How Much Does a Front Door Cost?

A front door is the smallest exterior project on most homes and one of the most expensive per square foot. Installed costs run anywhere from $600 for a basic steel slab swap to $7,500 for a custom solid wood unit with sidelights and a smart lock. The spread is wide because a front door is rarely just a door; it is a door plus a frame, plus hardware, plus weather sealing, plus a labor crew that knows how to set a unit plumb in an opening that is rarely square.

How much does a front door cost installed? Expect $600 to $2,000 for a steel or basic fiberglass unit, $1,800 to $4,500 for a mid-grade fiberglass with hardware, and $3,500 to $7,500 for solid wood, custom sizing, or units with sidelights and transoms. Door-only material costs run $150 to $4,500 depending on material and configuration; labor adds $300 to $1,200 for most pre-hung installs.

This guide breaks down every line item homeowners actually pay so you can read a quote like a contractor. If you want the door selected, sourced, and set right the first time, our craftsmen handle door installation and repair with predictable scheduling and a one-year labor warranty.

Pricing varies by location. Ace Handyman Services works on a time and materials basis, and each location is independently owned and operated and sets its own rates. The figures below are general guidance for planning only.

Quick Overview - Front Door Cost at a Glance

Here is what a typical front door project actually costs, broken down by stage so you can match it to any quote:

• Door slab or pre-hung unit: $150 to $4,500 depending on material and size
• Frame, threshold, and weatherstripping (pre-hung): included with unit
• Hardware (locks, handle, deadbolt): $80 to $600
• Sidelights and transom (if added): $400 to $2,500
• Labor for standard pre-hung install: $300 to $800
• Labor for slab-only install: $200 to $500
• Rough opening repair (if needed): $200 to $1,500
• Paint or stain finish: $100 to $400

Most homeowners pay $1,200 to $3,500 installed for a quality fiberglass or steel unit with new hardware and standard pre-hung labor. Solid wood pushes the upper end. Custom sizing or rough opening repair pushes higher still.

Door-only cost range by material

Steel slabs run $150 to $500. Fiberglass slabs run $250 to $1,500. Solid wood slabs run $600 to $4,500. Pre-hung units (door + frame + threshold) add roughly $100 to $400 to the slab price. Add sidelights and you can add $400 to $1,200 per side. A double-door entry runs $1,500 to $8,000 in materials alone.

Installed cost range

Steel installed lands at $600 to $1,800. Fiberglass installed lands at $1,200 to $4,500. Solid wood installed lands at $2,500 to $7,500. Custom openings with sidelights and a transom can push past $10,000. Labor is the most consistent line item; a clean pre-hung swap takes four to six hours and runs $400 to $800 in most markets.

Assessing Your Existing Door and Frame

The hidden cost in any front door project lives in the rough opening, the frame, and the threshold. A "simple swap" can turn into a framing job in 15 minutes if the existing frame is rotted or the subfloor under the threshold is soft. Inspect before you buy.

Slab-only vs pre-hung decision

If your existing frame is plumb, square, sealed, and free of rot, a slab-only replacement saves $400 to $1,200 over pre-hung. You reuse the hinges (or re-mortise for new ones), the strike plate, the threshold, and the weatherstripping. If your frame is bowed, racked, water-damaged, or older than 30 years, pre-hung pays for itself in labor saved and longevity gained. About 70 percent of front door projects benefit from going pre-hung.

Rough opening condition

The rough opening is the framed cavity in the wall the door fits into. Standard rough opening for a 36-inch door is roughly 38.5 inches wide by 82.5 inches tall. If you are upsizing from a 32-inch to a 36-inch door, you are reframing the opening and that is a carpentry job. If the king studs or trimmer studs are rotted from chronic water intrusion, repair runs $300 to $1,200 before the door goes in. Pull the interior trim and inspect before you order the unit.

Threshold, jamb, and weatherstripping

Soft spots on the threshold or jamb indicate water has been getting in for years. Press on the threshold; if it gives, the subfloor below is likely compromised. Threshold replacement runs $150 to $400 standalone. Subfloor repair runs $300 to $1,000. Old weatherstripping is the cheapest fix on the list; a new strip kit runs $20 to $50 and dramatically improves draft and energy performance.

Essential Materials and What You Get for the Money

Front door materials trade off cost, security, energy performance, and longevity differently. Match the material to your climate, your security needs, and your maintenance appetite.

