Blog

When you look into door replacement cost here in Birmingham, AL, you'll quickly see that the biggest factors in the price are the type of door, your material choice, the size and shape of the door, and the installation details. Here's generally what to expect. Door Replacement Cost Factors in Birmingham, AL Type of Door more An entry door will usually cost less than a patio unit, for example, because the structural demands and size differ. A basic single entry door often falls between $500 and $2,500 installed, while double doors or larger patio styles can climb to $1,500–$6,500 or more. Sliding or hinged patio doors add expense because of the glass area and the need for stronger framing. Material Steel doors are often the cheapest and can be as little as $200–$600 for the unit itself. They give you excellent security with modest upkeep requirements. Of course, for residential doors particularly, the look of steel is typically not preferred. Fiberglass sits in the middle range at roughly $300–$2,000 and gives you better insulation plus a wood-like appearance without the maintenance that wood requires. Solid wood door prices can push past $500–$2,500 for the door alone, and they also require regular sealing to protect them from humidity and temperature swings. Iron doors or doors with highly decorative options are even more expensive. Size and Shape A common 36-by-80-inch single door is standard and the cheapest. If you need anything wider, taller, or shaped to fit an irregular opening, that usually requires special fabrication and extra labor, so that's going to add to your costs. Pre-hung doors that arrive already mounted in a new frame cost more up front than a slab door that you can simply hang in the existing jamb, but in the end, going the pre-hung route often ends up saving you time and money because there's less chance that you'll run into an alignment problem. Condition of Your Frame Speaking of the frame, if the existing jamb is square, solid, and has no rot or water damage, you can often keep it and simply swap out the door slab. When the frame has shifted, is rotted, or if it no longer seals properly, then you're talking about doing a full removal and replacement. Frame work alone can add $130–$650 or more to the cost, plus the time to rebuild the rough opening and restore the surrounding trim or siding. Special Features If you want a special feature on your door, that will usually cost more. Energy-efficiency features, for example, will raise the initial price. However, they do also lower your operating costs over the life of the door. Foam-core insulation, low-E glass, multi-pane units, and tight weatherstripping improve the U-factor and reduce heat transfer: an ENERGY STAR-rated exterior door can actually cut your heating and cooling costs by as much as 13% compared with an older, non-certified unit, depending on the precise situation. Call Us Today! Visit us online at EcoView Windows & Doors in Birmingham, AL or call us at 205-547-6075 to get a free quote on your new door. Our in-house licensed and insured installers handle the entire job, and we offer a lifetime limited warranty and available 12-month no-interest financing.

If you're shopping for new front doors here in Birmingham, AL, here's what you need to know about the features to look for. Top Features of Quality Front Doors more Energy Efficiency A good door cuts down on drafts and keeps your heating and cooling costs in check. Look for models with a thick foam core that provides solid insulation, weatherstripping along the edges, an adjustable threshold seal, and an ENERGY STAR rating. If the door is glass or has glass in it, look for Low-E glass as this blocks unwanted heat gain without keeping natural light from coming in. Security Features Security starts with solid construction and a multi-point locking system that engages the door to the frame at several spots instead of just at one deadbolt location. This makes it much harder for someone to kick or pry it open. Reinforced strike plates and heavy-duty hinges add extra strength where it counts most. Steel doors deliver the greatest impact resistance, but quality fiberglass versions are usually fine for the average homeowner. You should also check for impact-rated glass if your door includes sidelights or transoms. Durability A durable door will keep working and looking good despite rain, heat, and humidity swings. Fiberglass doors are perfect in this regard. They resist warping, cracking, and fading and don't swell like wood does. Steel doors offer strong structural integrity and hold their paint finishes well overall, but they will need proper coatings to avoid rust and might need that coating reapplied before a fiberglass door would. Design Options Your front door sets the tone for the whole house, so look for doors from providers who can offer a range of panel configurations, glass inserts or sidelights, and plenty of styles to choose from in the hardware (like handles, knockers, and hinges). You should have enough variety to choose from that it's easy to match your home's architecture while also getting the other features you need. Professional Installation The most awesome door in the world won't do what you need if it isn't installed correctly. Getting a perfect, precise fit will mean there are no gaps that let weather sneak in or that compromise your efficiency and security. Hire in-house crews who know to measure twice and use factory-approved techniques. This will ensure you avoid the problems that can come when you have cheap subcontractors rushing the job. A good crew will handle everything from removing the old unit to finishing the trim, so your home stays clean and protected during the process. When installation is done correctly, you'll also avoid any issues with losing coverage under the manufacturer's warranty. Choosing a new front door is about balancing all these practical features so the one you choose works as hard as you expect it to and looks the way you want it to. Visit us now at EcoView Windows & Doors in Birmingham, AL and explore our huge range of customizable options. Our local team delivers expert installation throughout Jefferson and Shelby Counties and is backed by a lifetime limited warranty.

