With the emergence of a number of TV programmes, like Grand Designs, these have whet the appetite of the home improvement customer whilst enhancing the appeal of creating a grand entrance to their homes. Selecta Systems Sales Director, Andy Green, talks about how doors have evolved, from being just a door, as fabricators and installers take advantage and look forward to opening up new doors of opportunity.

The entrance to any home serves three main purposes; to act as a welcome to the homeowner, family and friends, to keep unwanted visitors out and also to protect the property from inclement weather. The latter two have improved considerably over the years, with PAS 24 and Secured by Design standards, whilst energy ratings have set the mould when it comes to thermal performance. Security, thermal performance and weather performance are now a given and are expected, but for the homeowner, expectations have grown as they look about enhancing kerb appeal and providing that wow factor.

Long gone are the days when a panelled PVCu door, available in White, Mahogany or Golden Oak, were suffice to satisfy the market. The number of door options and styles has grown considerably, thus giving the home owner greater choice. This has also created a line of new businesses offering just doors, such is the appeal and consumer demand, as the door market continues to grow.

One of the greatest appeals of modern doors is colour choice, as this now gives homeowners the opportunity to really create a bespoke and grand entrance to their home, their own personal touch, setting them apart from neighbouring properties. Combined with a comprehensive range of door styles, glass designs, hardware and furniture options, entrance doors have become more than just an add-on, they are an in demand commodity driven by the homeowners desire to create an entrance they are proud of and comfortable to live with.

To assist fabricators within this keenly fought market, Selecta have exclusively launched to our fabricators a composite door kit, comprising of a pre-routed slab, TriSys glazing cassette, choice of locks, hardware and furniture with glass options, all packaged up ready for the fabricator to hang in our own standard Advance 70 door frame. This improves delivery, cost effectiveness and stock holding, plus providing greater control over efficiencies and quality. This, we believe, provides fabricators with a far more effective solution to supply both the trade and retail customer and take advantage of a growth market.

The same can be said for panoramic sliding door solutions as homeowners look to create their own grand design. The opportunity to open up their living space and create large glazed walls is appealing, particularly when extending properties. The patio door is going through a renaissance period, whilst the introduction of swing and slide panoramic doors, like the EASi-FOLD Doors, have captured the imagination of the home improvers. The innovative and revolutionary EASi-FOLD Doors are an alternative to a bi-fold door and are appropriately named because of the simplicity of operation, with each sash sliding independently and folding in to place alongside the master door. It’s these kind of innovations that give the home improvement market a new and fresh approach to standard offerings as consumers look for the latest advancements in pioneering product design to improve their home and lifestyle.

Doors are no longer an add-on to a property. They’ve become more than just a door. A chic choice to fit in with their lifestyle. A security option to protect their family and home. A thermally efficient decision to reduce energy bills. They’re a product that the fashion and technical conscious consumer is ready to invest in and create that grand entrance to their home.