The best time to choose internal doors for a new build or extension is earlier than most people think, and the best time to fit them is later than most builders first suggest. Choose the style, sizes and hardware while the rooms are being finished, but measure once floors are down, and fit after painting and flooring are complete, so the doors are measured for the real openings and are not damaged by the last weeks of site work.
Get those two timings right and a new build door set is the most straightforward job there is: standard openings, clean frames, and a full house fitted in a day. This guide walks through the order of work, the decisions to lock in early, the prices across our range, and the mistakes that cost new build and extension owners money.
The Short Answer
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| When should doors be measured? | After final floor finishes are down, so clearances are measured against the real floor height. |
| When should doors be fitted? | After painting and flooring are finished, near the end of the job, to avoid site damage. |
| Are new build sizes standard? | Usually yes. Modern Irish homes mostly use standard sizes, which keeps choice wide and prices lower. Our sizes guide lists them in millimetres. |
| How long does a full new build set take to fit? | Usually one day for 8 to 10 doors once the measure is done. |
| What do the doors cost? | €199 to €500 per door in our range, with liners, architraves, locks, handles and hinges included on every door we supply. Fitting is quoted after a free measure. |
The Right Order of Work
Door work sits at the end of a build for a reason. This is the sequence that protects the doors and the budget:
- First fix and frames. Openings are formed and frames or liners go in straight and square. Square frames now mean perfect gaps later.
- Plastering and painting. Doors fitted before this stage collect splashes, knocks and dust that no cleaning fully removes from a factory finish.
- Flooring. Final floor height decides how much clearance each door needs. Measuring before floors are down is the classic cause of doors that scrape or float.
- Measure. With floors down and frames finished, every opening is measured properly. This is the stage our free home measure is built for.
- Fit. Doors are hung, hardware fitted, and every door adjusted. A full set in a new build is normally a one day job for our own team, as described in our internal door installation guide.
If your builder has allowed for the basic doors in the build price, ask what exactly that allowance covers. Upgrading from a builder allowance to a chosen set is one of the most common reasons new build owners come to us in the first year.
Decisions to Lock In Early
Door count. Count every opening, including the hot press, under stairs doors and en-suites. Our guide to how many doors a house actually needs helps you count a typical Irish home room by room.
Sizes. New builds normally follow the standard sizes listed in our internal door sizes guide. Confirm any wider openings, double doors or reduced height openings early, because non-standard sizes narrow your choice and can add lead time.
Style by floor. A pattern that works well: glazed doors downstairs to move light through the hall and living spaces, solid doors upstairs for bedroom privacy and sound. White, white oak, oak, Shaker and slate grey finishes are all in the one door range, so floors can differ without the house feeling mixed.
Hardware. Decide handles, hinges and privacy locks as one set. Every door we supply already includes liners, architraves, locks, handles and hinges, which removes a long list of small purchases at the end of a build, exactly when small purchases are easiest to get wrong.
Fire door positions. If the new home has an integral garage, or the extension creates a third storey route, flag those door positions early and confirm their requirements with your designer, because rated door sets are planned differently from standard doors.
New Build Door Prices From Our Range
| Finish | Price per door | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| White Primed 2 Panel | €199 to €200 | Ready to paint, the lowest cost start for a full set |
| Shaker Solid White / Shaker Glass White | €300 / €340 | Clean flat panel style, solid and glazed options |
| Oak and white oak solid models | €385 | Warm pre-finished doors, no painting |
| White pre-finished models | €395 to €440 | Factory finished, ready the day they are hung |
| Glazed models across finishes | €440 | Light into halls and living rooms |
| Treble glazed and slate grey | €440 to €500 | Top of the range statement doors |
An 8 door 3-bed home, doors only, comes to €1,592 in white primed, about €3,190 to €3,250 in oak or white pre-finished sets, and €3,520 to €4,000 in slate grey, using the worked examples in our internal door fitting cost guide. Fitting for the full set is priced on your written quote after the measure.
Extensions: Where It Gets Less Standard
Extensions join new work to an old house, and that join is where door jobs need care:
- The old side may not be standard. Openings in the original house can be narrower, taller or out of square. Measure old and new openings separately, never assume they match.
- Matching new to old. If the extension doors match the existing house doors, one style runs through the home. If the existing doors are being replaced later anyway, many owners refit the whole house in one go so everything matches from day one.
- Floor levels change. New extension floors often sit at a slightly different height or finish. That difference decides trimming and clearance on the doors at the join.
- Light is usually the point. Extensions are often built to open up the back of the house, and glazed internal doors keep that light moving into the original rooms instead of stopping it at a solid door.
Five Mistakes That Cost Money on New Builds
- Ordering doors before final floors are down, then paying to re-trim or replace doors that no longer clear the floor.
- Letting doors be fitted before painting, and living with splashes and edge damage on a factory finish.
- Forgetting the small doors: hot press, under stairs and en-suite doors get ordered late and delay the whole set.
- Mixing handle finishes between floors because hardware was bought in separate trips.
- Choosing doors room by room with no whole house plan, so undertones and styles clash at the landing where every door is visible at once.
How East Coast Doors Fits Into a Build
We work with homeowners, self builders and small builders across Meath, Louth and North Dublin. Book the free home measure once floors are down: we measure every opening in the new and existing parts of the home, check frames, confirm sizes, styles and hardware, and quote the complete job in writing. Fitting is then booked for the end of your programme, with a full house normally fitted in one day by our own team.
To plan your set, call 083 814 7923 or book through the contact page.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should internal doors be fitted in a new build?
At the end of the job, after painting and final flooring are complete. Doors fitted earlier collect damage from the last stages of site work, and doors measured before floors are down often have the wrong clearance.
How many internal doors does a new build need?
A typical 3-bed Irish home has 7 to 9 internal doors, and a 4-bed has 9 to 11, counting bedrooms, bathrooms, en-suites, living spaces, the hot press and under stairs doors. Count every opening on your plans, including the small ones.
Are new build door sizes all standard?
Mostly yes. Modern Irish homes are built around standard door sizes, which keeps the full range open to you. Wider openings, double doors and any reduced height openings should be confirmed at the measure because they change the available choice.
Can you supply and fit doors for my extension only?
Yes. Extension only jobs are common, and we measure the new openings and any old openings involved at the join. Many owners choose to refit the existing house doors at the same time so the whole home matches.
What is included with the doors for a new build set?
Every door we supply includes frame liners, architraves, locks, handles and hinges. Prices run from €199 to €500 per door depending on finish, and the fitting of the full set is priced on your written quote after a free home measure.
