Is it worth replacing doors?

Leif

I'm redecorating a 60's bungalow, and I've had builders re-plaster some walls, replace skirting board, install a new boiler and sink heating pipes into the screed floors, and prepare the kitchen for new units. Anyway, the doors are off and sanded down ready for re-painting. They are wood frame with hardboard each side. The hardboard does not extend to the edge, but to about 1/2" from the side, where it meets a wood slat. Not elegant, but not tatty. Is it worth replacing with for example panel doors? I ask because in 4 or 5 years I may well sell, and I want the place to give a good impression.

Do people care about doors? I must admit I never explicitly noticed doors when viewing, but that might just be me. As far as I can see it costs about £40 to hang a door, and ~£30 for a basic door.

System

have you looked to see what's in behind the hardboard?
i had a similar thing in my place, until someone slammed a door really hard and there was a smash!!after that i took all the hardboard off and found some nice 6 panel doors and a couple of glazed ones...
wouldn't worry too much about them on a 60s bungalow tho!

devotee

I look at the doors when viewing properties if it helps.

buggu

why rush into it if your unsure, its one job you can do any time you like easily, if the only things that need replacing are the doors and not the door frames. If they going to look ok after all the renovation them i would stick with them, you might get away with them in a 60s cottage thou i too look at doors when i view properties.

olly300

Leif wrote: »

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Do people care about doors? I must admit I never explicitly noticed doors when viewing, but that might just be me. As far as I can see it costs about £40 to hang a door, and ~£30 for a basic door.

If you have a nicely decorated house and you have scummy doors then they will be noticed particularly as in your case the hardboard doesn't extend to cover the door completely.

I would see what is behind the doors as the_r_sole stated before replacing them all.

Leif

Thank you for the replies. I think I will repaint and hang one of the old doors, and if it looks 'scummy', then I'll hire a local chippy to hang new doors. If it looks fine, then I'm sorted.

Odd that some of you say look behind the doors. That is what a colleague said. Unfortunately I am sure they are wood skeletons with hardboard rather than hardboard over frame windows.

MaggieBaking

It was the rage with houses from 1930s who had panelled doors, to get them recovered with flat bits of MDF when they became the fashion. Now people are able to pry the stuck on panels off and find a nice hardwood door underneath that costs £100 or so new!

Our house is a 1970s and we have the cheapest doors, you can tell because they're light.

If you're making your house modern and fresh, then replace the doors. It gives a different feel and it's a subtle touch that makes a difference.

We're replacing the ones downstairs (clear glass panels rather than mottled ones). and keeping the ones upstairs to save cost. But if we had a more expensive house, done to a better standard I would do them all. Our bathroom needs replacing which I'm not going to do, so I figure the upstairs will already be a "disappointment" so doors wont matter so much.