# Estimate Cost for Sizing and Installing Slab Doors in 90 Year Old House?



## 1thumb (Jun 30, 2012)

I'm thinking $200 per door labor. Mortise for 3 pr of hinges, plane to fit non square openings, scribe to uneven floors, drill and install hardware.


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

Entry doors? Interior doors? Cabinet doors? Kitchen, Bath?

What is the slab door construction Solid wood, hollow core etc

https://www.lowes.com/pd/ReliaBilt-Flush-32-in-x-80-in-Unfinished-Flush-Hollow-Core-Unfinished-Hardwood-Hardboard-Slab-Door/5001945587

Enter your zip code.

https://www.homewyse.com/services/cost_to_install_interior_door.html


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## WoodenDreams (Aug 23, 2018)

I'd compare this with your local home improvement companies. My son-in-law with his home improvement company charges per hour at $75 per hour plus materials to the customer, not flat rate. sometimes you'll run into snags which takes extra time. Expenses can add up. Travel time, how many times do you need to go back and forth from your shop, trips to the hardware or lumber store, How many times do you have to go back to apply the finishes to the door, misc. supplies, wear & tear on tools, your extra time to resharpen the hand planes. Example; I gave a quote to make a Murphy Bed. Sounds simple enough. A week end job? By the time I added, return three or four times to apply stain and finish, the customer thought I should do that part of the job for free since I would be building it.


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## JackDuren (Oct 10, 2015)

> I m thinking $200 per door labor. Mortise for 3 pr of hinges, plane to fit non square openings, scribe to uneven floors, drill and install hardware.
> 
> - 1thumb


Are the old doors still in place?


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## controlfreak (Jun 29, 2019)

No way those jambs are going to be plumb. It can take a lot of time to make chicken salad out of …..

I would do a site visit if possible. 90 year old houses usually have frame and panel doors so moving to slab doors doesn't sound like much of an upgrade. May have some major issues going on and a bad foundation could mean a lot of work to make them fit.


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## 1thumb (Jun 30, 2012)

Sorry.

Yes, Alaska guy, interior doors. Solid wood. I've tried that Homewyse cost estimating, not for this, always seems way high. Edit. Came in low. Based on 10 interior doors it tells me $140 - $220 per door. Can't see $140. Hinges alone are $75 for mortise the three on door. Then I guess $50 for drill out knobs and at least $75 to fit to opening. So maybe 200 per will work

Woodendreams -Hard to say. But prob close.

Yes Jack, old doors are there

Slab doors meaning no mortise, no bore


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## Knockonit (Nov 5, 2017)

LOL, the hard part is finding someone who can ''scratch hang a door'' its almost a lost art here in Az.

anyways, we get 65 and hour and for a 3'0''x8'0'' solid core door, with four hinges is a four hour job minimum, i always allow an hour extra, due to unforeseen circumstances, as older openings take so much time to fit door properly, a skill few have. lotsa hand work, and if a stain grade it goes up. Cant fix a stain grade door that easily if one fubars the work a door replacement may be in order a cost not covered, but install cost needs to help offset if it does happen, and it does happen to the best of skilled guys and or gals.
good luck, estimates are the gamble of the industry anyone that masters the time versus value can be a winner
Rj in az


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## JackDuren (Oct 10, 2015)

Honestly by the hour is how I'd do it. I've made doors custom doors for the kansas city library an many office buildings in KC. These were all hand made and new. That being said I'd do it hourly as suggested if I had to match new with old…

At $200 an opening are you responsible if you screw it up?


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## rwe2156 (May 7, 2014)

I don't do this for a living, but nobody can advise you with knowing more.

How many doors?

Are you a guy with a van and a sign, or do you have a license, insurance, shop, employees? Do you need to make $300 a day or $1000?

If I were a solo guy For this type of work and assuming the risk if you make a mistake, I'd say $100 per door plus a service call fee.

People don't like paying an hourly rate for something like this.

Scope out the job real well first, obviously.


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