Steel

Steel is the lowest cost and the highest security per dollar. A 24-gauge insulated steel door costs $150 to $500 for the slab. Steel resists kick-ins and fire better than any other material. Downsides: dents permanently, rusts at scratches, and conducts heat and cold, so insulation R-value depends entirely on the foam core. Steel is the right call for budget-conscious entry doors in mild climates and high-security applications.

Fiberglass

Fiberglass is the sweet spot for most homes. Slabs run $250 to $1,500. Quality fiberglass mimics wood grain convincingly, resists denting, will not rust, handles temperature swings without warping, and carries some of the best Energy Star ratings on the market. Downsides: cheap fiberglass looks cheap, and the cores can crack on hard impacts. Mid-grade fiberglass with a quality foam core is the most-recommended front door material in the United States.

Solid wood

Solid wood is the most beautiful and the highest maintenance. Slabs run $600 to $4,500 in mahogany, oak, walnut, or fir. Custom species and carved panels push past $8,000. Wood is the right call for historic homes, high-end aesthetic projects, and homeowners willing to refinish every three to five years. Downsides: warps in extreme temperature and humidity swings, requires regular refinishing, and offers lower R-value than fiberglass or insulated steel.

Engineered wood and composite

Engineered wood doors use a wood veneer over a stable core (LVL, MDF, or foam). Slabs run $400 to $1,500. They look closer to solid wood than fiberglass does and resist warping better than solid wood, but they cannot be sanded and refinished as many times. A good middle path for homeowners who want the wood aesthetic without the maintenance schedule.

If you want the door selected and sourced before installation day so the project does not stall waiting on backordered hardware, our craftsmen handle the full door installation and repair scope from selection through finish work.

Step-by-Step of a Professional Install

A clean front door install is a four to six hour project for a single experienced craftsman or three to four hours for a two-person crew. Knowing the workflow helps you spot shortcuts and ask about the right details when you compare bids.

Old door and frame removal

Removal starts inside. Trim casing is pried off carefully if it will be reused, scored and removed if it is getting replaced. Hinges are unscrewed and the slab lifted out. For pre-hung swaps, the entire frame is cut free from the rough opening with a reciprocating saw, the nails and screws are pulled, and the frame is pried out as a unit. Old weatherstripping, threshold caulk, and any rotted shim material are scraped off the rough opening.

Rough opening prep

The rough opening is checked for plumb, level, and square. Water damage gets photographed, scoped, and repaired before the new unit goes in. Studs are sistered if cracked. The subfloor under the threshold is checked with a probe and patched or replaced if soft. A continuous bead of high-quality sealant goes along the threshold bearing surface to keep water out.

New unit set, shim, and plumb

The new pre-hung unit is lifted into the opening, set on the threshold, and pushed tight to the exterior. Composite shims are tapped behind every hinge and at the strike side to plumb the hinge jamb. A level confirms hinge jamb is plumb in both planes. The unit is fastened through the shims into the studs with 3-inch screws (not the short ones in the box). The door is swung to confirm even reveal and proper close before final fasteners go in.

Insulation, trim, and weather sealing

Low-expansion spray foam fills the gap between the frame and the rough opening. High-expansion foam will bow the jamb and ruin the close, so this is one place the right product matters. Once foam cures, interior and exterior trim is reinstalled or replaced. Exterior trim joints get sealed with paintable sealant. Weatherstripping on the new unit gets a function check; gaps get adjusted.

Hardware install and final adjustments

New locksets and deadbolts get bored or fit to existing prep. Strike plates are mortised and installed with 3-inch screws into the framing (the short screws in the lock box are a security hole). Threshold sweep is adjusted to seal without dragging. The door is closed, latched, and tested for full weatherstrip contact along all four sides. The customer walks the install before sign-off.

Choosing and Applying Cost Adjustments That Move Your Quote

The base quote rarely tells the whole story. Knowing which add-ons are legitimate, which are negotiable, and which are padding lets you protect your budget.

Door material and brand

Material drives the biggest range. A budget steel slab and a premium fiberglass with woodgrain can cost five times different. Brand matters less than core construction, glazing quality, and warranty terms. Look at U-factor, Energy Star rating, and warranty length rather than brand prestige. A 20-year warranty fiberglass door from a regional supplier often outperforms a 10-year warranty door from a national name.

