A Front Door is an Important Investment
Whether you’re in the process of renovating your entire home, looking to brighten up your entry with some color, or ready to replace an old worn out door, there are a few different costs to keep in mind when investing in an upgrade.
If you’ve had an old door wear on you due to cheap materials or poor installation, you’ll understand the need for a quality door and professional installers. If a door is installed incorrectly, it can begin to start to rattle or squeak. Hinges can get loose or wood can start to rot. If you’re living in an older home, it can start to settle which may leave you with misaligned wall plates or uneven flooring making opening and closing the door difficult. Eventually the wear and tear of daily life takes its toll, and the squeaks, rattles, and drafts increase. These little irritations generally reach a tipping point and then you can’t just put it off any longer. It’s time to pull the trigger and get a new front door.
A great first step before any home improvement project is to start with online research, and then maybe visit a home improvement store, or ask a few friends, “So, how much should I pay for a new front door?” Depending on the material and how elaborate the entry system, you can figure anywhere from $200-$800 for the door alone. But, the door itself is really just the start. By the time you get to the end of the process, you’ll probably find you’ve spent much closer to $2,000-$3,000 from door selection to final installation.
When we talk to our customers about door replacement, we like to put everything on the table upfront so they can avoid sticker shock at the end of the process.
Check out the list below for a comprehensive breakout of potential costs:
| Door slab / frame |
$500 |
| Custom size (if necessary) |
$120 |
| Non-standard jam depth (i.e. 6″ walls require special order) |
$85 |
| Professional painting (doors come primed) |
$250 |
| Handle |
$40 |
| Deadbolt and locks |
$35 |
| Fancy glass option |
$300 to $600 |
| Inside trim stained |
$95 |
| Cap exterior brick molding (must have access to a metal break & purchase an entire box of aluminum coil stock) |
$190 |
| Pick up and delivery of new door |
$30 |
| Haul away existing door/dumping fee |
$40 |
| Permit |
$40 |
| Replace bad wood sills or rotted materials |
$45 |
| Remove and reinstall storm door |
$100 |
| Installation of door itself |
$400 |
| Total |
$2,270 to $2,570 |
These are average costs. You may not need every single item on this list when you replace your front door, but you may, so be prepared to pay for them. Also, your costs will vary depending on the condition of your existing entryway and the type of door you select.
Home Town Restyling carries a complete line of exterior doors along with licensed and insured crews for professional installation. We don’t contract out our installations to subcontractors, so you know you’ll be working with an experienced reliable team that has served the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City area for nearly 30 years. Stop by or contact us today for a free estimate. You can also download your FREE Guide, Iowa Contractor Comparison Guide – How to Make Your Remodeling Project a Success for tips on hiring the right local contractor.
