When it comes to designing, budgeting, and rethinking the front exterior door and entryway to your home, there are a lot more things on your proverbial to-do list than you might originally think. As the face of your home and one of the key drivers of your overall curb appeal, the front walkway and entryway into your home is perhaps the most important design element as part of the overall architecture. What’s more, the exterior doors of your home—especially the main front entrance—is the most critical place where you will add safety measures, such as hurricane-grade lites and window panes and impact rated exterior doors that can withstand all the elements of nature as well as home invasions and burglaries. For homeowners considering making over their front foyer, and even for homeowners simply replacing what seems like a garden variety front door, there are important measures to take, especially for the budget you will likely need for an overhaul of any size.

Budget for the exterior door, doorframe, and if applicable, sidelites and transom

While it’s true that you may also need to budget for other lumber and building materials not covered here, the primary cost of designing and building a new front entryway will be the actual door itself. With that said, you don’t always have to spend as much as you might think—the most popular exterior doors available from ETO Doors range in price from $499–$1699, with an average cost of $699—a far cry from other exterior door vendors, which may charge upwards of 30% more than this. Spend your door and doorframe money wisely; if the door looks great but doesn’t have the finish it needs to withstand extreme temperatures, keep looking until you find something similar that works for your budget that offers the protection you need to make your door last for decades rather than months. Furthermore, if you live in a high traffic part of town within a large urban area, consider purchasing an exterior door made with the protection needed to stave off burglars—hurricane grade lites and reinforced doorframes will offer this safeguarding for your home.

If you have a large front entryway and plan only to use a single door, you will want to include the cost of adding side lites, and if your doorway is taller than the door itself, you may also have to consider the cost of a circular, elliptical, or rectangular transom. For these items, you will need to add between $500–$1500 to your materials budget and checklist.

When you add lumber, doorframe, and other materials to the overall cost of altering your front entryway, it is easy to see how the grand total could be north of $2500–$3500 when you consider the cost of labor if you’ve decided to hire a professional contractor to do the job for you. For this reason, saving up and having a budget that covers any surprises is a smart choice.

Budgeting for a professional contractor to install your new exterior door

Unless you are already in the middle of building a home and have already hired contractors to design and build a new build from scratch, you will want to create a budget to have your new exterior entryway put in place. Having around $1000–$1500 for this—at minimum—is a good rule of thumb, as you never know what surprises may come up. The need for a new doorframe, additional materials you didn’t realize you needed, and the additional cost of construction if more is needed than you initially realized are all factors that must be considered before you begin new construction on your new exterior door.

DIY door installation can lower the price—but at what cost?

If you have little more than a cursory understanding of construction, remodeling an exterior doorway and installing a new exterior door is not a great beginner project. What’s more, in many areas zoned for homes, you may need to legally obtain a licensed and bonded contractor no matter how great your construction chops are. And, in many cases, you may need to first obtain the approval of your local homeowner’s association before you begin your rehab, which oftentimes means lining up an insured contractor before authorization is granted. If you feel strongly about remodeling your entryway on your own, be sure you have all the tools and all the permissions you need within your area and consider having a budget large enough to cover the cost of having a contractor come in to help as needed.

As with any home renovation, it’s the unexpected that takes us by surprise, and this can have a negative impact on your home if you find yourself in the middle of construction when you run out of money. No one wants to be in this position, so adding 15–2- percent to your budget just for emergencies is a bright idea.

Are you looking for the perfect double or French exterior doors for the front of your home for your rear entryway remodel? Review top-of-the-line selections at www.etodoors.com, or contact us to have an exterior door handcrafted to your specifications.