Exterior Door Installation Cost Calculator

In 2026, installing an exterior door typically costs $500 to $3,000 per door, including the door and labor. A basic steel or fiberglass single entry door replacement often runs $600 to $1,500, while higher-end fiberglass or solid wood doors, double doors, sliding patio doors, and French doors cost more — French patio doors and premium entry doors with decorative glass or sidelights can reach $3,000 or beyond. The main cost factors are the door type, the material, whether you're replacing a door in its existing opening or cutting a new opening, and the finish (glass, hardware, style). Labor alone is usually a few hundred dollars per door for a straightforward replacement, more for new openings.

The three main options each have strengths. Steel doors are the most economical and offer excellent security and decent energy efficiency, but they can dent and may show rust over time if scratched, and they're less customizable. Fiberglass doors are the most popular choice for the balance they strike — durable, low-maintenance, energy-efficient, resistant to dents, warping, and rot, and available in styles that convincingly mimic wood — at a moderate price. Solid wood doors are the premium, classic, beautiful option with the most customization, but they cost the most and need periodic refinishing and maintenance to handle weather. For most homeowners, fiberglass offers the best long-term value; steel is great for budget and security; wood is for those wanting authentic, high-end appearance. This calculator lets you compare all three.

Yes, usually significantly. Replacing a door in its existing opening — removing the old door and frame and fitting a new pre-hung door into the same rough opening — is the most common and economical scenario, since the structural opening, header, and framing are already there. Cutting a brand-new door opening into a wall is much more involved: it requires framing a new rough opening, installing a structural header to carry the load above the door, possibly rerouting electrical or plumbing in the wall, patching siding and interior wall finishes, and more labor — adding roughly $800 or more per door in this calculator, and potentially more for load-bearing walls or complex situations. If you're simply swapping an old door for a new one, you're in the cheaper replacement category; adding a door where there wasn't one costs considerably more.

For exterior doors, a pre-hung door is almost always the right choice and what professionals install. A pre-hung door comes already mounted in a new frame (jamb) with the hinges and weatherstripping in place, so the whole unit is installed into the opening as one piece — this ensures proper alignment, a good weather seal, and correct operation, which is critical for an exterior door's security and energy efficiency. A slab door is just the door panel itself, meant to be hung in an existing, good-condition frame, which can work for a simple interior-style swap but is harder to get sealing and aligned correctly outside. Because exterior doors must seal tightly against weather and fit securely, pre-hung is the standard, and this calculator's pricing reflects pre-hung installation.

Yes, a new, properly installed exterior door can meaningfully improve energy efficiency, especially if you're replacing an old, drafty, or poorly sealed door. Modern exterior doors — particularly insulated steel and fiberglass — have foam cores and tight weatherstripping that reduce air leakage and heat transfer far better than old wood or hollow doors. A correct installation with good sealing around the frame is just as important as the door itself for stopping drafts. Energy-efficient doors (look for ENERGY STAR ratings) can lower heating and cooling costs and improve comfort by eliminating drafts. Adding a storm door provides an extra insulating air layer too. While a single door won't transform your energy bills, replacing a leaky entry door is a worthwhile efficiency and comfort upgrade, and it also boosts curb appeal and security.

A storm door can be a worthwhile addition for many homes. It's a secondary, lightweight door installed in front of your main entry door, typically with interchangeable glass and screen panels. Benefits include an extra layer of insulation (the trapped air between the doors improves energy efficiency), protection of your main door from weather and wear (extending its life and finish), the ability to open the main door and let in light and ventilation through the screen, and added security. The trade-offs are the added cost and that on very sun-exposed doors, heat can build up between the doors. Storm doors are especially valuable in harsh climates and for protecting nice wood or painted entry doors. This calculator offers a storm door as a per-door add-on so you can include it where it makes sense.

Sidelights are the narrow vertical windows installed on one or both sides of an entry door. They're a popular upgrade because they let natural light into the entryway and foyer, make the entrance feel more open, grand, and welcoming, and boost curb appeal — a door flanked by sidelights looks more high-end than a plain single door. They do add cost (the extra glass units and the wider rough opening needed to accommodate them) and, because they're glass, some consideration for privacy and security (frosted, textured, or decorative glass and good locks help). If you have or want a wider, more impressive entrance and like the extra light, sidelights are a great enhancement. This calculator includes sidelights as an add-on. Note that adding sidelights to an existing single-door opening may require widening the opening.

A straightforward exterior door replacement — swapping a pre-hung door into an existing opening — typically takes just a few hours, often two to four, so a single door is usually a same-day job, and even several doors can often be done in a day. The work involves removing the old door and frame, prepping and checking the opening, setting and shimming the new pre-hung unit level and plumb, securing it, sealing and insulating around the frame, installing hardware, and adjusting for smooth operation and a tight weather seal. Cutting a new opening takes considerably longer because of the framing, header installation, and patching of siding and interior finishes. Adding sidelights, painting or staining, or trim work also extends the time. For most simple replacements, you'll have your new door working the same day.