Why Are Exterior & Interior Doors So Expensive? [Find Out]

The doors are nothing much then a simple piece of wood or other material that sticks to the opening of an office or house. If that’s what you think, then clearly you don’t understand the price point behind a door. And it seems expensive to you.

I’ll confess, at one point that was me. But not anymore. Because now I know that this simple piece actually is made with a lot of purpose and thoughts in mind.

So exactly why are doors so expensive? The common factors include –

• Material
• Hardware quality
• Install and labor cost
• Using trim, jamb, and glass
• Door design
• Dimension of the door
• Brand name
• Benefits of warranty
• Shipping and freight cost
• Door type

Keep on reading as I’ll break these down in detail. Here I Go! 

Exactly Why Are Doors So Expensive – 10 Key Reasons

Doors can become expensive for a few reasons that a lot of times folks overlook. To get familiar with these, here are the details:

#1 Raw Material Used

One of the common reasons that affect the door cost drastically is raw materials. If the door is made of wood in ideal grade, the cost gets $2,000 to $4,000 for both exterior and interior use.

Then again, the door built out of glass in 3 panes or layers will cost $2,000 to $3,000 for the same purpose. 

On the other hand, if the material is plastic or composite, the cost of the door will be not more than $200 to $700.

You can see the raw materials do affect the pricing of doors. The higher grade of raw material will boast the cost and make the door expensive.

#2 Quality Of The Hardware

In all doors, you’ll find the locks, knobs, hinges, bolts, nuts, and other components that add functionality. If the quality of these parts is great, the door price will increase.

The metal used to build these components can affect the pricing of the doors. For example, if the lock is made with solid A-grade metal, then this will boost the value of the door.

Similarly, there are different types of locks like night latch, rim, mortise, and so on. Each type of lock can change the market price of the door too!

#3 Labor and Installation Process

Experts detect that the market value of the door can increase if the labor and installation process during the manufacturing period requires more effort.

The more labor is required to make a product, the price of it will immediately raise. In the same way, the door price will increase if counting the installation process to fit in a specific location.

#4 Adding Trim, Glass, & Jamb

If counting the interior and front doors with glass, trim, and jamb, the price tag of them will raise. It’s because the additional feature like trim, glass, and jamb in the simple door requires the effort of an expert carpenter to make a clean look by installing these through nailing.

Including these changes on the door require both skill and effort which adds up to $100 to $160 to the original price.

So, if the door cost $2,000, then counting the trim, glass, and jamb will make it $3,500 or more. And that’s how the door gets expensive!

#5 Design Of The Door

There are great options for design in the door such as vision, narrow lite, half glass, 2 panels, 4 panels, 8 panels, Dutch, and so on. 

If the layout of the door is complex, it will raise the price range. This happens when you are buying a customizable door.

To put it clearly, you’ll see the most expensive door on the market contain various design that adds value and beauty to a home.

#6 Door Dimension

Another thing that adds to the expense of the door is nothing but the size. In general, the length, height, and depth of the door affect the price massively.

In the store, the small door with a narrow depth will charge less than the large door with a thick depth. The difference in price occurs as the larger door requires more raw materials.

#7 Brand Effect

The location where you get the door does affect the price of the door. It happens due to the branding facility of the door.

For example, if you purchase the door from Lowes or Home Depot, the price will be around $6,500 or more. Then again, the doors from the non-branded spot will cost less due to no brand effect.

Plus, the branded doors need to have the qualities to be called one of the best in the market. For that, they ensure to provide ideal doors with unique designs, unlike others. To make these doors, the brand requires to increase the price too!

#8 Warranty Assurance

Additional facilities like a warranty will increase the price tag of the door. It’s due to the assurance that the door will last for a certain period without showing any damage.

This kind of assurance requires professional testing and grade checking that increases the selling price. 

During the procedure, the carpenter requires to make changes to the door if something seems wrong which causes the door to become expensive.

#9 Packaging & Freight

The term packaging and freight will raise the cost of the door’s original price. If the door needs to be shipped aboard or in difficult locations, then the carpenter will need to pack the door in a decent way so it can bear the consequences.

During this kind of situation, the door will cost differently as manufacturers require to pack the door more carefully using the packaging stuff. And so, the costs of packing and freight linked with shipping aboard will include in the selling price.

#10 Types Of Door

Based on the type (like the garage, shower, barn, composite, and so on), some doors will cost more. This happens because people look for doors for different purposes to get desired security and comfort.

All these qualities in one door can be accomplished through customization. However, this will require fitting top-notch components and best-grade material that cost a lot. That’s how the door gets costly.

How Much A Door Costs Based On Its Type

The price of the interior and exterior doors will be different depending on the type. To understand the door cost, look beneath:

Interior Door	Price (Per Foot)	Exterior Door	Price (Per Foot)
Dutch door	$200 – $800	Siding door	$1,000 – $4,000
French door	$200 – $2,000	French door	$300 – $3,000
Flush door	$20 – $200	Pre-hung door	$250 – $2,500
Pivot door	$400 – $3,000	Accordion door	$600 – $1,500
Panel door	$500 – $2,000	Garage door	$550 – $1,700
Bi-fold door	$100 – $2,000	Slab door	$100 – $500
Pocket door	$60 – $1,000	Fiberglass door	$200 – $1,500
Accordion door	$700 – $1,000	Steel door	$500 – $1,500
Roller door	$600 (single) – $1,400 (dual)	Patio door	$300 – $2,000
Barn door	$300 – $2,000	Wood door	$400 – $1,500

Frequently Asked Questions

How much should you spend on an entry door?

You can expect to spend up to $1,000 to $2000 for entry doors on average. If thinking of quality doors, then it can cost $4,000 including installation and part costs.

What are the most expensive doors?

Out of all, the most expensive door in the world is none other than the Gioconda Shine door from Bucharest which cost almost $35,000.

Are doors a good investment?

According to most experts, the doors are a good investment if they can grant security and comfort for long period.

Overall Thoughts

Having a clear idea on the costs of the doors will eventually help you find the right door for your purpose at the right price point.

Also mostly, the customizable changes of doors are the main reason for the high price tag. Other than this, the raw material, labor, and installation process can also add expense to the door.

Hope this piece of information was helpful. See You In My Next Guide!