How Much Does Front Door Replacement Cost in 2026?

By Michael JohnsonUpdated November 11, 202610 sources comparedHow we estimate

Most homeowners pay $800 to $2,500 to replace a front door, with an average of about $1,500 for a single prehung door installed. That average is the midpoint of HomeGuide's roughly $1,400 for a front door replacement and Angi's $1,453 for exterior doors, rounded. The biggest price drivers are the door material (steel, fiberglass or wood), whether you add sidelights or a transom, and the condition of the frame and sill.

Front door replacement cost by material and style

The table compiles installed prices from national cost guides. Where a source gives only the door price, we note it. The QuoteRuler range is where the sources overlap for a standard 36" x 80" opening.

Why the spread? HomeGuide and Angi report what homeowners paid, which includes many simple swaps at big-box prices. Remodeling Magazine's 2025 Cost vs. Value report prices a full steel entry door replacement at $2,435: removing the old door and jambs, a new 20-gauge steel unit with a dual-pane glass panel, new jambs and threshold, factory finish, trim and a new lockset. That is a professional remodeler's price for a complete system, so it sits near the top of our steel range. Thumbtack's 2026 range of $304–$995 is the low outlier and likely reflects many labor-only or slab jobs.

Steel vs. fiberglass vs. wood

Steel is the cheapest and most secure for the money. This Old House notes a basic paneled 3' x 6'8" steel door starts around $377 without hardware or glass. Steel dents and can rust where the skin is scratched, so it suits covered entries best.

Fiberglass costs more but resists dents, rot and swelling, and it can be stained to look like wood. A basic fiberglass door starts around $460, and a fully loaded fiberglass entry system can reach about $4,000 (This Old House). It is the usual pick for doors that face sun and rain.

Wood looks the most traditional and costs the most to buy and maintain. Stock wood doors start around $150, but a complete solid wood system with sidelights and quality hardware can run up to $5,000 (This Old House). Wood needs regular refinishing, especially on an exposed entry.

Sidelights and transoms

Sidelights are the narrow glass panels on one or both sides of the door. HomeGuide puts a front door with sidelights at $1,800–$4,500 installed. Sidelight units cost $500–$2,500 more than a basic door and about twice as much to install. Adding a transom (a glass panel above the door) runs $200–$1,000 or more, and HomeGuide prices a complete door with sidelights and a transom at $1,700–$3,600 installed.

If your opening already has sidelights, replacing the whole unit is simpler than trying to fit a new door to old sidelights. Widening an opening for new sidelights means new framing and a header, so get it priced separately.

Prehung vs. slab

A prehung door comes in its own frame with the threshold, weatherstripping and hinges installed. HomeGuide lists prehung front doors at $440–$1,800 installed, with labor of $220–$400. A slab is just the door and needs to be fitted to your existing frame. Slab jobs run $400–$1,700, and labor is higher at $300–$800 because the installer has to cut hinges and bore for the lockset.

Choose a slab only if the existing frame, sill and weatherstripping are in good shape. Most front door replacements are prehung, because the old threshold and jamb are often worn or leaky.

Labor vs. materials

On a front door, the door is usually the bigger cost. Angi puts labor at 30%–35% of the total, and installer rates at $30–$90 per hour. HomeGuide says a basic single-door job with no framing issues averages $300–$500 in labor, and its broader front door labor range is $280–$1,300. Home Depot's labor-only pricing is $368–$1,378 for a single entry door, with an average of $468 for an entry door install.

We use a labor share of 33% for our state adjustments. That matches Angi's figure and the ratio of HomeGuide's typical labor to its average job. Angi says a standard hang takes 2–4 hours. Custom reframing with a new door type can take up to three days.

What drives the price up or down

• Material and glass. Decorative glass adds roughly $100–$1,000+ over a solid door (HomeGuide). Double-glazed front doors range from $400 to $5,000.
• Frame, jamb and sill damage. Frame repair costs $75–$200+, and rebuilding the opening runs $7–$20 per linear foot (HomeGuide). Angi puts a new frame and jamb at $200–$650. Rotted sills are common under old wood doors.
• Removal. Removing and disposing of the old door costs $75–$200 (HomeGuide). Angi adds $70–$200 for exterior door removal.
• Size. Custom sizes cost far more than standard ones. Angi lists standard sizes at $150–$3,000 and custom sizes at $5,000–$20,000.
• Hardware and locks. A lockset costs $50–$300, a deadbolt $15–$45, and a smart lock $100–$500 for the hardware (HomeGuide). Angi lists installed touchpad or smart security locks at $300–$700.
• Paint and finish. Professional painting costs $125–$225 for the door, or $150–$400 for the door and trim (HomeGuide). Factory-finished doors avoid this.
• Where you buy. HomeGuide notes big-box doors cost much less than specialty brands, and custom work from a specialty dealer can exceed $10,000, even for a simple door.

