How Much Do Aluminium Sliding Doors Cost in the UK? (2026)

Aluminium sliding doors are one of the most asked-about products we quote, and the first question is almost always the same: what should I budget? The honest answer is that the price spans a wide band, because a two-panel slider for a modest opening and a four-panel motorised run spanning the back of a kitchen extension are very different pieces of engineering. This guide sets out the realistic 2026 UK supply-and-fit ranges, then explains exactly what pushes a quote up or down so you can read your own figures with a specialist's eye.

We install premium aluminium sliders across Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and the surrounding home counties, so the ranges below reflect current installed pricing for the brands we carry rather than headline supply-only figures you might see advertised elsewhere.

What a realistic 2026 supply-and-fit budget looks like

For a quality thermally broken aluminium sliding door, fully installed and FENSA registered, most UK projects in 2026 land in these broad bands:

• Two-panel slider (one fixed, one sliding), standard opening: roughly £4,000 to £7,500 supply and fit.
• Three-panel slider, wider opening: roughly £7,000 to £12,000.
• Large four-panel or pocket configuration, wide span: £12,000 upwards, and a slim-sightline or motorised specification on a big opening can move well beyond that.

These are guide ranges, not a quote. The figure for your project depends on the variables below, and the only way to fix a number is a survey. Treat any price you see without measured sizes and a glazing specification as a starting point at best.

If you are weighing a slider against folding doors, our guide on the brands worth shortlisting and the Cortizo and Schuco comparison are useful companion reads, because the brand you choose sets the ceiling on what the rest of the specification can do.

The size and span of the opening

Size is the single biggest cost driver. A sliding door is priced on the glass area and the structural span it has to cover, and both climb quickly as the opening widens. A wider span needs heavier glass units, stronger frames and more robust running gear to carry the weight smoothly, so the cost does not rise in a neat straight line. Double the width and you often more than double the engineering.

Tall openings add cost in the same way. A standard-height door is straightforward; a floor-to-ceiling slider in a double-height space needs larger units, careful structural support above the opening, and more careful handling on site. If your opening is unusually large, the conversation shifts from a catalogue product to a bespoke run, and the budget shifts with it.

Number of panels and the configuration

How many panels you choose, and how they move, changes both the price and the finished look.

• A two-panel arrangement (one pane slides behind one fixed pane) is the most economical and suits most standard openings.
• Three and four-panel runs open up wider views and let more of the opening clear, but each extra panel adds glass, hardware and weight.
• Pocket sliders, where the moving pane disappears into a cavity in the wall, give the cleanest open aspect but need building work to form the pocket, so they sit at the top of the range.

Each configuration carries its own running gear and structural demands, which is why two doors of the same overall width can be priced differently depending on how the panels are split.

Slim versus standard interlock

The interlock is the vertical bar where two panels meet, and its width is one of the clearest markers of a premium slider. A slimmer interlock means less aluminium interrupting the glass and a more uninterrupted view, which is exactly what most extension projects are reaching for.

This is where brand engineering shows. The Cortizo Cor Vision Plus Sliding system carries a 20mm central interlock and is built to take panels up to 500kg each, which is what lets it hold very large panes of glass on a minimal sightline. Schuco's ASS 77 PD Panorama is built around the same design intent of maximum glass and minimal frame. Slim-interlock systems cost more than standard sliders because the frame profiles, the glass weights and the running gear all have to work harder to deliver that clean look, and they need precise installation to glide properly. If an uninterrupted view is the priority, this is where part of your budget goes, and it is usually money well placed.

Glazing specification

The glass itself is a meaningful slice of the cost, and it is where a lot of quotes quietly differ. Standard double glazing is the baseline. From there you can specify:

• Solar-control or low-iron glass for large south-facing runs.
• Acoustic laminated glass if you back onto a road or railway.
• Triple glazing for the lowest U-values.

The bigger the door, the more each glazing upgrade matters, simply because there is more glass area to multiply across. Understanding how the numbers work helps you judge whether an upgrade earns its place; our explainer on what a U-value actually measures is the place to start. The frames we fit are thermally broken as standard, which means an insulating barrier is built into the profile to stop heat escaping through the metal; the thermally broken aluminium guide explains why that matters for both comfort and condensation.

Motorisation and lift-and-slide

Two mechanical upgrades sit at the premium end of the market.

Lift-and-slide gearing changes how the door operates. Turning the handle lifts the panel slightly off its track so it glides almost weightlessly, then drops it back down to seal tight when closed. The Cortizo 4900 Sliding HI uses this lift-and-slide action. It costs more than standard sliding hardware, but on a large heavy panel it is the difference between a door that glides and one that drags, and the seal it gives when closed is excellent for weather tightness.

Motorisation adds a discreet electric drive so the door opens at the touch of a button or from an app. It is the most expensive operating option, justified on very large or very heavy panels where manual operation would be hard work, or where the door is part of a wider smart-home setup. Both upgrades are about ease of use on large openings, so they tend to appear on exactly the projects that are already at the upper end of the size band.

