advice replacing exterior doors

9 years ago

(I'm in SoCal. My house was built around 1976.)

I want to replace my front door and the side door entrance to our garage. For expediency, I paid to have Home Depot come out and measure our doors and give us a quote. I've read in a few forums that Home Depot doesn't necessarily offer the best price for installation and can push special order doors. So, I'm hoping to get some advice to sort out whether or not I'm getting a hard sell or reasonable feedback.

According to them, my front door measurements require a door that is 37.5" W x 81" H with a jamb size 5 1/4". My garage side door measurements require a door that is 31.5" W x 81" H with a jamb size 5 1/4". (Note: they did NOT remove the molding to take measurements of the rough openings. The height measurement given here seems based on measuring from floor to top of existing trim.) It will cost roughly $500 per door for the installation.

They are telling me that I must order custom doors. When I pressed, the rep said it was largely because of the jamb size because most of their in stock doors would have jamb sizes that are too small, which would cost extra to build out (about $125) so a custom door might cost less. He relented somewhat to say that possibly the garage side door might be fine with a standard door.

The doors that I had chosen before the measurement are preying with a jamb size of 4 9/16". So, I am trying to figure out

1) if the doors that I wanted to order can still work but may need a jamb extension or if I should consider the additional expense of a custom door (see links below)

2) if the installation price is high or within reason

Thanks!

front door:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Main-Door-36-in-x-80-in-Rustic-Mahogany-Type-Stained-Distressed-Solid-Wood-Speakeasy-Prehung-Front-Door-SH-904-PH-LH/203340023

jamb kit extension for front door:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Main-Door-Rustic-82-in-x-2-in-x-3-4-in-Distress-Jamb-Kit-Extension-3-Pieces-SH-EXT-2IN/202081151

garage side door:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Steves-Sons-32-in-x-80-in-Premium-2-Panel-Square-Primed-White-Steel-Prehung-Front-Door-w-32-in-Right-Hand-Inswing-and-4-in-Wall-ST20-PR-28-4IRH/205050921

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Comments (4)

PRO
GN Builders L.L.C
9 years ago
Give someone local a call who is a licensed contractor and have them come out and give you a price.

We had many calls to repair doors done by box store contractors and some have no clue what they doing. It's like hit and miss with them.
geoffrey_b
9 years ago
Have them install 1" deadbolts. Make sure the screws for the metal strike plate go into the studs - 4 to 5" screws. Also put a long screw in each hinge.
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User
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
They are full of uneducated baloney, IMHO.

Those sizes are normal sizes and offered on HD websites. (Added). Rough openings for doors are usually 2" higher and 2" wider than the intended door size. That puts your RO's at 83" high and 40" or 4" wide. Wall thicknesses are varied. Normal 2" by 4" exterior walls are 3&1/2"(lumber), plus 1/2"(sheetrock), plus at leas 1/2" sheathing for a total of 4&1/2". My house(built in 1965) has exterior walls of that thickness.

$500 a door is a bit high.

Look elsewhere. Like contractors or even experienced handy persons. Doors were one of my favorite jobs and I seldom charged more than $300(which included getting the door from the store if necessary).

And what goeffrey_b wrote is excellent. That was the minimum I did.
millworkman
9 years ago
What he ^^^^^ said.