How Much Does Door Repair Cost? [2024 Data]

Door Repair Cost Factors

The cost of door repair varies quite a bit because there are many cost factors that can play a role in your total repair cost.

Labor Cost

Labor will account for the majority of your door repair costs, as the materials necessary to carry out the repair are affordable, but the work is often time-consuming. It’s not uncommon for 70% to 90% of your total to go toward the labor alone.

Labor costs will vary by project, so a repair job that takes longer—like repairing a hole in our door—will typically cost more than replacing a door knob or fixing a faulty or noisy hinge.

Materials

Between 10% and 25% of your total door repair cost will usually go toward the materials necessary for the repair, and this number will vary based on the quality of the materials. For example, replacing a high-end decorative door knob or a smart door lock might cost you $50 to $300, whereas replacing a broken door hinge might only total $5 to $20.

Disposal

If your door repair technician needs to dump broken pieces of your door or ends up having to replace the door entirely, you might have to pay a small fee for the disposal of the old materials. These fees will only contribute a small amount to your project, usually no more than $20. That number can climb if you’re repairing or replacing multiple doors, though.

Door Material 

The type of door you have is going to be a significant cost factor because it’s easier to work with and repair certain materials, and the materials themselves might cost less than others.

For example, repairing a glass door or a solid oak door is likely going to be more expensive than repairing a hollow-core door. The design of your door matters, as well. If you need a repair on a simple, standard closet door, you can reasonably expect to pay less than if you’re looking for repairs for a pocket door or sliding door.

Hollow-core doors—a style consisting of thin wood and paperboard or plastic—are the cheapest to repair with an average range of $75 to $250. Other light materials like vinyl and aluminum are also cheap to repair, starting around $85 and working up to $275 on average.

The heavier the door material, the more expensive to repair and replace. Fixing a solid wood or solid steel door runs about $100 to $300. That’s around the same price as repairing a glass door; however, glass doors tend to be larger, so repairs may cross into a higher threshold. Wrought-iron doors tend to be durable, but if a repair is needed it costs around $250 to $275. Solid oak doors with beveled glass are the most expensive to fix, costing $1,000 or more.

Door Type

If your door is too badly damaged and is beyond repair, you’ll need a full replacement, which will almost always cost more than a repair. New doors cost around $1,100, on average, with prices ranging from $500 for a standard, interior door, up to $2,000 or so to repair a wood exterior door. Prices can go up to $6,000 or more for certain styles of door.

The table below includes some typical pricing to replace different types of doors.

Amount of Damage

Naturally, the extent of the damage to your door will affect your repair costs, with major damage like broken glass or a large hole in the door totaling more than a loose door knob or a door that won’t swing open and closed with ease.

Where You Live

As is the case with all home improvement projects, the cost you’ll pay for door repair will depend in part on your location. In high-cost areas, the prices of door repair will tend to be higher to account for the higher cost of living. The table below includes some average door repair costs in major cities across the United States.

Door Repair Cost by Type

There are many types of doors—some seal in our home with multiple locks while others simply close off the pantry and offer no security. The price you’ll pay for door repair will depend on the type of door you have.

Exterior Door Repairs

The majority of exterior entryways come with solid wood or steel doors, often with multiple locks and latches. When these doors face problems, the safety and comfort of our homes are on the line. For this reason, repairs cost between $350 and $1,050 on average.

On the other hand, fixing a screen door on your home’s exterior can cost as low as $45 to $55.

Interior and Hollow-Core Doors

Hollow-core doors are the lighter-weight varieties often found inside your home. You'll rarely, if ever, find hollow doors facing the exterior. Solid interior doors are made exclusively from wood, are heavier, and tend to cost more to repair. Both solid and hollow doors cost a bit less to fix than most exterior doors, typically between $350 and $650 depending on the extent of the repair. For major fixes, you may be better off replacing the interior door for an average cost of $400.

Unique Door Materials

The material of your door will also play a role in the price tag, especially if the design requires a specialist. For example, steel and wrought-iron doors often cost more to repair than traditional oak doors, not only because the material is harder to work with but also because it may demand help from a metal worker or a door repair technician with more experience.

Cost to Fix a Door by Type of Repair

A broken door can mean many things. Hardware, like locks and doorknobs, can wear down over time, doors become dented, and a door can even slowly come off its hinges or refuse to fit into its frame on a hot, humid day.

When working with a professional, begin by considering the hourly rate for labor. Depending on the cost of living in your area, this can range anywhere from $30 to $120 an hour for a general contractor or door specialist.

