Buying supply only means you pay for made-to-measure windows or doors delivered to your address, then arrange the survey and fitting yourself. It suits homeowners with a trusted fitter, contractors and property managers who already have a team. It works best when the measurements, the specification and the installer’s registration are settled before you order. This guide covers all three, and also applies to composite doors, bifold doors and front doors bought without fitting.
TL;DR
- Supply only covers manufacture and delivery. Surveying, fitting, making good and removing old frames are separate jobs for you or your installer.
- Measure and specify carefully. Made-to-measure products are cut to your figures, so confirm sizes, opening styles, glass and colour with your fitter first.
- Check the installer’s registration. Replacing windows and doors in an existing home must comply with Building Regulations, and registered installers can self-certify.
- Compare like with like. Price, U-value, security rating, warranty and delivery time all belong in the comparison.
- At Value Doors, supply only orders are quoted at 10 working days for delivery, against 3 to 4 weeks for fitted orders.
Table of Contents
- What supply only actually means
- Who supply only suits
- How to measure and specify before you order
- What to check on the specification
- Fitting, regulations and who is responsible
- How ordering, manufacture and delivery work
- What affects the price
- Supply only composite, bifold and front doors
- Perspective
- Order supply only or fitted from Value Doors
- FAQ
- Sources
What supply only actually means
Supply only is the trade-style way of buying, now open to homeowners. The manufacturer or supplier makes the product to your sizes and delivers it. That is where its responsibility ends.
A fully fitted order is different. One company surveys, makes, delivers and installs, so there is a single point of contact if something is wrong. With supply only, the work is split between you, the supplier and the installer.
In practice, supply only usually includes:
- Frames made to your measurements, with the glazing, hardware and colour you chose
- Delivery to your address or a site
- Handles, locks and hinges as part of the specification
It usually does not include:
- A survey of the openings
- Removal and disposal of old frames and glass
- Installation, sealing, trim and making good
- Building Regulations certification, which comes from the registered installer
The same logic applies across the range: uPVC windows, uPVC doors, composite front doors, French doors, stable doors and aluminium bifolds. Whatever the product, supply only moves the organising to you.
Who supply only suits
It is a sensible route for four kinds of buyer.
Homeowners with a trusted fitter. If a local installer has done good work for you or a neighbour, you can order the products yourself and agree a labour-only price.
Contractors and builders. Teams on extensions, refurbishments and new builds often fit as part of a wider programme and only need the products on time.
Property managers. Replacing a run of identical windows or doors across several units is simpler when supply is ordered once and fitting is handled by an existing maintenance team.
Interior designers and project managers. Specifying colours, glazing and hardware yourself and coordinating a separate fitter gives control over the finish.
If you would rather have one company responsible from survey to snagging, a fitted order is the better fit. Both routes are available at Value Doors.
How to measure and specify before you order
Because every unit is built for one opening, errors are costly. Most suppliers expect the figures to come from you or your installer, so treat this as the most important step.
- Have your fitter survey the openings. A fitter who will install the frames is best placed to confirm that the sizes allow for packers, sealant gaps and the sill.
- Measure width and height in several places. Walls are rarely square. Record the width at the top, middle and bottom, and the height on the left, middle and right.
- Agree whether sizes are frame sizes or opening sizes. Confirm with the supplier which one their order form asks for, and say which one you are entering.
- Note the opening style. Fixed, side-hung casement, top-hung or tilt and turn all behave differently. For bedrooms and first-floor rooms, think about fire escape and cleaning access.
- Choose glazing and glass type. Double glazing is standard. Consider obscure glass for bathrooms and laminated glass for ground-floor and door glazing.
- Choose colour and finish. White is the usual starting point for uPVC. Coloured and woodgrain foils cost more, and RIBAJ’s cost data shows colour adds a premium of £80 to £100 per square metre on supply-and-fit window rates.
- Write the order down. Keep a simple schedule listing each opening by room with its size, style, glass and handing, so that you can check each delivered unit against it.
For doors, add three more checks: which way the door opens, the handing of the hinges, and the threshold type, particularly if the entrance has a step or ramp.
What to check on the specification
Two supply only quotes can look similar and still describe different products. These are the points that separate them. RIBAJ’s cost commentary lists U-value, solar gain, air leakage, acoustics and appearance as the specification considerations, so a good comparison weighs performance alongside price.
Energy efficiency
The U-value measures how quickly heat passes through a window or door. A lower figure means less heat loss. Ask for it for the whole unit, not only the glass, and compare units on the same basis. Replacement windows in existing homes also have to meet the thermal standards in Building Regulations, so ask for written performance data that your installer or building control can see.
Security
Look for multi-point locking, a secure cylinder and laminated or toughened glass where the risk is highest. Our own guide to what makes a secure front door covers locks and upgrades in more detail. Ask the supplier which security standard the product is tested to, and whether that rating applies to the exact configuration you are ordering.
Warranty and guarantees
Check how long the guarantee lasts and what it covers: frame, hardware, glass units and finish are often covered for different periods. With supply only, ask whether the guarantee depends on fitting by a registered installer, so you can plan around it.
Material and finish
- uPVC is a practical, low-maintenance choice for windows and doors, usually cleaned with a cloth and mild soapy water.
- Composite doors combine a solid core with a tough outer skin, and are popular for front doors where security and kerb appeal matter.
- Aluminium gives slim sightlines for large openings such as bifold and sliding patio doors.
