Depending on style and size, it costs between $600 and $10,000 to replace a patio door
From one side, the patio door is your portal to relaxation, and from the other, it’s the gateway to the family nest. Whether you’re coming or going, it’s important that it creates the right effect. If you’re a homeowner looking to give your old entryway a facelift, the range of available styles can make it difficult to know how much you should spend when replacing your patio door.
On average, homeowners pay $2,500 to replace their patio door, though the style they choose has a massive impact on your final cost. This guide examines all the costs involved, so you can spend less time puzzling over the price of glass panels and more time enjoying hamburgers and cold ones with your family.
What Factors Influence the Cost to Replace a Patio Door?
There are a few factors that go into your final price of a new patio door.
Replacing Parts of a Patio Door
Sometimes a door requires an upgrade to a particular form or function without necessitating the installation of a whole new one. Here’s what you can expect to pay for common adjustments:
Glass: Ranges between $150–$1,000, including labor, depending on surface area and any additional features, such as tempered or energy-efficient glass.
Sliding panel: The cost to replace a single panel in a sliding glass door costs between $450–$700.
Rollers: To replace the rollers that keep sliding glass, well, sliding, homeowners pay between $20–$40 in parts and between $75–$140 for professional labor, for a total average range between $95–$170.
Knob or Handle: If your patio door needs a new handle or knob, the average cost for a DIY job falls between $40– $100. Or, if you wish to bring in a professional, between $120–$250.
Replacing a Full Patio Door
If your existing patio door frame is in good shape and you simply need to install a new door, you should expect to pay between $600 and $5,000 for a new sliding patio door, depending on the shape and size of the entryway. This range is for a standard patio door and doesn’t include anything fancy, such as a bi-fold door, which is much pricier.
How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Patio Door Yourself?
Whether or not you bring in a pro, the bulk of the job’s costs will be on your materials. The average costs for labor in patio door replacement run between $400 and $1,400—so if you’ll be handling these tasks yourself, knock that off your total estimate.
Most experts recommend hiring a contractor to replace a patio door. This is not because of market capture by Big Door, but rather because installing a patio door involves all sorts of precision work, with many little steps that create ample opportunity for irrevocable error.
Patio Door Replacement Cost Breakdown
The final tab for any patio door replacement reflects costs from a number of different stages in the process.
Disposal
Before considering the costs of installing a new patio door or replacing old parts, homeowners must contend with the costs of disposal. Legally dumping the waste can run between $100 and $400.
The Frame
If your old door frame is rotted, damaged, or simply in need of an upgrade, you will have to pay for a new one. The prices depend on the type of materials into which your door is fitted.
Vinyl: The average cost is between $300–$800, with larger sizes running between $800–$1,200.
Aluminum: The typical aluminum frame will cost $600–$1,000 to replace, and larger ones between $1,000–$2,000.
Fiberglass: Replacing a standard fiberglass frame costs $800–$1,800, while a bigger one costs between $1,800–$3,500.
Wood: The costliest option for patio doors, an average-sized wood frame goes for $1,500–$2,500, with larger frames costing between $2,500–$5,000.
The New Door
The new door will constitute the bulk of the cost of any patio door replacement. Depending on the size and style of the door, the charges will run between $400 and $10,000.
Labor
Unless you’re an old hand at this specific kind of work, it’s recommended you bring in a local contractor to help install your new door. On average, the costs for labor are between $400 and $1,400.
The significant variation in average labor costs reflects the wide array of factors that can affect it, from specialty materials to the particular conditions of your patio. One way to save on installation is to opt for a pre-hung door, which will raise your costs at the checkout counter but reduce the load on your checkbook when it’s time to pay the contractor.
How Much Do Patio Doors Cost by Style?
With the new frame in place, you’re ready to tackle your brand new patio door. The prices here depend entirely on the style and materials of the patio door best suited to your home.
Sliding Doors
The typical total cost of replacing a sliding glass door ranges between $1,000 and $3,000.
Inspired by traditional Japanese fusuma bamboo room dividers, sliding doors are often a great choice for patios where space is at a premium. The standard two-panel sliding door is the most cost-effective option, with material costs ranging from $300 to $1,500; three-panel sliding doors run between $700 and $3,000; and deluxe, four-panel sliding doors commanding between $2,000 and $5,000.
This usually breaks down to $10 to $50 per square foot for materials and $250 to $1,650 for a professional glass door installer.
French Doors
Patio owners who wish to cultivate more stately digs typically opt for French doors, which lend a classical symmetry to the threshold. At the lowest end, French doors will cost you $400, and at the top of the market, $4,000 for larger sizes, more elegant designs, and custom configurations.
Bi-fold Doors
Accordion-style folding doors are a less common means of patio ingress and egress, perhaps because they are the most expensive—but no other type of door offers a wider opening. Replacing them will cost between $3,000 and $10,000, at $500 and $900 per linear square foot.
Telescoping Doors
Another type of multi-panel door, telescoping patio doors are made up of three or more sections that all move independently, allowing for a range of different configurations. The average price for adding them to your patio is between $1,500 and $5,000.
FAQs About Patio Door Replacement
What other costs should I consider when replacing a patio door?
The replacement or upgrade of any exterior doorway can sometimes make evident complex—and often costly—issues, such as structural problems or accessibility considerations. There are also some more concrete factors to keep in mind when reimaging the passageway from patio to home.
Screen doors: Letting the cool air in while keeping insects and other pests out, a screen door is an almost essential addition to your patio. The cost of installing or replacing a screen door falls between $100 and $1,500. If your patio is on the smaller end, you might instead consider installing a retractable screen door.
Insulation: Like any door, your patio door creates the opportunity for hot or cold air to leak in and out of the house, raising your energy bills. If this is a worry, consider adding additional insulation to your new patio door, which typically runs between $300 and $600.
Security: To make sure that your patio door doesn’t become the easiest means of ingress for a watchful burglar, you’ll want to install a deadbolt or a dual-point locking system, to the tune of somewhere between $30 and $300.
What other projects should I do at the same time?
While you’re replacing your patio door, make sure to get your outdoor space barbecue-season-ready. Clean your patio, plant a nearby flower bed, and decorate your space with comfy patio furniture.
