Door Replacement Cost Calculator

Door replacement costs vary more than almost any other home upgrade — from $200 for a swap of a hollow-core interior door to $8,000+ for a custom multi-panel patio system. The number that matters isn't the door itself but the install type, because a "replace the slab" job and a "replace the frame and slab" job differ by an order of magnitude in labor.

The three replacement scopes

1. Slab-only replacement ($150–$550 installed). The existing frame stays; only the door itself is swapped. This works when the existing frame is square, plumb, and undamaged. Common on interior doors and matching-brand exterior replacements. Labor: 1–2 hours per door.

2. Pre-hung replacement ($400–$1,800 installed). The whole assembly — slab, frame, hinges, threshold — comes as a unit. Required when the frame is rotted, out of square, or you're changing door width. This is the standard scope for most exterior door replacements. Labor: 3–5 hours per door.

3. Frame-out replacement ($800–$3,500+ installed). Rough opening is modified — width, height, or both. Required for enlarging a doorway or changing configuration (single to double, adding sidelights). May require permit, structural header work, and drywall/siding patching. Labor: 6–12 hours plus finish work.

Door type and price ranges

Interior doors:

• Hollow-core molded: $30–$80 slab / $80–$180 pre-hung. Fine for closets and secondary bedrooms.
• Solid-core molded: $80–$200 slab / $180–$400 pre-hung. Better sound isolation, worth it for master bedrooms and offices.
• Solid wood: $200–$800 slab / $400–$1,200 pre-hung. Panel doors match traditional homes; matching stain grade adds $50–$150.
• Barn/sliding: $150–$600 hardware + $100–$500 slab. Popular for tight spaces but not a full sound or privacy solution.

Exterior doors:

• Steel entry: $250–$700 slab / $600–$1,500 pre-hung. Highest security and best value for utility doors.
• Fiberglass entry: $400–$1,500 slab / $900–$3,000 pre-hung. Best energy efficiency, mimics wood grain, won't rot. The dominant choice for front-door replacement.
• Wood entry: $600–$3,000+ slab / $1,200–$6,000+ pre-hung. Premium look, requires maintenance every 3–5 years.
• Sliding patio (6' vinyl): $600–$1,500 unit / $1,200–$2,800 installed.
• French/hinged patio: $1,200–$3,500 unit / $2,000–$5,500 installed.
• Multi-panel folding: $4,000–$15,000+ installed.

Regional and labor cost differences

Labor for door replacement runs $200–$450 per pre-hung exterior door nationally, with big regional swings:

• Northeast, coastal California: 1.20–1.35× national. Older housing stock means more frame repairs, plaster patching, and lead-safe practices.
• Southeast, Texas, Midwest: 0.85–1.00× national. Newer construction and drywall makes installs faster.
• Coastal (hurricane) regions: exterior doors must meet impact-resistant codes; add 20–40% to material.

What determines whether you need frame work

Before quoting a slab-only swap, a good installer checks four things:

1. Squareness: measure both diagonals. More than 1/4-inch difference means the frame has shifted.
2. Plumb and level: if the head jamb is off, the new door will bind or gap.
3. Rot: probe the bottom 12 inches of the jambs and threshold with a screwdriver. Any softness = pre-hung minimum.
4. Weatherstripping and threshold condition: if these are shot, the frame likely is too.

If any of these fail, insist on pre-hung. Reusing a bad frame is the top complaint on interior forums — the new door swings, sticks, or leaks air within a season.

Energy efficiency and rebates

For exterior doors, the number that matters is U-factor (lower is better). An ENERGY STAR-rated fiberglass entry door with proper installation typically has U-factor 0.20–0.30, versus 0.60+ for a builder-grade steel door. On a heating-dominated home, this can save $30–$80/year — modest, but pays back over a 20+ year door lifespan.

Some utilities and states offer $50–$200 rebates for ENERGY STAR exterior doors — check before purchase.

DIY vs. hiring out

Slab-only interior replacement is the friendliest DIY: measure hinges, transfer to new slab, drill latch. Half a day per door.

Pre-hung interior is intermediate: level, shim, trim to fit, re-case. A day per door if you're careful.

Pre-hung exterior should almost always go to a pro. Getting the threshold flashing, sill pan, and weatherstripping right is what determines whether the door leaks. This is not the place to save $300 on labor.

Multi-panel and sliding patio systems are pro-only jobs — the tolerances are tight, the units are heavy and awkward, and the finish work involves siding cuts.

Get at least two written quotes for any exterior door over $1,500. The quote should specify door make/model, glass options, hardware finish, threshold type, and whether painting/staining is included. Vague "install one door" line items are how change-order surprises happen.