How Much Does It Cost to Cut a Concrete Wall for a Door? [2025 Data]

Cutting Concrete for a Door Cost Factors

The final cost of installing a door in a concrete wall depends on a few things, such as the doorway's size and location and any structural changes you need to make to your home.

Doorway Size

The larger the door is, the more it will cost to prepare the site and get the work done. On average, you can expect to pay approximately $2,000 for every 36 inches across you need to cut. Larger types of doors mean more work is required to make sure your home can handle the change structurally, a higher expense for the labor, and a more expensive door.

For a standard exterior door, you can expect to pay $2,000 to have a structural engineer inspect your home and draw up plans, as well as a general contractor to complete the work. Cutting an opening for a double door or French door is going to push your total closer to $4,500.

Structural Engineer

Before breaking into a concrete foundation wall, you should consult with a local structural engineer to ensure the wall’s structural integrity can manage the project’s impact. You’ll pay between $350 and $800 for an inspection to confirm your project is safe to complete.

Structural engineer costs can climb up to $2,000 or more if you need them to make structural changes before proceeding with your project.

Type of Wall

Your cost will also depend on the type of wall you need to cut through. Standard concrete block walls are 8 inches thick and are partially hollow, so they’re relatively easy and fast to cut through.

Poured concrete block walls for deeper foundations are 10 or more inches thick and are solid, often with steel rebar that makes cutting take longer and increases labor costs. Brick foundation walls are similar in that they’re solid and have steel rebar running through them, so they’ll also be more expensive to cut through.

If you have interior load-bearing walls made out of concrete, you can expect prices to be similar based on whether they’re made of concrete blocks, poured concrete, or bricks.

Frame a New Doorway

Framing a new doorway opening costs between $300 and $600. When installing a load-bearing header, expect to pay on the higher end of that range. Framing a double door or French door will also push your costs higher, as both the materials and labor will be more expensive.

Door Installation 

The average labor rate to install the door in your concrete wall is about $70 per hour, ranging from $40 to $90 per hour. It can take a professional four to six hours to frame and install a door, while it might only take them one to three hours to install a prehung door. Expect a total of $500 to $1,600 for standard doors or $400 to $1,000 for a pre-hung door.

Permits

Most municipalities require building permits for any job that involves structural changes to your home, and cutting into a foundation wall or load-bearing concrete wall will fall into that category. Your contractor will pull permits for you and will normally schedule final inspections to close them out, but you’ll need to cover the permit costs. Permits for this type of project will cost between $50 and $250.

Location

The cost of any home improvement project is going to depend, in part, on where you live. Some states charge higher permitting fees, and labor costs will also vary based on the local cost of living. Major cities and coastal locations are going to have a higher cost to cut a concrete wall for a door than lower-cost areas.

Common Add-Ons

While you’re pricing out the cost to cut a concrete wall for a door, you may want to consider the following add-on services that can help you get even more value from your basement.

• Cost to remodel a basement: $12,000–$34,500

• Cost to add heating/cooling to a basement: $2,000–$8,000

• Cost to install an exterior patio: $2,000–$6,000

• Cost to install basement windows: $200–$5,000 per window

• Cost to remove interior walls: $1,000–$10,000

• Cost to install a second kitchen: $9,750–$19,500

DIY vs. Hiring a Pro to Cut an Exterior Wall for a Door

While cutting into concrete might seem like a straightforward job, it can be challenging and dangerous, especially when it comes to making a large opening in your foundation. Not only will you need help from a structural engineer in many cases, but the labor itself to do the work is time-intensive and requires special equipment to do safely.

We strongly recommend hiring both an engineer and a contractor to do the work for you, even if you feel comfortable DIYing. Any mistakes when dealing with your home’s foundation can lead to expensive structural damage that could leave you with a higher cost for repairs than any amount you’d save. 

5 Ways You Can Save Money on the Cost to Cut a Concrete Wall for a Door

Cutting a door opening in your foundation wall can quickly get expensive, but there are a few things you can do to help keep the project costs down.

• Install the door yourself. If you’re comfortable framing out and installing a pre-hung door, you can save up to $1,000 by doing this portion of the work yourself after the structural work is done.

• Get multiple quotes. Contractors in your area will all charge different prices for the work. Shop around and make sure you’re getting a qualified professional who fits your budget.

• Consider tackling add-on projects DIY style. If you’re installing a door in your foundation wall to rent out the space, consider doing the interior work yourself, like installing flooring, hanging drywall, painting, and more.

• Choose your door location carefully. Cutting into your foundation wall can double or triple in price if you run into utility lines. If possible, choose to install your basement door in a section where you know major plumbing and electrical lines aren’t located.

• Stick to a standard, single door. Larger wall openings and doors will always be more expensive, so you can save $1,000 or more just by going with a standard single door over a double door or French doors.