And while there are a few smaller projects to take on yourself, it's typically best to leave door repairs to professionals who understand their often complex mechanisms. This is especially true when it comes to exterior doors that provide security.

Holes, Dents, and Dings

Small dents and dings appear on doors from rogue baseballs, enthusiastic dogs, or even the occasional hail storm. If you have a small dent on a wooden door, pick up some wood filler putty for about $15 and consider doing the work yourself to save some money.

Larger holes and dents should be left to professionals, especially if you have a solid steel or glass door. Most small holes will cost between $50 and $100 to fix, but assume an average of $1,000 if the door needs replacing.

Sticking Doors

Doors that won’t open or close properly are one of the most common complaints from homeowners. In most cases, the door has either swollen from moisture, or its upper hinge screws have loosened or worn down.

Purchase sandpaper for between $5 and $15 to sand off the sticking edge until the door closes smoothly. Add the hourly rate for labor if you bring in a professional to check out the sagging or sticking issues with interior or exterior doors. Typically, the cost to plane a door is around $110.

In some cases, all you need to do is check to see if dirt and debris have collected in your door track. If that’s the case. You can clean your sliding door tracks with soap and water—or baking soda and vinegar if the track’s particularly dirty.

Sagging Doors

A sagging door is easy to spot and often easy to fix. Sagging occurs when the side of the door opposite the hinges droops unevenly and leaves a noticeable gap between the door and the frame. Sometimes all you need to do is tighten the hinge screws to remedy the issue. 

If that doesn’t work, replace the hinge screws with new screws that are at least 1.5 inches long. You can find a pack of these for $5 to $20. Another option is to replace the hinges, which cost between $8 and $50, depending on the quality. The final tip before calling in professional help is to add shims—$5 to $10—behind the hinges.

Hardware Replacement

Doors attach to the wall with hardware such as hinges, locks, latching strikes, and weatherstrips. Repairing or replacing these items can range from $80 to $480 depending on the complexity and quality of the hardware. You might pay toward the lower end of that range for simple hinges for a hollow-core door, or toward the higher end to repair or replace hardware for a sliding barn door.

Doorknob installation, on the other hand, can cost as little as $30 to $50 for hardware plus the cost of a pro's hourly rate. You should note that some contractors require a minimum base rate for small jobs.

Door Frame Repair

Fixing or extending door frames taps into more complex repairs. If you need to add to your current framing, you may need to incorporate renovation costs—including frames that interfere with siding, wiring, and insulation.

Door frames can also rot over time, especially in older homes or materials susceptible to mold and insects. Overall, door frame issues will cost between $350 and $850 or $7 to $16 per square foot.

Your price could go higher if you need to account for the cost to replace a door frame or for wall repair around the framework. Drywall repairs will tend to be less expensive than plaster repair, but both can add to your door repair price.

Door Removal

Looking to get rid of a door altogether? Professionals will charge an average of $70 to remove a door as well as about $25 for disposal fees.

Reinstalling a Door

In the most extreme cases, you might need your door reinstalled, as in the case of a break-in or if emergency personnel need to break down your door to get access to your house in a hurry. In these cases, the cost to re-install hardware and your door will cost an average of $350, or in the thousands for door and frame replacement. If your door is kicked in, expect some frame repairs to fix the damaged framing.

DIY vs. Hiring a Pro

Photo: EyeWolf / Moment / Getty Images

It’s possible to do minor door repairs yourself to save some money, like patching a small ding in a solid wood door or even repairing a hole in a hollow-core door. You stand to save an average of around $200 if you do the work yourself.

However, we strongly recommend leaving door frame repairs, glass door repairs, and repairs on exterior doors to the professionals. It will cost you more to have a door repair company near you perform the work, but it’s a small price to pay to guarantee that your home remains secure and the job is done correctly the first time around.

How to Save Money on Door Repair Costs

Door repair can get pricey, but there are a few things you can do to help keep your costs down.

• Carry out minor, cosmetic repairs yourself.

• Consider replacing your door if it will add more value to your home than a repair.

• Buy the materials for your repair yourself to avoid any upcharges. 

• Opt for less expensive materials and hardware when possible.

How Angi Gets Its Cost Data

Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We’ve surveyed thousands of real Angi customers about their project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects. 

Want to help us improve our cost data? Send us a recent project quote to costquotes@angi.com. Quotes and personal information will not be shared publicly.

Dan Simms contributed to this piece.