"How to" HELP! I need to replace my exterior patio door.

3 years ago

I currently have a double, exterior patio door (pictured.) I would like to replace it with a single, standard exterior door (pictured.) I had a contractor come by for an estimate and the fee seemed absurdly high in my opinion ($1000 dollars solely for labor.) I did the YouTube watching that everyone does and it seems like a DIY task. Anyone know enough to say whether I am on the right path?

King and Jack stud for new opening. Refit header and cripple studs for new opening. Ensure level floor for floor-plate. Zip sheathing on the exterior - tape and roll seams. Use z-stretch tape around corners. Avoid t-joint above door frame. Flashing edge under door frame. Ledger flashing at least 1 ft up both sides of door opening - use appropriate adhesive. Insulate between stud bays. Enclose with drywall - tape and mud. Trim door frame. Attach siding.

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PRO

GN Builders L.L.C

3 years ago

If you are handy enough you can probably do it.

You don't need to touch the header, you have to replace the header only if you going from a single door to a double.

Pack the opening, put sheeting and insulation, and do what needs to be done as siding goes, everything else is drywall, tape, and painting.

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Comments (12)

krissie55
3 years ago
If you are handy building things, I am sure you can make these changes. If not real handy, you would be better off hiring it done.
calidesign
3 years ago
An exterior door doesn't seem like a DYI project, but I guess it depends on your knowledge and skills. I hope you've thought about how much light you're going to lose. Most projects would be going the other direction, unless you need to expand cabinets or something, but even then, why not use a single glass door?
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User
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
How are you gonna not have this look like a big ugly patch? Do you not plan on *correct* flashing?
PRO
HALLETT & Co.
3 years ago
New framing. Patching drywall I side and replacing casing and baseboards. Insulation. New casings, flashing, and siding on the exterior. Prices are up 50% for most building supplies. $1000 seems low
D B
3 years ago
$1000 for labor only is fair to low for this level of work. I just quoted the replacement of a patio door with no extras for $300 labor.
t_wilhel10
Original Author
3 years ago
While I appreciate the time everyone has taken to give some feedback, I'm afraid the point is lost - Notice that I said the price seemed high in my very own solitary opinion which led me to deciding it is a task to do myself. I also did not ask about second-guessing any design choices. My question solely lies in the DIY portion from those who are versed in the trade - whether my plan of attack is correct. Thank you.
D B
3 years ago
The listed steps you have noted are good.

I would not describe this as a DIY project. There are so many different skills used for this project that are developed with experience. Can you do this? Yes. Would I recommend it? No. It falls under the "If you have to ask, then the answer is no".

It's hard to display sincerity on a typed response like this. So, please don't read this like I'm being snarky. I sincerely think you could regret taking it on yourself.

Best of luck.
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
3 years ago
"I did the YouTube watching that everyone does and it seems like a DIY task. Anyone know enough to say whether I am on the right path?"

It depends on your level of DIY. This is intermediate/advanced class stuff. A thousand bucks is a deal.
Seabornman
3 years ago
If you don't have ZIP sheathing on the rest of your house, it may not make sense to use that (now very expensive) product. You could use regular OSB or plywood, and felt. Are you on a concrete slab or wood framing? Your description seems to imply you're going to re-frame the header. You can just fill in the existing opening unless there's some other reason, like the rough opening needs to be taller. I'd say it's a DIY project, but I think they all are.
Lyndee Lee
3 years ago
This sounds to me like 4 separate jobs
Remove and dispose of existing door, insulate and sheath opening $150
Install new door and lockset $250
Install new exterior trim and siding, cutting back existing to weave in matching product $300
Install drywall, tape, 3 coats of mud, prime and finish coat entire wall with matching paint $300
In each case, you would have a difficult time finding someone to do a high quality job for the amount shown, so a package deal at $1,000 is not high. Especially because now you don't have anyone pointing fingers at the other guys to justify questionable results. You have only one person responsible for making it appear that door opening has not been altered.

Now, yes, this could be a DIY job but you probably need to spend some money on proper tools. Some people use the cost of hiring out the job to justify the price of additional or upgraded tools (like me!). You probably don't have the six foot level and may need to buy or upgrade a miter saw for the trim work.