Door services

The single biggest split in this trade is prehung versus slab. A prehung unit is a door already hung in a new frame with hinges and threshold attached — it costs more and takes longer, but it fixes a rotted, racked or out-of-square opening. A slab swap reuses your existing frame and only makes sense if that frame is straight, dry and solid. Contractors who only quote slab work on a visibly damaged frame are quoting a problem back to you.

Exterior work is not just carpentry. A correctly installed exterior door needs flashing, a sill pan, insulation or foam in the shim gap, and sealant in the right places. That water-management detail is what stops the sill rotting out in five years. Ask any bidder to describe how they will flash the opening. A vague answer is a real signal.

Small jobs are often worth doing before you replace anything. Drafts, sticking and a door that will not latch are usually hinge, strike-plate, threshold or weatherstrip issues, not a dead door. Fixing those is a service call, not a replacement project.

How to choose

Replacement vs. repair

If the door itself is sound and only the seal, latch alignment or threshold is bad, ask for a repair quote first. Sagging on the hinge side is the most common cause of a door that will not latch, and it is often a hinge-screw fix.

Prehung vs. slab

Get both priced if your frame looks good. If there is any soft wood at the sill or the jamb, insist on prehung — a new slab in a rotted frame will fail.

Who does the exterior finishing

Confirm in writing who handles interior trim, exterior casing, paint or stain, and siding patching. This is the most common source of 'that wasn't in the quote' disputes.

Hardware and locks

Some door companies do not rekey or install smart locks and will subcontract to a locksmith. Ask up front, so you are not left with a new door and no working key.

Check the license before signing

Contractor licensing is state- and sometimes county-level; there is no national database. Ask for the license number and look it up on your state board, and confirm the status is active and the classification covers this work.