Fiberglass and steel entry doors both have advantages, especially over traditional wooden doors. They are resilient, they don't warp and crack like wood, and they tend to last longer. But they do differ. Here's how to choose between fiberglass doors and steel doors for your Vestavia Hills, AL home. Fiberglass Doors more Fiberglass doors generally come with a higher initial price tag, and you should expect to pay between $500 and $2000, including installation. However, these doors have virtually no upkeep requirements and excellent energy performance. They are very durable against dents, they don't rust, they can't rot, and they rarely warp. This makes them an excellent choice for our extremely hot and humid climate. Energy efficiency is a particular plus with fiberglass. These doors have a foam core insulation, which helps to lower cooling costs and gives you a higher thermal rating on the door itself. They are also reliably secure, though they are not as resistant to force as a steel door, which we will get into in a minute. Finally, fiberglass comes in a wide variety of finishes and styles, so you can get exactly the look you want for your home. You can even get doors that mimic the look of natural wood. These doors should easily last you anywhere from 20 to 50 years. Steel Doors Steel doors, by contrast, are more budget-friendly. The average price, with installation, runs more like $300-$1500. The other big plus to a steel door is the strength and resistance to impact. If it's critical to you that no one be able to kick down your door, steel is absolutely the thing to have. However, they are more susceptible to denting and even rust (if the surface is scratched) than fiberglass is, and that can be an issue in our humid conditions. Maintenance is pretty low with steel, but it is important that you address any surface damage you see very quickly so you won't get any rust. Steel doors have a more limited range of aesthetic choices, but they also naturally have a clean and practical design that appeals to some homeowners. They provide decent insulation with their polyurethane cores, but they usually are not as good as fiberglass in that way. How to Decide Now that you know more, you probably already have an idea of what will be best, but generally speaking, fiberglass is the best pick if you're concerned about energy efficiency and being able to get a design that really matches your home and aesthetic preferences. Steel is the best choice if security is of the utmost concern or where budget is a big consideration. To learn more about these doors or other types of entry doors, and to see all the options and how they might look on your home, talk to us at EcoView Windows & Doors in Vestavia Hills and request a free quote. We even offer options from Alabama Power that let you combine your payments with your power bill for easy convenience.