Fitting, regulations and who is responsible
Once the frames arrive, the legal and practical responsibility moves to whoever installs them. Replacement windows and doors in an existing home are covered by Building Regulations in England and Wales. The government’s list of competent person schemes names installers registered with bodies including FENSA, CERTASS, BM Trada, BSI Assurance UK, Certsure, NAPIT, Network VEKA and Stroma for replacement windows, rooflights, roof windows and doors.
In plain terms, this is what to do:
- Ask your fitter which scheme they belong to before you order, not after the frames are on site.
- Ask for the certificate when the job is finished. You will want it when you sell the house.
- Agree who disposes of the old units. It is easy to overlook and can add to the labour quote.
- Agree who handles snagging, such as a misted unit or a misaligned hinge, and how a claim on the product guarantee would work.
A registered fitter is not a formality. It is the practical link between a product bought separately and a finished installation that satisfies Building Regulations. Rules differ in Scotland and Northern Ireland, so confirm the position for your own address with your local building control.
How ordering, manufacture and delivery work
The path is similar across suppliers.
- You choose the product and enter the sizes, glass, colour and hardware.
- You receive a price, and place the order and pay.
- The product is manufactured to your specification.
- It is delivered, often on a pallet or crated, to a kerbside address.
- You or your fitter check the delivery before signing for it.
At Value Doors, our delivery time is 10 working days for supply only orders and 3 to 4 weeks for fitted orders. Check the current lead time on the product page when you order, since busy periods can change it.
On delivery day:
- Have someone available to receive heavy units, and plan where to store them flat and dry.
- Look over the packaging for damage and note any on the delivery paperwork before the driver leaves.
- Check every unit against your written schedule: size, handing, glass and colour.
- Report problems promptly to the supplier, with photographs.
What affects the price
Supply only is cheaper than fitted because labour is not included, but it is not a flat discount, and published figures need careful reading. RIBAJ’s 2023 cost data from Gleeds puts supply-and-hang rates for A-rated uPVC windows at £270 to £330 per square metre, with Secured by Design versions at £280 to £340. The same page gives £610 to £740 for a standard half-glazed uPVC entrance door, and £690 to £840 in a coloured finish. Those rates include hanging, so they are a guide to the market and not a supply only quote.
The factors that move a real quote are:
- Size. Price rises with area, and large units need stronger reinforcement.
- Opening style. Fixed lights cost less than opening casements or tilt and turn.
- Glass. Triple glazing, laminated glass, obscure glass and tinted or self-cleaning coatings all add cost.
- Colour. Coloured foils cost more than white.
- Hardware. Upgraded locks, handles and trickle vents change the price.
- Delivery. Remote addresses, access and pallet drop-off can matter.
For aluminium products we publish our own price ranges. Aluminium bifold doors run from £1,756 to £3,072, aluminium sliding patio doors from £1,077 to £2,754, and aluminium single access doors start from £550. Those are the listed product prices on our site. For made-to-measure uPVC windows and composite doors, request a quote with your sizes.
Supply only composite, bifold and front doors
Many people searching for supply only windows also want doors, so the same approach applies.
Composite front doors. Choose the style and colour first. Our composite door colours page shows the range, and individual designs such as the Sussex White, Cambridge Green and Buxton Pebble give an idea of how different finishes look on a front elevation. Then confirm the frame size, threshold and locking.
French and stable doors. Our composite French doors and composite stable doors follow the same measuring routine, with extra attention to the handing of the opening leaf.
Bifold and sliding doors. Wide openings need a flat, level threshold and a structural opening that has been checked by your builder, because the beam above and the floor below matter as much as the door.
Perspective
At Value Doors we think supply only works best when the buyer knows exactly what they are getting. That is why we focus on clear product information, a wide range of doors and windows, and a straightforward ordering process.
Our range spans composite, French, stable, bifold and sliding doors as well as uPVC windows and doors, and we offer them both supply only and fully fitted. That lets a homeowner with a trusted fitter and a landlord who wants a single contractor both order from the same place.
We design our products with security in mind, using advanced locking mechanisms, because door safety is the first concern we hear from homeowners. Our supply only delivery of 10 working days is aimed at keeping your project moving.
Our advice is simple: settle the measurements with your fitter, confirm the specification in writing, and order once. That is how a supply only project stays calm.
the author
Order supply only or fitted from Value Doors
Whether you have your own fitter or want us to arrange installation, you can order from our range online. Supply only orders are quoted at 10 working days for delivery, and fitted orders at 3 to 4 weeks.
Browse our composite doors, see the full collections, or visit Value Doors for uPVC windows and doors and to request a quote.
FAQ
Can a homeowner buy supply only uPVC windows?
Yes. Supply only is available to homeowners as well as trade buyers. You provide the measurements and arrange your own installer, so choose one who is registered with a competent person scheme.
Do supply only windows still need to meet Building Regulations?
Yes, in England and Wales the installation of replacement windows and doors must comply. A registered installer can self-certify the work through a competent person scheme. Otherwise you would need to involve building control yourself.
Is supply only cheaper than fitted?
Usually the product price is lower because labour is not included, but you then pay your fitter separately. Compare the combined cost, including removal of old frames and making good, against a fitted quote.
How long does supply only delivery take?
It varies by supplier and product. At Value Doors, supply only is quoted at 10 working days and fitted orders at 3 to 4 weeks. Check the product page for current lead times at the time of ordering.
