Interior Door Installation Cost

Installation cost per interior door

According to Rich Lauer, owner and CEO of Premier Building Solutions in Wytheville, Virginia, the average cost to replace an interior door is between $150 and $500. “Usually $50 to $200 goes toward a basic hollow-core door, and the rest will be allotted to hardware and labor for the preparation and installation process.”

Many contractors will provide a small discount on a per-door basis if you want multiple interior doors replaced at the same time. Things like trip fees and equipment costs are static per job, so you stand to save a bit for jobs involving multiple doors. You may also get a break on material costs when ordering multiple doors, depending on where you buy them.

Cost breakdown for replacing an interior door

Here’s a quick breakdown of where you can expect your money to go for a typical interior door installation project:

• Door: “A hollow-core door will be the most cost-efficient type of interior door at about $50 to $200, and solid-core or solid-wood will be more expensive,” said Lauer. On average, your door will make up between 30% and 40% of your total if you go with a standard hollow-core door.
• Hardware: According to Lauer, you could spend an additional $15 to $75 to upgrade the hardware, including the hinges and handles. Many interior doors come with hardware, so you may not need to budget for this expense.
• Labor: “It typically costs  $75 to $200 for labor to replace a door, assuming that it is being placed in an existing frame in good condition,” said Lauer. Labor makes up between 40% and 60% of your total, on average.
• Trim: You should expect to pay an additional $30 to $150 if your door needs new trim.
• Disposal: “Disposing of the old door will cost around $10 to $50, although some contractors include this cost in their labor fees,” said Lauer.

Interior door replacement vs. new installation cost

Replacing an existing interior door will usually cost under $500, and it can sit as low as $150 if you do a slab replacement rather than a full-frame replacement. This is possible if your door frame is in good condition but the door itself is damaged.

Installing a new interior door where one doesn’t already exist is much more involved and can cost anywhere between $500 and $2,000, according to Lauer. There are a few reasons it’s much more expensive.

• Wall evaluation and reinforcement: For load-bearing walls, you’ll usually need to hire a structural engineer to ensure your door installation is safe. You’ll also pay extra to have your pro reinforce the framing around your door frame, if necessary.
• Cutting a new door opening: Unless you’re installing a door in an existing doorway, your pro will need to spend additional time cutting drywall and framing lumber, trim and other materials to create space for the new door. This added work drives up labor costs.
• Utility considerations: Your pro may need to “evaluate electrical and plumbing components to see if the existing systems can accommodate a new door opening,” according to Lauer. You’ll pay significantly more if you need an electrician or plumber to reroute utility lines or wiring around the new door opening you want to create.
• Finishing work: Installing a door from scratch will always demand trim work and other finishing work, which pushes costs higher. You may also need to install new flooring under the door opening or install a sill plate to bridge the gap.

Slab door vs. prehung door vs. new opening costs

Here’s a quick breakdown of how the three types of interior door replacement projects can play out in terms of cost.

Interior door installation cost factors

There are a few important things to consider that can affect the cost of interior door installation. You can budget for these on your own or discuss with a contractor to see how they’ll pan out for your particular project.

Type of interior door

A hollow-core door will cost around $50 to $150 in materials, according to Lauer. Solid-core doors made of engineered wood with a veneer will push material costs up to $150 to $300. A solid wood door is the most expensive at $200 to $600 per door.

Hollow-core doors are the least durable, followed by solid-core doors and then solid wood doors. Keep in mind that solid wood doors are very heavy and may also require updated hinges for adequate support.

Door size

The size of your door usually won’t affect your total costs unless you have a nonstandard door size or an unusually thick wall that prevents you from purchasing a standard prehung door. If that’s the case, you should expect to pay a few hundred dollars extra for a custom door. You may also need to double the average cost if you’re replacing a set of double doors.

Door finish

Some solid-core and solid wood doors come unfinished, in which case you’ll need to paint or stain them before installation. If you have your pro do this work, expect to pay a bit extra for labor.

Hardware options

Many interior doors come with all the hardware you need, but you can opt to upgrade your hinges and handles for about $15 to $75.

Jamb and framing condition

If your pro finds damage to any of the materials behind your wall or door frame, you may need to pay extra for repairs. Prices can vary widely depending on the extent of the damage, so this line item is difficult to prepare for.

Trim work

If the trim around your door is in poor shape, or you’re installing a door where there wasn’t one previously, you should budget extra for trim. Costs will rarely climb over $150, but it depends on the quality of the material you want. Unfinished trim will also mean an additional fee to paint or stain unless you DIY that portion of the job.

Location

Your location matters because labor fees, which account for up to 50% of your total, can vary based largely on the local cost of living. Expect higher labor fees in areas with a high cost of living, like in and around major metropolitan areas.

Warranties

In most cases, home warranties do not cover interior doors, but depending on the age of your home and the reason for your door replacement, you might get a break on the all-in cost of your replacement if you have a homebuilders warranty.

How to estimate door installation costs

Since interior door installation costs can vary so widely based on multiple factors, it’s a good idea to follow the steps below to see how your particular project will compare to the average cost:

1. Count how many doors you have. Start by counting how many interior doors you want to replace. Multiply the average cost of $150 to $500 by the number of doors, and budget based on the full price. Some contractors will offer a discount if you’re replacing multiple doors, but avoid under-budgeting by ignoring this.
2. Decide on a door type. For budget-friendly installations, go with hollow-core doors. For doors in luxury homes, it’s usually best to choose solid wood doors. You can also match the other doors to what you already have if you’re not sure what you want. Add $50 to $150 if you want a solid-core door or $150 to $450 if you want a solid wood door.
3. Consider hardware upgrades and finishing. If you want the most affordable project possible, buy an unfinished door and stain or paint it yourself. Additionally, you should stick with the hardware that comes with the door. Otherwise, buy a finished door and consider upgrading the hardware to match what’s on your other interior doors.
4. Decide if you want to pay for disposal. You can bring your door to the dump yourself or put it out with your bulk garbage, but budget an additional $10 to $50 if you want your pro to haul it away for you.
5. Add a buffer to be safe. It’s always a good idea to add 10% to 15% to your total for budgeting purposes. This can cover unexpected repairs to damaged framing behind your old door. In the best-case scenario, it ends up being money back in your pocket.
6. Decide if you can DIY. Finally, decide if you can DIY to save on labor costs. For a slab door replacement, DIYing is easy and can save you $75 to $200. For a full-frame replacement, it’s possible to DIY, but hiring a pro is best. For new door installation, always hire a professional and expect to pay $450 to $1,500 extra for the added labor.

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FAQ

Bottom line

On average, replacing a single hollow-core door will cost you $150 to $500, including materials and labor. You’ll pay up to $150 more for a solid-core door and up to $450 more for a solid wood door. Pricing to install an interior door where you don’t already have one can push costs up to $2,000. Contact a local contractor to get a more customized estimate for your project.