| You can pretty much figure that it's going to cost | | | | possible, will help prevent warping. |
| you several hundred dollars, at minimum, to have | | | | Hardware |
| a new door installed. Some door suppliers will hang | | | | A wide variety of door fixtures are available. Solid |
| doors for a percentage of their cost, against a | | | | brass is highly attractive (and expensive), but you |
| minimum price. For example, the minimum price | | | | will have to spend time cleaning the parts. I prefer |
| for a prehung door might be $150, with a 15 or | | | | brass-plated steel. Yes, they may rust out in time, |
| 20 percent cost increase for more expensive | | | | but they are so much less expensive than solid |
| doors. Hanging a door from scratch adds to the | | | | brass that after five or ten years you can afford |
| cost. | | | | to replace them. Expect to pay $75 and up for |
| To save money, don't special-order a door. There | | | | the hardware. (Lower-end products tend to rust, |
| are a great many door manufacturers, and each | | | | are usually more difficult to install, and do not look |
| has dozens if not hundreds of designs. Typically, | | | | particularly attractive.) |
| however, a showroom will have only a couple of | | | | Be sure to get both a door lock and a deadbolt, |
| styles on display, and may have those models in | | | | for security. You get what you pay for here. |
| stock. If you buy what's in stock, you can often | | | | Typically the more you spend, the more quality |
| save half or more off the full special-order price. | | | | and security you get. I once bought a home on |
| Of course, what you gain in savings you lose in | | | | which the pre¬vious owner had installed a |
| choice. | | | | $10-type door lock. One day I misplaced the key |
| Install prehung doors yourself. First remove the | | | | and didn't want to break an expensive window to |
| old door and jamb. Since the new unit includes the | | | | get in, so I decided to break the door lock. One |
| door on its hinges, the jamb, and the insulation, | | | | swing from a hammer sent it flying and the door |
| there's no real "hanging" involved. The only trick is | | | | opened! So much for inexpensive locks. |
| getting the door lock or handles in place. You can | | | | Some manufacturers offer deadbolts with keys |
| always hire a handyperson to do that if you're | | | | for both inside and out. Besides being a terrible |
| not sure how. | | | | idea, it may be illegal in some areas. If there is a |
| A best bet is to spend the money to have a | | | | fire and you don't have the inside key, you may |
| professional install individual doors. It's a project | | | | not be able to open the door and escape. |
| that looks disarmingly simple. Yet it takes great | | | | Viewer |
| skill to get the doors on their hinges and working | | | | A viewer, sometimes called a peephole, is not a |
| correctly. | | | | necessity, particularly when you have glass panels |
| Get a prehung door. The hinges are already in | | | | in a door. However, it is a plus where security is a |
| place, as are the framing and weather stripping. | | | | concern. It typically costs around $5. |
| It's easier and cheaper to install. | | | | Side Panels |
| What Extras Do I Need? | | | | If you're replacing two 30-inch doors with one |
| Hinges | | | | 36-inch door, you'll need two 12-inch side panels. |
| If the door is prehung, it will come with hinges. If | | | | These should match the door and often come |
| not, you'll need to buy new ones. | | | | with their own glass inserts. Side panels for both |
| Hinges come in solid brass, steel, and steel plated | | | | or just one side are widely available. |
| with brass. The most expensive, and best, are | | | | You can often buy side panels either as separate |
| the solid brass hinges, but they do cost more. | | | | items or as part of a prehung door set. Go with |
| (They may discolor from oxidation, but can | | | | the prehung. It is far, far, far easier to install and |
| quickly be cleaned up. But they won't rust or fail | | | | the results are usually more eye-appealing. |
| to function properly in cold weather.) | | | | Weather Stripping |
| Don't think you can reuse the old door hinges. Just | | | | If you get a prehung door, all the weather |
| discard them. Typically they will be the original, | | | | strip¬ping should be included. If not, you'll have |
| brass-plated hinges installed when the home was | | | | to install it in addition to the door. Be wary here. |
| built. If they show any rust at all, you can be sure | | | | The procedure is not always that easy. It can be |
| of the plating. The hinges may be sprung and | | | | particularly difficult to get the weather stripping to |
| usually aren't worth playing with. | | | | lay right so that the door closes easily yet |
| Always use more hinges rather than fewer. | | | | maintains a tight fit. |
| Three hinges at minimum on a front door, four if | | | | |