Has Anyone Bought a New Front Door Lately

jubilant · ‎06-10-2010

DH and I were shocked at the price quoted to us for a new front door unit (with side light). They quoted us a price of $5500.00. That was with a discount of 10%!! I asked if they had anything more economical and they said, yes, but it would only be $1000.00 less. That was a steel door verses a fiberglass door. Our porch is a small covered front porch and is 7 ft. deep and facing North so it doesn't get a lot of wind in the winter. We already have a good storm door. We are getting more estimates but none of them have come in lately. This seems way too much money for a standard size door unit. The glass in the side light is only half way down. Your thoughts please.

panda1234 · ‎04-27-2015

@jubilant Funny you should ask this as I came across my receipt for our front door from 16 years ago. It is the size of a double door but we have all glass where another door could have been installed. It is steel and has held up nicely. The price back then including installation was $2,849. So the price you got might be inline for what they are charging today. Please keep us posted.

Travone · ‎10-14-2016

I don't know what doors are going for, but have you looked online at home depot and lowes to see if their prices are comparable? That does seem like a lot of money unless it is custom made.

Miss Pepsi · ‎06-24-2019

I was shocked when we wanted to replace our front door we had to get a permit for it. What the Heck? We didn't replace it, we did have one of those companies come and put a window in the door.

Seriously the county wanted a permit to replace the front door. Ummmmm NO

eddyandme · ‎09-24-2011

@Miss Pepsi wrote:
I was shocked when we wanted to replace our front door we had to get a permit for it. What the Heck? We didn't replace it, we did have one of those companies come and put a window in the door.

Seriously the county wanted a permit to replace the front door. Ummmmm NO

IMHO for most things permits are just another form of taxation without voter approval.

eddyandme · ‎09-24-2011

@jubilant

I bought a beautiful fiberglass front door I'd say approximately six years ago and I know I didn't pay anywhere near that!

Went to a store that only sold doors. Picked out one that was in the showroom and asked if they'r sell me that as a sample, rather than special order et al. We agreed and for some reason they decided to order the same door and sold it for the sample price. My front door opens to a sunporch so did not need sidelight. However there are small windows on the upper part of door with etching and red/green flower design - nothing gaudy though. They also installed this door and took away the old one. Sorry I can't remember the cost offhand, but I can promise you if it were anything near what you've been quoted, I would have remembered.

Imho sometimes you can do better going with a small store specializing in the product; plus you support local businesses. Oftentimes the quality if better than that of a big-box store; certainly the service is.

Oh! forgot to mention, this door also came with dead-bolt and upgraded hardware.

software · ‎06-08-2016

I paid less than that for my first car, brand new!

I'm a very thrifty shopper. If it were me, I was scavenge the surplus stores in the area, or even look online for a local door on Facebook Marketplace. Why are you replacing your door? Is it in good enough shape to sell it to recoup some money?

I have a wonderful handyman in my neighbor hood, he would install my door for me.

I have a beautiful carved wood front door, came with the house, I'm going to go hug it now!

@jubilant wrote:
DH and I were shocked at the price quoted to us for a new front door unit (with side light). They quoted us a price of $5500.00. That was with a discount of 10%!! I asked if they had anything more economical and they said, yes, but it would only be $1000.00 less. That was a steel door verses a fiberglass door. Our porch is a small covered front porch and is 7 ft. deep and facing North so it doesn't get a lot of wind in the winter. We already have a good storm door. We are getting more estimates but none of them have come in lately. This seems way too much money for a standard size door unit. The glass in the side light is only half way down. Your thoughts please.

eddyandme · ‎09-24-2011

@jubilant

Kinda OT: My precious Jade, my soumate and yellow lab now in Heaven, came inside the store with me. She actually picked out that door -- really!!! She made the rounds, even dropping into the owner's office - who quite enjoyed her visit - and we all watched as Jade, again, stood by that same door.

Bring you furbaby if you have one!

gtx · ‎08-15-2010

We shopped for a new front door last year. They were so expensive and we didn't find one we liked. So we had our old door refinished and bought new hardware to put on it. We had a temporary front door for a while. We got the door back and it looks nice and fresh. We don't know how it will hold up but it only cost $400 to refinish.

Mom2Dogs · ‎03-09-2010

@gtx ...we are thinking of doing the same thing. I got a quote for repainting existing door and sidelight....mush less expensive than a new door. Our current door is steel with nice hardware and a dead bolt.

Now the screen door is deciding not to latch, sigh. I looked at several U-Tube videos, we are NOT handy at all. My husband did his best but it still does not latch properly.

If it's not one thing, its another.