How much does it cost to repair a door?

Reviewed by Carol J Alexander remodeling expert. Written by Fixr.com.

Is your door sticking or delaminating? Don’t replace it. Repairing a door on your home is an easy fix. Depending on the scope of work, you can probably do it yourself. The average cost to repair a door is $202. On the low end, that could look like replacing a basic locking door knob for $10. On the high end, you’ll probably install a new garage door for a $5,000 price tag.

In this cost guide, we share all the factors that influence the cost of a door repair on your home. Keep reading to see which pricing tier is right for you.

Cost to repair a door

Cost factors that influence door repair cost

As with any home improvement project, the scope of work influences the cost of the job. Of course, the more involved, time-consuming, and skilled the job, the higher the total cost. Here is a list of other factors that could affect the cost of your door repair.

Type of repair needed

There are a handful of things that could go wrong with a door. From sticking and warping to broken knobs and hinges, the type of repair you need will impact the price. Typical door repairs, including builder-grade materials and labor, might look like:

Damaged finish

From dog scratches to shoe scuffs, doors take a beating – particularly on the lower half. If your door’s finish needs refreshing, here are the labor and materials costs.

• To hire someone to paint an interior door slab, expect to pay $24 to $46 per side.
• To hire someone to refinish an exterior door slab, expect to pay $58 to $109 per side. 

Sticking, sagging, or squeaking

If you have a door that sticks, sags, or squeaks, it needs to be adjusted or planed. If you have bent hinges, the cost of the materials will add to the following ranges.

• To plane and adjust an interior door, expect to pay $96 to $180.
• You may have to pay $181 to $336 to adjust an exterior door.

Air and water come in 

Does a blowing wind come right through uninvited? Do you see water inside the house after a storm? The following repairs should take care of these issues.

• Installing a new wooden threshold costs from $51 to $95.
• Installing a new aluminum threshold costs from $58 to $109.
• Replacing the door sweep will cost $33 to $62.
• To replace an exterior door jamb, expect to pay $319 to $594.

Rotted or damaged frame

Neglected water infiltration leads to rotted wood. If you’re dealing with that around an exterior door, you’ll need to replace the jamb and casing, at a minimum.

• To replace an exterior door jamb, expect to pay $319 to $594.
• Replacing the casing around an exterior door will cost $157 to $292.

Torn screen or broken glass

Holes in a window screen are one thing because you can take it to the hardware store. But few homeowners feel comfortable removing a storm door and taking it in to have the screen replaced. The same goes for broken glass. To have someone come to your house and make these repairs, expect to pay the following.

• Replacing one to nine square feet of screening costs $35 to $66.
• To replace 17-24 square feet of glass costs $192 to $356.

Damaged knobs, locks, or other hardware

A locksmith charges from $73 to $116 per hour, depending on where you live. While a handyperson can install most locks, you may want to hire a locksmith to repair an antique lockset in your older home. Otherwise, replacing knobs or locks costs as follows.

• Replacing an interior knob costs $51 to $95.
• You’ll pay $97 to $181 to replace an exterior lockset and deadbolt.
• To repair a door latch, expect to pay a minimum charge of $181 to $336.
• Replacing a pneumatic storm door closer costs from $38 to $70.
• Replacing a pocket door's track, rollers, and latch costs $131 to $243.

Garage door repair

The price range for garage door repairs depends on the scope of the work and the needed materials. Here are a few examples for you to consider.

• Replacing a garage door track costs $334 to $622.
• Adjusting the garage door opener costs a minimum of $181 to $336.
• Expect to pay $19 to $36 to have the rollers replaced.
• To replace one 12-foot panel on a garage door, expect to pay $382 to $712.

Material

Door materials may influence the repair cost. For instance, a delaminating hollow core door may need only a bit of glue and a clamp to fix. However, removing dings or dents from a steel door is labor-intensive. Patching a hole in fiberglass takes different filler materials and skill than a wooden door. When contacting a repair professional, tell them what material your broken door is made of.

Read fiberglass vs. steel entry door for more information on these premium door materials.

Type of door

The placement of the door on the home can influence the cost of repairs. Basically, you have interior or exterior. Exterior doors require insulation and more durable materials than interior doors do. Garage doors have electronic tracks that could influence the cost. And whether an entry is antique, ornately carved, or includes stained glass will increase the price. Following are the types of doors you may have in your home.

