Composite Door Ratings?

Frank99

I have used solid wooden and upvc doors for years without issue however, my other half wants us to get a composite or rock door because they look nice and fancy.
I have always believed that these doors are an expensive gimmick similar to the start up companies naming mattresses and jacking up the price.
I always check ratings and Trustpilot and after checking Solidor, Rockdoor and a few other the ratings are not great for doors that can cost north of a grand, anybody out there got some of these doors and would you recommend them?

tacpot12

Ah, the price of domestic harmony!

I don't have any composite doors, but did look at them for my backdoor. I've read the reviews for Solidor after seeing this post, and I wouldn't buy one based on the reviews. I tend to read the bad reviews about products first as you really get a feel for the quality of the design and the product from the bad reviews. Far too many of the good reviews are left the day after the installer has left and the customer is still pleased with how the new door looks.

I think you need to keep looking for a good door manufacturer. Really you need a company that only makes doors, is large and produces doors in volume (unless you need a custom door, in which case you would be better off with a smaller manufacturer for whom a custom door is less of an issue) and has just the odd bad review. Even in the best manufacturing companies, the odd problem occurs; it is how that problem is handled that matters. 

Don't discount European manufacturers who sell their products in the UK. Google Translate is all you need to read reviews in German, Danish, Dutch, etc. 
Good luck with your search. It would be great to hear who you go with. 

Frank99

tacpot12 said:

Ah, the price of domestic harmony!

I don't have any composite doors, but did look at them for my backdoor. I've read the reviews for Solidor after seeing this post, and I wouldn't buy one based on the reviews. I tend to read the bad reviews about products first as you really get a feel for the quality of the design and the product from the bad reviews. Far too many of the good reviews are left the day after the installer has left and the customer is still pleased with how the new door looks.

I think you need to keep looking for a good door manufacturer. Really you need a company that only makes doors, is large and produces doors in volume (unless you need a custom door, in which case you would be better off with a smaller manufacturer for whom a custom door is less of an issue) and has just the odd bad review. Even in the best manufacturing companies, the odd problem occurs; it is how that problem is handled that matters. 

Don't discount European manufacturers who sell their products in the UK. Google Translate is all you need to read reviews in German, Danish, Dutch, etc. 
Good luck with your search. It would be great to hear who you go with. 

Thanks for the advice, i totally agree and in regard to those reviews, the three i looked at so far were DoorStop, Rockdoor and of course Solidor, when the negative reviews are as high as that i am trying to convince her that this could be an expensive mistake to make in particular when you compare the prices between these and standard upvc and wood doors. She is convinced by how secure they are supposed to be, but i still like the old wooden doors with mortise and deadlocks that can't be snapped like cylinders.

DIYMasterYoda

Solidor Warning
Fitted a Solidor front door last year (2019). Within a couple of weeks the door had bowed like a banana (Top to bottom and left to right). The door is constantly changing shape.

It had a slight bow, top to bottom, to start with; however this made the closing easier to start with as the top and bottom of the door made contact first as they should.

Solidor's response was that the door was incorrectly fitted as the keep side of the door frame was not bowed outwards by 2mm at the centre. Yes the instructions say to do, however this made closing difficult (because of the initial slight bowing) so the frame was fitted true and square. I question how many installers do this 2mm bowing of the frame as part of the fitting; particularly if there is a glazed panel to the side?

Solidor also quote that their manufacturing tolerance is 5mm of bow - which I can tell you is noticeable to the eye.

Solidor don't like to speak to customers directly which puts the supplier in a bad position as his communication and service was excellent.

Pointless pursuing any further as Solidor will claim incorrect fitting even it's the wrong colour of frame fixing screws.

This is the first and last time I will be using Solidor during building work and refurbishments and would not recommend Solidor to anybody. They don't advertise they sell bowed doors as they should do.

I have put up with this door for over 6 months now and felt it was important to warn others.

Will speak to an Endurance door representative to discus replacing this Solidor.

You have been warned.

RelievedSheff

Our new build house came with a composite front door by IG Doors. We have had nothing but problems with it. First of all it was damaged, then it was sticky in the frame, then they decided it was bowed so replaced it. This replacement one is a bit better but it still isn't great. It probably doesn't help that it is black and on a south facing elevation so on hot days it expands.

We put a composite door on our old house by a local company, Sheffield Window Company, and it was much better quality and we had no problems with it. As some point we will probably get them to come and replace this front door with one of theirs as it was so much better!!

RelievedSheff

Frank99 said:

tacpot12 said:

Ah, the price of domestic harmony!

I don't have any composite doors, but did look at them for my backdoor. I've read the reviews for Solidor after seeing this post, and I wouldn't buy one based on the reviews. I tend to read the bad reviews about products first as you really get a feel for the quality of the design and the product from the bad reviews. Far too many of the good reviews are left the day after the installer has left and the customer is still pleased with how the new door looks.

I think you need to keep looking for a good door manufacturer. Really you need a company that only makes doors, is large and produces doors in volume (unless you need a custom door, in which case you would be better off with a smaller manufacturer for whom a custom door is less of an issue) and has just the odd bad review. Even in the best manufacturing companies, the odd problem occurs; it is how that problem is handled that matters. 

Don't discount European manufacturers who sell their products in the UK. Google Translate is all you need to read reviews in German, Danish, Dutch, etc. 
Good luck with your search. It would be great to hear who you go with. 

Thanks for the advice, i totally agree and in regard to those reviews, the three i looked at so far were DoorStop, Rockdoor and of course Solidor, when the negative reviews are as high as that i am trying to convince her that this could be an expensive mistake to make in particular when you compare the prices between these and standard upvc and wood doors. She is convinced by how secure they are supposed to be, but i still like the old wooden doors with mortise and deadlocks that can't be snapped like cylinders.

You can get antisnap cylinder locks which are a lot more secure.