Side door is back again

A while back I posted pictures of my side door, the lower part of which had been ruined by my directing water spray at the adjoining plantings. Here is the link to an updated pic, showing gunk that I have scraped away.

I got a bid from a carpenter to replace the door. It is a solid-core

24", with a window and cat door cut in.

He quoted $58 for the door, and $300 for labor. I thought that was high, as did my painter, who had recommended him. We talked. He stood behind the price, which included installing knob and bolts, cutting in the window, making an opening for the cat door, and hanging the door. I would paint.

How does that price seem? This is an expensive area, but there are lots of people out of work.

Part Two: Is this too crazy? What if I had the perfectly good door cut off above the damaged area, and a replacement piece fastened, glued, braced, whatever, onto the rest of the door? Yes, it would be necessary to cut an opening for the cat door and fasten it in, no biggie, and mount a new hinge. But wouldn't that save a bundle? No need to hand a new door. No need to cut an opening and mount a window.

Whaddya think?

HB

Reply to
Higgs Boson
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The labour to patch the door together would be roughly double the labour to do it right - and the labour is about 5/6 of the total cost.

Reply to
clare

"Higgs Boson" wrote

Sounds cheap for the door, about right for the labor.

Maybe you can find one of those "out of work" people to do it for $10 an hour, but you still have to pay fair rates for real skills.

Judging from what I just pair for a car repair, it is cheap for the door.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

I'd jump all over that bid- if the guy does good work, that is a very good price. Just for giggles, I'd also price a steel door (probably special order in that size), with a a factory window.

Reply to
aemeijers

Aw damn! So my painter's take on this was wrong! Now I have to get up the nerve to call the carpenter and eat s**t.

Well, thanks, I guess...(:

HB

Reply to
Higgs Boson

Everything is wrong about that door installation. It needs a portico or canopy to keep off the weather, and above all, if the environment is damp more often than not, then a fiberglass door is by far your best choice. The fiberglass has the advantage of permitting a cat/dog port to be easily added with less compromising of the structure. Be brave, do it right and do it once. You've already experienced the results of a poor job. This time won't be cheap. Good luck.

Joe

Reply to
Joe

Thanks, Joe. Yes, it needs a portico. It took years for me to get one put in on the S. side of the house, but what a difference, given the hot Southern sun!

If I make peace w/the carpenter, maybe I could squeeze a portico out of him as well.

Environment is NOT "damp more often than not", since I realized what an ***hole I had been, watering the door as well as the plants!

In fairness, there was nothing wrong with the original door installation; I was the one who ****ed it up.

Will check out fiberglas.

HB

Reply to
Higgs Boson

How do you figure that? What do you see as the labor? Straight question. (Remember, he quoted $300 as labor to install new door (w/o paint).

HP

Reply to
Higgs Boson

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