Patio Door Survey Summary Report
Research was carried out to get an up to date view of the Patio Door Market. The research covered a representative sample of over 270 UK fabricators and installers and 50 house builders. Telephone interviews took place during the months of October and November 2000.New products stir up the sleepy 'sliders' market
Fifteen years ago the Patio Door market was where the action was. New players and new developments stimulated product improvement, fabricator and installer interest, and fast growth in the market. Then systems companies' focus switched to fresh challenges, innovation dried up and product improvements shifted from major to minor. But without the constant stimulation of new initiatives, service too started to drift. Differentiation became less marked, branding got pushed to the sidelines, and suppliers competed on price in the absence of clear product and service benefits. Sliders began to look like a yesterday's product for yesterday's market. A dull and difficult market for suppliers: a basic commodity for buyers.
Suppliers caught napping More recently a booming conservatory market and increased penetration of new build housing by PVC-U provided the trigger for strong growth in French Doors and a renewal of interest in In-line sliders. More recent still, traditional In-line slider suppliers were caught napping by the success of ready-made suppliers attacking with better service and superior value.
Highlights from the research
- The patio door market is worth around £60 million at supplier prices and over £165 million at installed prices net of VAT
- Just under 80% of patio doors are made from PVC-U, with aluminium the next most popular material.
- The average installed price of a patio door in the domestic retail market is £739 excluding VAT. In new build it is £382. There are big differences in price depending on size, specification and numbers bought.
- 45% of patio doors are made from kits, 40% from bar length and the remainder bought in as ready-made doors.
- Key suppliers of sliding patio doors in bar length and kits identified during the research include Deceuninck, Duraflex, Eurocell, LB Plastics, Marshall Tufflex, Premier Profiles, Plastmo, Permacell Finesse, Profile 22, Rehau, Selecta, Spectus, Status, Synseal, Veka and WHS Halo.
- In order of importance, the five most important factors in rating door kit suppliers (out of a list of 13 attributes included range, service, locking, price and value for money) are colour match, appearance, quality, ease of assembly, and delivery.
- All companies taking part in the survey rated their main supplier of patio door kits on the list of 13 attributes. Synseal was rated highest of all patio door kits' suppliers in the survey, with their customers rating the company above average for all attributes.
Market data
- The UK patio door market in 2000 was worth around £60 million at supplier prices and over £165 million at installed prices net of VAT.
- Volume of patio doors - 254,800
- Home improvement - 68% of total market
- New build - 26% of total market
- 8% of conservatories had an external patio door in 1998
Fabricators Using Kits
| Brand | Percentage using brand |
| Spectus | 18% |
| Synseal | 10% |
| Permacell Finesse/PFL | 9% |
| Duraflex/CDW/Caradon | 7% |
| LB Sheerframe | 6% |
| Profile 22 | 6% |
| Eurocell | 5% |
| Rehau | <5% |
| Selecta | <5% |
| Swish | <5% |
| Plus Plan | <5% |
| HW Systems/Vinylex | <5% |
| Marshall Tufflex | <5% |
| Premier Products/Concept/Procell | <5% |
| Status | <5% |
| Comet | <5% |
| Other | 14% |
| Base: | 103 |
The research covered a representative sample of over 270 UK fabricators and installers and 50 house builders. Telephone interviews took place during the months of October and November 2000.
