Obsolete door handle - can I drill new holes in UPVC doors?

[yeast]

Hi

I have a broken UPVC door handle (literally snapped off) and need to replace it - its a 20 year old Hoppe 3640n, no longer manufactured with 92pz and screw to screw of 202mm, backplate of 230mm.

I have carried out exhaustive searches for a replacement with identical dimensions and no luck (except for someone on ebay who wanted £60 for secondhand handle!). I contacted Hoppe (who have been amazingly helpful) and they can offer a longer backplate with same 92pz but screw to screw of 215mm, so old holes would be covered.

I had also thought about just changing the handle part, but there's no easy way of removing the old one as it has an integral "ridge" that would need to be cut off somehow created on manufacturing.

My query is simply this - can I as a fairly capable DIYer drill new holes in a UPVC door for this different handle? Would I be going through plastic/and or steel? Anything I need to check beforehand? Or is this really a job for a locksmith?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Gazman16]

Yes should be fine but probably worth taking the gearbox off first just to check you wont be drilling through an area it is in.
I have recently seen some universal adjustable door handles too that might be worth looking into.
The screw holes are fixed places but the handle can be positioned where you need it.

 

[The coni roof man]

Pop down to your local big double glazing installation depot someone like Anglian their installers return all removed old upvc doors,widows etc from all manufacturers that they are replacing it gets stored outside before collection for recycling they won't mind if you have a look through and you might find the same handles.