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| | | A home's front door makes a vivid first impression to visitors, while patio or French doors on a side or back entrance can bathe a room with exterior light and natural beauty. Exterior doors often the tone for the rest of the house, but it's also crucial that they are functional and secure from both intruders and strong weather. | | |
| Typical costs: | - Entry doors start around $75-$200 for standard plain versions, go up to $250-$1,000 for more decorative models, and can jump to $1,500-$5,000 or more for distinctive solid wood-and-glass systems with side panels, transoms or double doors. Starting around $100-$120, steel doors are generally less expensive than wood or fiberglass, but prices can quickly rise with the addition of sidelites, transoms and high quality hardware.
- A reasonably skilled do-it-yourselfer can transform a boring entryway into an elegant entrance for about $1,000 and a weekend worth's of work, according to ThisOldHouse.com.
- French doors usually have multiple panes of glass covering most if their length, open rather than slide, and are often installed in pairs. ThisOldHouse.com estimates that double-wide units average $1,500-$2,400, depending on size, but the fancier the design the higher the price.
- Sliding or patio doors are basically huge panes of glass mounted on rollers in a frame that can be made of aluminum, vinyl or wood. According to Sunset Magazine, it's about $800-$1,400 for a 6-foot-wide system made of wood clad in vinyl or aluminum, and jumps to $1,000-$1,800 for 8 feet wide, uninstalled.
- Installation starts around $250-$300 for a standard door and goes as high as $850-$1,500 for complex jobs such as replacing a window with French or sliding doors.
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| What should be included: | - A slab or blank door is used to replace one door with another when the existing jambs and threshold are in good shape and the adjoining walls are straight. Otherwise, most new doors come as pre-hung unitsand the old frame is completely removed and the new unit installed.
- Exterior doors can be inswing, outswing, left-handed, right-handed and more; Lowe's provides an overview while HomeMag.com compares front door materials.
- A lot depends on style, taste and budget. ThisOldHouse.com gives tips for picking a great front door while Better Homes & Gardens explains why it's best to replace hollow-core doors and that a lock isn't the only security needed for a front door.
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| Additional costs: | - Replacing or upgrading an entry door's knob and lock set may be included in a package price or could add $30-$100 for standard hardware, or run $200-$400 or more for an upscale look. MichaelHoligan.com describes how to create an elegant look with a brass door knob and lock set, doorknocker, kick plate and house numbers.
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| Shopping for replacing exterior doors: | - Door manufacturers Jeld-Wen and Simpson have online galleries of their front doors; while Milgard and Lanai Doors display French and sliding door examples.
- Be aware that a relatively low in-store quote may increase to the higher end of the price range based on actual circumstances. Accurate installation estimates can only be done on-site, as measurements need to be precise and the condition of the existing frame and surrounding wall needs to be evaluated.
- Request and check references, verify that the company is licensed and bonded, and check for any complaints with the Better Business Bureau.
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Article updated May 2007 |
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