Sidelights, transom, and custom sizing

Sidelights add $400 to $1,200 per side in materials plus 30 to 60 percent more labor because the rough opening has to be reframed. A transom over the door adds $300 to $1,000. Custom sizing (any door larger than 36 by 80 inches or smaller than 30 by 78) adds $200 to $800 in material premiums plus possible reframing labor. Standard sizing is the cheapest path.

Hardware and smart lock

A basic entry lockset and deadbolt run $60 to $150. A quality lever lockset with matching deadbolt runs $150 to $350. A smart lock with keypad and app connectivity runs $200 to $600. Smart locks worth installing have a tested mechanical core; the smart part is the convenience layer. Budget hardware separately from the door; quotes that bundle the cheapest possible hardware often hide a $200 swap to a quality set on install day.

Frame, threshold, or subfloor repair

This is the line item most homeowners do not see coming. If the existing frame is rotted, expect $200 to $800 in repair. If the subfloor under the threshold is soft, expect $300 to $1,000 to scab in new framing and patch the floor. If the rough opening is being resized, expect $400 to $1,500 for framing, sheathing, and exterior siding tie-in. Have your contractor inspect before you finalize the quote.

Painting and finish

A factory-primed door needs two finish coats. Painting on-site after install runs $100 to $300 for a standard door, $300 to $600 for a door with sidelights and transom. Pre-finished doors save labor and look cleaner but limit your color options and cost more upfront. If you want a custom color that ties into your siding, on-site painting with a sprayed or rolled finish gives you the best result. Pair the new door with exterior painting and staining when you want the front door, trim, and siding refresh handled in one visit.

Pre-Hung vs Slab-Only - Which Saves Money?

The slab vs pre-hung decision is the single biggest cost lever once you have picked a material. Most homeowners default to pre-hung; about a third would save real money going slab-only.

Slab-only scenarios

Slab-only makes sense when the existing frame is plumb, the threshold is solid, the weatherstripping seals cleanly, and the door is being swapped for aesthetic reasons rather than performance. Labor drops to two or three hours. Material cost drops by $100 to $400. The catch: you have to re-mortise hinges and strike if the new slab is not pre-mortised to match. Skipping the frame replacement saves $400 to $1,200 total.

When pre-hung pays for itself

Pre-hung is the right call when the frame is bowed, the threshold is failing, or you want a different hinge configuration. The unit arrives already squared up with the hinges mortised, the latch plate installed, and the weatherstripping in place. Install time is similar to a careful slab install, the seal is better, and the warranty terms are usually longer. For homes older than 30 years with original frames, pre-hung is almost always the smarter spend.

Special Considerations for Challenging Front Door Projects

Some homes push past the standard scope. Knowing where yours falls helps you set realistic expectations and avoid surprise.

Historic homes and custom openings

Pre-1940 homes often have non-standard rough opening dimensions, plaster keying that complicates trim removal, and antique hardware worth preserving. Expect a custom-sized slab or a milled-to-spec pre-hung unit, plus 30 to 60 percent labor premium for the careful work. Historic preservation rules in some districts require like-for-like materials, which can push solid wood as the only acceptable choice.

HOA color and style approvals

Many HOAs restrict front door colors and styles. Check your covenants before you buy. Painting an unapproved color can mean repainting at your cost and a fine on top. Submit your selection in writing and keep the approval document with your project file.

Energy efficiency and Energy Star

Energy Star certified doors meet U-factor and air leakage standards that translate to real annual savings in extreme climates. The certification is most valuable in heating-dominated and cooling-dominated regions. Mid-grade fiberglass and insulated steel both qualify when paired with weather-tight installation. The door alone is only half the equation; sloppy installation defeats the rating.

Storm doors paired with replacement

A storm door adds $200 to $600 in material plus $100 to $300 in labor and is best installed at the same time as the primary door. Storm doors extend front door life by protecting the finish from sun and rain, but they trap heat against dark-colored doors and can cause warping or finish failure on solid wood units. Match storm door selection to your primary door material; ask the installer to confirm compatibility.

Maintenance and Long-Term Value

A front door is a 25 to 50 year asset when chosen and installed well. Maintenance varies by material, but the principles are simple.