Upgrading your residential doors might seem like a simple thing, but it's a great way to enhance the security of your Vestavia Hills, AL home. Modern doors have options that are more durable than doors have ever been and come with features that effectively deter intruders. Upgrading Your Vestavia Hills, AL Residential Doors: Best Options more Materials Steel is the best choice if home security is important to you because it's extremely resistant to forced entry. Steel doors also don't warp with temperature changes and come with a baked-on finish that is rust-resistant and won't fade. Another solid door material option is fiberglass. You can get a fiberglass door that looks like wood, but it will offer much better resistance to impact. These doors are lightweight but strong, and fiberglass doesn't expand and contract with the humidity. That means it stays snug in the frame. And if you really want a wooden door, there are still some options. Solid hardwood doors are decently substantial, but make sure you're looking at oak, mahogany, or walnut. Also look for wooden doors that have been reinforced with internal support. Designs Anything with a reinforced core is especially effective for security because the reinforcement distributes any force brought against it across the whole door, making it much harder to break through. You also want to minimize the use of glass on the door, because windows and glass are always a weak point. For patio doors, look for interlocking rails and reinforced tracks so the door can't just be lifted out or derailed. This is a big vulnerability in older sliding door models. French doors have a double panel and can now be had with heavy-duty hinges and a vertical strip that seals the gap between the panels for an extra defense layer. Features First, look at doors that have multipoint locking mechanisms integrated right into the door itself. The idea here is to engage locks at several places along the frame rather than just one. This makes it much harder to jimmy. Reinforced strike plates are also important. These attach to the frame of the door and secure the latch or the bolt, making it harder to kick the door in. Make sure that if you have a peephole it has a wide-angle lens that lets you see visitors clearly without opening anything up. It's also wise to look for a door that has a reinforced core around the view hole so it doesn't become a weak point. If you do really want a glass in your door, make sure to get impact-resistant glazing. Finally, pay attention to the hinges. If your door swings outward, then the hinges are exposed, so you'll want to get hinges with non-removable pins so the door can't just be taken off. For help choosing the right secure door for your home, contact us today at EcoView Windows & Doors in Birmingham, AL. We offer free quotes and can help you find the right door for your home and your peace of mind.

Replacing your entry door is one of the smartest upgrades a homeowner can make. It gives you instant curb appeal, and for a lot of us it also means better security and noticeable energy savings. Your front door is the focal point of your home's exterior and sets the tone for everything else. If you're a Birmingham, AL, homeowner looking into door replacement, here's what you need to know. What to Know About Birmingham, AL Entry Door Replacement more It'll Improve Your Home Value Getting a fresh entry door is among the top projects for boosting the perceived value of your home. Guests arrive feeling invited, neighbors take notice, and you get instant satisfaction every time you pull up. It Improves Security Security is a very important reason to replace an aging door. Modern entry systems have reinforced cores, multi-point locking mechanisms, and impact-resistant materials, and they're made of materials like steel and fiberglass that can resist forced entry much better than worn wood. Advanced deadbolts and smart locks add more layers of protection. You'll sleep easier knowing your primary barrier against intruders is as safe as you can make it. It Keeps Things Cooler (and Warmer) Energy efficiency has improved dramatically in the most recent designs for entry doors. Older doors tended to allow significant air leakage, but today's insulated cores, tight weatherstripping, and low-E glass options minimize heat transfer in both directions. That goes a long way towards keeping your indoor temperatures stable and reducing those utility bills year-round. What Type of Door to Choose Fiberglass dominates right now, and there's a good reason for that. For one, they're remarkably versatile. Fiberglass can mimic the rich grain of wood easily, it resists warping and cracking, and it won't fade even in a harsh climate. Steel is another good choice. It offers unbeatable strength and affordability, and you can get insulated versions that give you excellent thermal protection. Wood is still a classic, of course, and is still great if you want a particular custom staining, though it demands more upkeep to prevent rot. Many homeowners now lean toward fiberglass for the ideal balance, though. It withstands dents, holds paint beautifully, and delivers wood-like aesthetics with superior durability and safety. Hardware Choices Don't forget about what goes on your door! Brushed nickel, oil-rubbed bronze, and matte black are the most common types of hardware you'll see in modern showrooms, and that's because they complement all kinds of traditional and contemporary door styles. You'll also want to think about whether you want smart locks, what types of grip you want for the handleset, and whether kick plates are important to you. To see all the options and get some advice on what's going to work best for your home while providing the features you need, contact us now at EcoView Windows & Doors in Birmingham, AL. We pride ourselves on offering expert installation, customized solutions that work for your needs, and the best financing you'll get anywhere.