Hi! We need advice about replacing our 30 year old original exterior steel door (with panels and two top lites) for the walk-in basement. It is level with our driveway pad (four interior stairs go down into the basement), flush to the siding, and a rusted hole has developed low down on the outside due to exposure to the elements. Not a DIY project. We can get a REEB (are they related to Therma-Tru?) Smooth Star fiberglass door with a full composite frame, custom painted and installed through a reputable local gen contractor for under $3,000. I haven't asked the contractor for a steel option, but maybe I should? We wanted the top lites and I don't think that Therma-Tru makes one in steel. So not sure whose steel product would be a good one. Or is fiberglass the way to go regardless?

We also have quotes from a highly recommended local door and window specialist to get a ProVia product -- a Legacy steel door or a Heritage fiberglass door, each option would be factory painted with a framesaver frame (only a 2 inch standard brickmold cladding at the bottom which gives the frame only a 2-year warranty, so ProVia recommends full composite for a lifetime frame warranty). Even without a frame upgrade, both the ProVia options would be considerably more expensive than the REEB fiberglass.

Is ProVia worth the extra $1,000-$2,000 it would cost us? This isn't a front door, but we use it a lot. It is not protected and it catches our wind, rain, and snowy Northeastern conditions as well as heat and humidity in the summer. Any thoughts would be most welcome!