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How long does it take to replace a front door?

Total time to replace an entry door determined by multiple factors and actual number of man-hours necessary to complete the project will depend on difficulty of work. Removal of an existing and simple installation of 32” x 80” prehung wood door can be done in 3 – 5 hours by an experienced carpenter with a helper. At the same time, complex replacement of 74” x 110” wrought iron door with sidelites and stylish arch can take a whole day for a crew of three. There is no accurate number of man-hours for entry door replacement can be defined before analyzing all details but approximate time for basic front door replacement can be roughly estimated depending on front door type and size.

Estimated entry door replacement time

Door type
Average replacement time1
Number of installers
Standard single prehung up to 36" x 80"
2.5 - 4
1 (2)
Double prehung up to 62" x 82"
3.5 - 6
2
Single prehung with two sidelites
4.5 - 7
2
Double prehung with top window
4 - 8
2 (3)
entry-door

1 Average replacement time estimated as an approximate time in hours necessary for a crew to remove an old and install new door into existing opening excluding any additional man-hours spent on getting measurements, ordering and new door delivery.

All numbers in the chart calculated based on standard door replacement and actual time will be adjusted after analyzing work scope to perform.

Door dimensions and type

Some steel or iron double doors which exceed 6’8” in height can easily weight over 500 lbs what makes it much harder to work with compare to lightweight wood door. Putting glass window on top or a door or sidelites takes longer compare to basic pre-hung door installation.

Rough opening

Resizing rough opening for fitting bigger entry door and finishing interior and exterior walls could be very time consuming and costly project. For that reason, it is always better to purchase new front door same dimensions as an existing one.

Door lock installation

Most contractors who replace exterior doors will install a door lock as well. Installation of single or double cylinder deadbolts and keyed entry door knobs into precut holes is very easy 15 – 20 minutes task. At the same time, putting mortise lock into custom wood door with no precut holes can take 1 – 1.5 hours.

Cost determination

Numbers of man-hours necessary for exterior door replacement have direct impact on labor cost. Even though many contractors have standard fees for doors installation, actual charges will be adjusted depending on the project difficulty.

Install a front door by self or hire a professional

Front door replacement can be certainly completed as do-it-yourself project, but always take into account lack of skills and experience normally result in longer replacement time.