Estimate steel, fiberglass, wood, or french entry doors. Pick scope (swap vs full-frame), sidelights, storm door, smart lock, and finish. 2026 data; not a contractor bid.
| Item | Quantity | Estimated range |
|---|
Got a contractor quote? Compare it to the planning range.
What this is: a planning-range entry-door calculator informed by Therma-Tru / Pella / JELD-WEN / Andersen MSRP, HomeGuide, HomeAdvisor, Homewyse, and licensed cost-estimating references.
Labor is modeled from per-unit installed rates with a crew-rate sanity check ($55-$110/crew-hr loaded billing rate), informed by BLS OEWS 47-2031 (Carpenters).
Last updated: May 2026. Full methodology →
| Scope | Range | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Steel pre-hung swap | $700-$1,800 | 3-5 hours |
| Fiberglass full-frame + sidelights | $2,500-$5,500 | 1 day |
| Solid wood + paint | $1,800-$5,500 | 1-2 days |
| Premium custom wood + transom | $5,500-$15,000+ | 1-2 days install (8-12 wk lead) |
| Storm door install (over existing) | $400-$1,000 | 2-4 hours |
| French / double entry | $2,500-$6,500 | 1 day |
How the door goes in matters as much as the door:
A few worthwhile add-ons: a security or steel-frame entry ($1,764–$3,000) for serious break-in resistance, a smart lock ($294–$500) for keypad/phone entry, and a storm door ($470–$800) that adds an insulating air gap and shields the main door from weather. Worth knowing: a new front door consistently ranks among the highest return-on-investment projects at resale — it's one of the cheapest ways to lift curb appeal, so the fiberglass mid-tier often makes the most financial sense.
Steel pre-hung swap: $700-$1,800 installed. Fiberglass swap: $900-$2,500. Solid wood entry: $1,000-$4,000. Custom premium wood with sidelights and transom: $4,000-$15,000. Storm door alone: $400-$1,000 installed. Full-frame replacement adds $400-$1,200 over a like-for-like swap.
Steel = cheapest, dent-resistant, but rusts at edges in 10-15 yr in coastal climates. Fiberglass = best insulator, mimics wood grain, no rust, slightly higher cost. Wood = best looks, custom shapes, but requires refinishing every 3-5 yr. For 80%+ of homes, fiberglass is the right answer.
Swap reuses the existing jamb and threshold ($300-$800 labor). Full-frame replaces the whole frame, weatherstrip, and threshold ($800-$2,000 labor) — needed when the frame is rotten, the door has shifted, or you're upsizing. Resize the opening (taller / wider) and you'll add framing labor + likely a permit.
$200-$500 for the lock + $100-$300 install. Wifi unlocks, codes for guests, push alerts. Schlage Encode and Yale Assure Lock 2 are popular.
Pre-hung swap into existing opening — yes for a confident DIYer (4-6 hr work). Full-frame requires precise plumb / level / square — pro work for most.
A steel pre-hung swap runs $700-$1,800, a fiberglass full-frame with sidelights $2,500-$5,500, solid wood $1,800-$5,500, and premium custom wood $5,500-$15,000+. A storm door over an existing entry is $400-$1,000.
Fiberglass ($882-$1,500) is the value pick - low-maintenance, energy-efficient, dent-resistant, and it looks like wood. Steel ($470-$800) is cheaper and secure but dents and conducts cold. For a front door, fiberglass usually wins.
A like-for-like swap into the existing frame ($700-$1,800) is cheapest when the frame is sound. Full-frame replacement ($2,500-$5,500) installs a new frame and flashing and is the right fix if the frame is rotted or leaking.