• Interior
• Exterior
• Antique/hardwood
• Glass door
• Garage
• Pocket or sliding door

Hardware

Door hardware varies in price depending on the style, material, and function. For instance, on average, you can purchase a basic locking door knob for as little as $10. But a smart door set that unlocks when you approach it costs around $400. You’ll find these cost ranges for every type of building material. But for door repair services, you may need replacements for the following hardware:  

• Door hinges
• Door track–for sliding, barn-style, or garage doors
• Knob, latch, and lockset

Repair vs. replace

If you live in a historic home, you may want to repair your door, no matter the cost. But, for something newer, you may waffle between repairing and replacing. On average, an interior door replacement costs between $219 for a slab only and $759 for the slab, jamb, and casing. And the replacement cost for an exterior door is from $490 for the slab alone to $3,630 for a double slab, jamb, and casing for your front door. So, if you’re receiving repair estimates with labor costs that exceed those amounts, you may want to consider installing a new door. 

Labor

You can expect to pay labor if you don’t DIY your door repair. The typical labor charges for a door frame repair, door installation or repair, installing weatherstripping, or other jobs, include the following.

• A hardware installer charges $87 per hour, on average, depending on the location.
• A finish carpenter charges $100 per hour, on average, depending on the location.
• A garage door installer charges $122 per hour, on average, depending on the location.
• A house painter charges $95 per hour, depending on the location.

The average cost to repair a door

No matter what type of old door you need to repair, you surely know how much you can spend. For that reason, we’ve broken down door repair costs into three pricing categories. 

Budget-friendly door repair

A budget-friendly door repair costs $10 to $200.

At the bare minimum, you can repair your own door for under $200. At the low end, that would include changing out a door knob. At the high end, you can replace your entry door lockset. Other types of repairs you can afford on a budget include:

• Replace the rollers on a garage door
• DIY refinish an interior or exterior door
• Replace the pneumatic storm door closer
• Add a kickplate to an exterior door
• Glue a delaminating hollow core door
• Install a new door sweep

Mid-range door repair

A mid-range door repair costs $200 to $500.

Not a handyperson? We get it. And for a door repair, you can afford to hire a professional and still stay under $500. Types of DIFM repairs you can afford on a mid-range budget include:

• Adjust a sagging or sticking exterior door
• Replace an exterior door jamb
• Repair a door latch
• Replace the track, rollers, and latch on a pocket door

High-end door repair

A high-end door repair costs $500 and up.

You can repair an ornamented hardwood door on a historic home with a high-end budget. Or, on the high-end of this category, you can replace your entire front entryway, including the door slab, jamb, and casing, with sidelights. With more in your remodeling budget, you can expect to afford the following repairs.

• Repair the stained glass in an entryway door
• Replace broken antique glass
• Replace your garage door
• Refinish a hardwood entryway
• Repair broken carvings on ornate doors

Can I repair my own door?

Absolutely. Of course, the skills needed to repair a door depend on the type and extent of the damage. But there is no reason why a homeowner can’t plane the edge of a door that sticks in humid weather, replace a lockset, or patch a hole in a hollow core door. 

However, if you have water damage in the door frame and have no idea how to use a miter saw to cut new trim, you should call a carpenter. 

Paying for your door repair 

Since repairing a door is typically under $500, most homeowners pay for the work out of pocket. However, if you’re repairing stained glass, hardwood carvings, or hand-wrought hardware, you may need some help paying a local artisan to do the work. For something like that, you could withdraw the funds from your home equity line of credit (HELOC).

Ways to save money on a door repair 

• Include the repair with a larger job. For instance, if you have an ornate hardwood door that needs repairs to the carvings and other woodwork throughout the house that needs refinishing, you may get a better price by lumping everything together as one project.
• Choose less expensive materials. If your door requires a new lockset, but you don’t have the money for the one you want, get a less expensive model now until your budget increases.
• Use upcycled materials. Visit a construction salvage store near you to look for items that have been used but still have life in them. 
• DIY what you’re able. Whatever you can do for yourself, you will save paying labor to someone else.

Don’t slam the…

No carpentry experience? No problem. Even with a strict budget, you can hire a professional to fix your door problems. Let us help you find someone in your area today.