Cost by state

Labor is about a third of a front door job, so state differences are smaller than for labor-heavy work. The table below starts from our national range, compiled from the sources above, and adjusts only the labor portion (33%) by each state's Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parity.

Material prices also vary by region. Coastal areas with wind or impact rules can add costs the table doesn't capture.

Is a new front door worth it?

The front door is one of the best-recouping projects in Remodeling Magazine's 2025 Cost vs. Value report. A steel entry door replacement cost $2,435 on average and added an estimated $5,270 in resale value, recouping about 216%. The upscale fiberglass "grand entrance" project did far worse: it cost $11,754 and recouped about 85%. If resale is the goal, a well-installed mid-range door beats an elaborate custom entry.

Repair instead when the slab is sound but drafty or hard to latch. New weatherstripping ($10–$40 in parts), a new threshold ($20–$50), or adjusting the hinges and strike often fixes it. Replace the door when the skin is cracked or rotted, the core is warped, or the frame and sill are rotting.

DIY or hire a pro?

A handy homeowner can install a prehung door in a same-size opening, but a front door is less forgiving than an interior one. The sill must be level and flashed, the jamb plumb and square, and the gaps sealed, or water and air will get in. Hire a pro if the sill or framing is rotted, you are changing the size, or you are adding sidelights. Changing the rough opening or header in an exterior wall may need a permit. In homes built before 1978, removing an old door and trim can disturb lead paint. Paid contractors must follow the EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting rule.

How to save money on a front door

• Know the federal credit has ended. The Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (25C) covered 30% of a qualifying ENERGY STAR exterior door, up to $250 per door and $500 in total for doors. The IRS states the credit is not allowed for property placed in service after December 31, 2025. A door installed in 2026 doesn't qualify, so be wary of any seller still advertising it.
• Still buy ENERGY STAR if you can. Certification depends on the door's glazing level, from opaque to full glass (see the ENERGY STAR door criteria). Some utilities still offer rebates, so check the ENERGY STAR Rebate Finder with your ZIP code.
• Keep the opening size. A standard 36" x 80" prehung door avoids framing and custom-size costs.
• Pick steel or basic fiberglass for the best value. The Cost vs. Value data favors a mid-range steel door.
• Buy a factory-finished door to skip the $125–$400 painting charge.
• Get at least three quotes for the same door, glass and hardware.

How to compare front door quotes

A fair quote should list:

• The brand, model, material, size, swing (inswing or outswing, left or right) and glass option.
• Whether the door is prehung or a slab, and whether the frame, sill and threshold are new.
• Removal and disposal of the old door.
• Flashing, insulation around the frame, and exterior caulking.
• New interior casing and exterior brickmold, and who paints or stains them.
• The lockset, deadbolt or smart lock, and whether installing it is included.
• Permit fees if required, and the labor warranty alongside the door warranty.

Red flags: no measurement visit; a price that doesn't mention the sill or flashing; pressure to sign the same day for a "discount"; and claims that a 2026 install qualifies for the federal tax credit.

Hidden costs people forget

• Storm or screen door: a storm door costs $400–$1,100 installed (HomeGuide).
• Interior and exterior trim: casing runs $2–$4 per linear foot (HomeGuide), and stained trim may not match after removal.
• Flooring at the threshold if the new sill sits at a different height.
• Siding or brick repair around the frame if the old door's flashing failed. See our siding replacement cost guide.
• Rekeying the other exterior locks to match the new front door.
• Lead-safe work practices in pre-1978 homes.

If you're updating several openings, price them together. Our sliding glass door replacement cost guide and window replacement cost guide cover the other big exterior openings, and our interior door installation cost guide covers doors inside the house.

Bottom line

A single prehung front door typically costs $800 to $2,500 installed, and about $1,500 is a realistic national average. Steel is the cheapest, fiberglass the best all-rounder, and wood the most expensive to buy and maintain. Sidelights or double doors can push the total to $4,500–$6,500. The federal door tax credit ended after 2025, so put your savings effort into a standard size, a factory finish, and three itemized quotes.