Cortizo Cor Vision Plus versus Schuco ASS 77 PD

These are the two systems people most often ask us to compare for a premium slider, and both are aluminium.

The Cortizo Cor Vision Plus is built for minimal sightlines, with its 20mm interlock and 500kg-per-panel capacity making it a strong choice when you want very large panes of glass with as little frame as possible. The Schuco ASS 77 PD Panorama shares that maximum-glass philosophy and brings Schuco's German engineering pedigree to the running gear and weather sealing.

In practice the price gap between two well-specified premium systems is usually smaller than the gap created by your own choices on size, glazing and motorisation. Pick the brand on the look, the sightline and the warranty position, then let the configuration set the budget. Our fuller Cortizo versus Schuco breakdown walks through how the two ranges differ across the rest of the catalogue.

Supply-only versus supply-and-fit

You will see two kinds of pricing advertised, and they are not comparable.

Supply-only is the door delivered to your door and nothing else. It looks cheaper because it leaves out survey, removal of the old opening, structural checks, fitting, sealing, making good and certification. A large sliding door is heavy and precise work; a poorly fitted slider will drag, leak or fail to lock, and any saving evaporates the first time it needs putting right.

Supply-and-fit is the installed price, which is what our ranges above reflect. It includes the survey, the install by our own teams, and the paperwork that makes the installation legitimate. Every door we fit is FENSA registered, which is the building-regulation compliance certificate for replacement glazing, and is backed by a 10-year CPA insurance-backed guarantee that stands behind the work even if something changes down the line. When you compare quotes, make sure you are comparing two installed prices, not an installed price against a delivery-only figure.

Why sliders are priced differently from bifolds

It is a fair question, because the two products serve a similar purpose. The difference comes down to how they are built and what they do.

Bifold doors fold back in concertina panels and stack to one or both sides, clearing almost the entire opening. That involves more panels, more hinges and more running hardware, and on a like-for-like width a bifold often carries more moving parts. Sliders glide on a track and keep some of the opening as fixed glass, which means fewer, larger panes and a calmer look when closed.

Neither is automatically dearer; it depends on the width, the number of panels and the glass. A slim-sightline slider with very large glass panes can cost more than a modest bifold, while a wide multi-panel bifold can cost more than a simple two-panel slider. If you are still deciding between the two, our bifold doors and sliding doors product pages set out where each one shines, and the aluminium versus uPVC overview covers the material question if you are also looking at uPVC alternatives.

What you actually get for a premium aluminium slider

Whichever system you choose, a quality aluminium sliding door is a long-term investment. The frames last 40 or more years, they are thermally broken for warmth, and they carry a 25-year frame guarantee. Security meets the PAS 24:2022 standard, so the door is tested against forced entry rather than just looking solid. That durability is part of why aluminium commands its price over cheaper materials, and why the supply-and-fit figure should be read as a multi-decade purchase rather than a one-off cost.

When you are ready to turn these ranges into a fixed number, a survey is the only honest way to do it. Sizes, glass and configuration are measured, the structural opening is checked, and the quote reflects your actual project rather than a guide band.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is a slim-interlock aluminium slider more expensive than a standard one?

A slim interlock means less frame and more glass, which looks cleaner but demands more engineering. Systems like the Cortizo Cor Vision Plus carry a 20mm interlock and handle panels up to 500kg, so the frame profiles, glass weights and running gear all have to be stronger. That extra capability is what you are paying for, and it shows most on large openings where a minimal sightline has the biggest visual impact.

Does motorising a sliding door add a lot to the cost?

Motorisation is the most expensive operating upgrade, so it does add a noticeable amount. It is worth it on very large or heavy panels where manual sliding would be hard work, or where the door is part of a smart-home setup. On a standard two-panel slider most people are happy with manual operation, or with lift-and-slide gearing as a middle option that makes a heavy panel glide without electrics.

Are aluminium sliding doors cheaper or dearer than bifolds?

It depends on the width, the panel count and the glass rather than the door type alone. Bifolds have more moving parts and hardware per metre, while sliders use fewer, larger panes. A slim-sightline slider with very large glass can cost more than a modest bifold, and a wide multi-panel bifold can cost more than a simple two-panel slider. Compare specific configurations, not the categories.

What is included in a supply-and-fit price that supply-only leaves out?

Supply-and-fit covers the survey, removal of the old opening, any structural checks, the installation by our own teams, sealing and making good, plus FENSA registration and the 10-year CPA insurance-backed guarantee. Supply-only is just the door delivered. Because a large slider is heavy, precise work, fitting is where most of the real value sits, so the two prices should never be compared directly.

How long do premium aluminium sliding doors last?

The aluminium frames last 40 or more years and come with a 25-year frame guarantee. They are thermally broken for warmth, finished to resist weathering, and built to the PAS 24:2022 security standard. That longevity is a large part of why aluminium costs more than cheaper materials upfront, and why the installed price is best judged as a multi-decade investment rather than a short-term outlay.