Refinishing and weatherstripping intervals

Solid wood doors need refinishing every three to five years, sometimes annually in harsh exposures. Fiberglass and steel doors need a fresh coat of paint every seven to 10 years for cosmetic reasons but rarely for protection. Weatherstripping should be inspected annually and replaced when compressed or torn; a $20 strip kit can recover 10 to 15 percent of door energy performance.

Resale and curb appeal lift

Does a new front door increase home value? Yes; a new steel entry door is consistently one of the highest-ROI exterior projects in national remodeling cost-vs-value surveys, recovering roughly 65 to 100 percent of installed cost at resale. A quality fiberglass unit with sidelights recovers a smaller percentage but adds more visual impact, which matters in slow markets where buyers shop heavily on listing photos.

Things to Consider Before You Buy

A clean project starts before the door is ordered. Run through this list before you sign anything.

• Measure the existing door slab width, height, and thickness; common is 36 by 80 by 1.75 inches
• Verify hinge orientation (left-hand or right-hand swing) from inside the house looking out
• Inspect frame and threshold for rot before ordering pre-hung vs slab
• Confirm hardware compatibility with the new door's pre-bores
• Ask for written breakout of door, hardware, labor, and any repair contingency
• Verify warranty on the door, the install, and the hardware separately
• Check HOA covenants on color and style before final selection
• Confirm lead time; quality fiberglass and wood doors run two to six weeks from order to delivery

Lead times are a real planning factor. Steel doors are often in stock. Quality fiberglass runs two to four weeks. Solid wood and custom sizing run four to eight weeks. Sidelights and transoms can push lead times to 10 weeks.

Why Homeowners Bring in Ace Handyman Services

A front door is a project where small install errors create big long-term problems. A racked frame leaks. A loose hinge sags. A cheap strike screw turns a $200 lockset into a security hole. Here is what you get when our craftsmen handle the project:

• Peace of mind that a background-checked, W-2 craftsman is installing, not a day laborer with a borrowed level
• A one-year labor warranty on the install in addition to the door manufacturer's warranty
• No equipment to source or rent; we arrive with the right shims, fasteners, sealants, and finish products
• Predictable weekday scheduling that respects a working homeowner's calendar
• Right-sized scope; if a slab-only swap works for your frame, we will tell you instead of pushing pre-hung
• Honest written quotes with door, hardware, labor, and any repair contingency broken out separately
• Cleanup included; the old door, hardware, and debris leave with us
• One call handles door installation, exterior painting, and any frame or trim carpentry the project needs

Ready to replace the door that has been sticking in the frame for the last three winters? Reach out to your local Ace Handyman Services office to schedule a project assessment and get a clean written quote.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a new front door cost installed?

Expect $600 to $2,000 installed for steel, $1,200 to $4,500 for fiberglass, and $2,500 to $7,500 for solid wood. Most homeowners pay $1,500 to $3,500 for a mid-grade fiberglass pre-hung unit with new hardware and standard install labor.

Is it cheaper to replace just the door or the whole frame?

Slab-only replacement saves $400 to $1,200 over pre-hung when the existing frame is plumb, square, and free of rot. About 70 percent of homes benefit from going pre-hung because of frame age, racking, or threshold damage. Pre-hung is more expensive upfront but seals better and lasts longer.

How long does it take to install a front door?

A standard pre-hung install takes four to six hours for a single craftsman or three to four hours for a two-person crew. A slab-only swap takes two to three hours. Add one to three hours for rough opening repair, sidelight reframing, or on-site painting.

What is the best material for a front door?

Fiberglass is the most-recommended material for most homes because it resists warping, dents, and rust while delivering strong Energy Star performance. Steel is the best value for security and budget projects. Solid wood is the best fit for historic homes and high-end aesthetic projects where refinishing every three to five years is acceptable.

Do I need a permit to replace a front door?

Most jurisdictions do not require a permit for a like-for-like front door replacement that uses the existing rough opening. Permits are usually required when the rough opening is being resized, the structural header is being modified, or sidelights or a transom are being added to an existing opening. Check with your local building department before starting.

Does a new front door increase home value?

Yes. National remodeling cost-vs-value surveys consistently rank steel entry door replacement among the top exterior projects for ROI, recovering 65 to 100 percent of installed cost at resale. Quality fiberglass with sidelights recovers a smaller percentage but adds more visual impact in listing photos and showings.