they have to allow easy access for residents and guests and make an impression, but also be secure when you are not at home.

Door type: Timber and other wood
The majority of external doors used to be made from timber, but other materials are becoming popular as well nowadays. Doors made from timber do tend to be the cheapest option, but they can be prone to warping. Oak and mahogany are both popular choices. Hardwood – which comes from mainly deciduous trees – is, confusingly, not necessarily any more hardwearing than softwood, which comes from conifer trees. Another timber option is hemlock, from the US and Asia, which is long-lasting and well suited to use in external doors. Laminated timber (usually oak) is also strong and durable.

Door type: PVCu
PVCu is actually a cladding material which is put onto a steel or timber frame and the door will usually come with a multi-point locking system as standard, making it a good option if you want to make your home as secure as possible. They are usually white, but you can get light wood effect doors, too.

Door type: GRP (glass-reinforced plastic, known as fibreglass)
This is another cladding material that still needs a subframe, again usually made from timber or steel. This and PVCu are sometimes known as composite doors and because they are hollow they are usually filled with insulation material, making them a good option for those houses that tend to be draughty.

Out to in or in to out
Patio doors can act as a link between inside and out, adding space and letting in more light to your room.

Door type: French doors/windows
These first appeared in Victorian times and they are referred to as doors because they are hung in pairs, they are usually glazed and are full length. They are best for the summer months because they can be opened giving you easy access to the garden.

Door type: Patio door
These were very popular in the 60s and 70s because they slid together, with one part of the window sliding in front of the other. It saved space, but it meant you could only open half the door, so not so convenient.

Door type: Folding, sliding door
The folding, sliding door is the way to go. What these do is concertina onto themselves, opening up a whole wall so you have lots of space. They are neatly hung from a track set above or below the door.

Internal doors
Important to get right because they are obvious. Usually you have one type throughout, so you need to choose both the material and style carefully.

Door type: Solid
Timber doors are the most popular – different types include sleek flush faces, panelled doors or those with clear frosted glazing to allow light through. They can be made from hardwood or softwood. There are thousands of designs of timber doors available from dark to light, traditional to contemporary.

Door type: Hollow core
Hollow core doors are made up of panels of softwood combined with a honeycomb centre construction. They lack the weighty feel of solid doors, but are a cheaper option.

The windows
Replacing your windows can give your home an instant makeover, as well as making it warmer, more eco-friendly and draught-free. It also prevents condensation. But it’s an expensive job so make sure you get the style and material right.

Window type: Timber
Like doors, wooden windows were for years the most popular but are rapidly being overtaken by PVCu windows. The main reason people fell out of love with timber was because double glazing, something most people desire, was generally badly fitted into timber windows. This problem has pretty much been eliminated because most glazing
is fitted in factories and comes ready-glazed, with a guarantee. The main choice, as with doors, is between hardwood, which is generally longer lasting but more expensive, and softwood. But both types will last if they are maintained. This means repainting every few years, if you have chosen softwood. Left to itself, hardwood is more durable because it is denser and less prone to rot.

But softwood has been chemically improved recently and therefore some can last just as long as hardwod. Environmentally, wood is preferable to PVCu in many ways because it comes from a natural (and hopefully sustainable) source, and even when replaced the old parts are recyclable and often biodegradable, too.

Window type: PVCu
The main appeal for PVCu over wood is the cost. They are also very secure, keep your house well insulated and draught-free and they last a long time – on average about 35 years.

The downside is the environmental cost – although they can be energy efficient in terms of keeping the heat in, they are made from non-renewable sources and when incinerated they release harmful chemicals into the atmosphere. The other downer is that they are prone to discolouration and you can’t paint them so you are stuck with this unless you replace them.

Window type: Steel
Metal, and particularly steel, having been shunned for years, is making a comeback, in period homes, but also in modern houses. Most are made from recycled metal and have natural strength and durability.

Window type: Double-hung or single sash window
This is the traditional style of window in this country, with two parts that overlap slightly and slide up and down inside the frame. Single sash is when the bottom part of the window is fixed with a moveable top.
 
Window type: Casement windows
A window with a hinged sash that swings in or out like a door comprising either a side-hung, top-hung or occasionally bottom-hung sash or a combination of these types. Sometimes with fixed panels on one or more sides of the sash.

Window type: Bay window
A multi-panel window, with at least three panels set at different angles to create a protrusion from the wall.

Sarah says... ‘Paint your front door. It sounds simple but this is the first thing that people are going to look at. And make sure the windows fit in with how the house is designed. Also, the position of the glazing bars is very important.’

Images: Getty, Istock