Photo: Vertical siding nearly finished around the arched windows and the new entry door, Lynnfield, MA
Entry & Patio Door Installation in Central & Eastern Massachusetts
Waterfront Construction Inc, an owner-led general contractor based in Northborough, MA, installs and replaces entry doors and sliding or hinged patio doors. Each door gets a sill pan or flashing under the threshold, weatherstripping that seals on all sides, and trim. Our Lynnfield case study shows the sill flashing under a new entry door before its step was built.
- Owner-led
- Founded in 2017 in Northborough, MA
- Insured
Updated
Entry & Patio Door Installation: the essentials
- Typical timeline
- Door installation time depends on the number of doors and the condition of each opening; we give you a schedule with the estimate.
- Permit in Massachusetts
- Replacing an exterior door may need a building permit; ask your town's building department whether yours does.
- Cost benchmark
- Priced per project after a free site visit; see what drives the cost below.
- Where we work
- Central & Eastern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire, from our base in Northborough, MA.
An exterior door has to keep water out at the threshold and seal against air on every side, while opening and closing every day. Drafts, daylight showing around the edges, a door that sticks or will not latch, and soft wood at the sill are the usual signs that a door or its frame needs attention.
We install entry doors and sliding or hinged patio doors, with the sill pan or flashing, weatherstripping and trim each one needs. The photos on this page come from the Lynnfield addition, where a new side entry door went into the addition: flashing membrane at the sill, then a wood form for its step, then siding around it.
What's included
- Entry doors
- Patio doors (sliding or hinged)
- Sill pan & flashing
- Weatherstripping & trim
Our door installation work: case studies and job photos
Every photo here is from a Waterfront Construction job, captioned with what it shows and, where the job's town is recorded, where it was taken.
Two-Story Addition and Exterior Remodel in Lynnfield, MA
A two-story addition and exterior remodel in Lynnfield, MA: the addition framed and sheathed in ZIP System panels, black windows including three arched-top units, the main house's second floor wrapped and fitted with new windows, a front porch, and white siding.
Read the case study
House wrap and new windows on the main house, ZIP System sheathing on the new addition Lynnfield, MA Lynnfield Addition & Exterior case study
Entry and patio doors: the main choices
- Entry doors: fiberglass resists dents and can look like wood; steel is strong and economical; wood looks traditional but needs refinishing.
- Patio doors: sliding doors save floor space; hinged (French) doors open the full width.
- Storm doors add a layer of protection in front of an older entry door.
What keeps water out at the threshold
- Every exterior door needs a sill pan or flashing under the threshold so water that gets in drains back out, plus weatherstripping that seals on all sides.
- Flashing at the sides and head of the opening is lapped into the wall's weather barrier, so water drains outward.
- Soft or rotted wood at the sill and the bottom of the frame is repaired before the new door is set.
The Lynnfield photos show the flashing membrane under a new entry door before its step was built.
What does door installation cost in Massachusetts?
We do not publish a door price range, and we do not use a published benchmark for doors: the price depends on the door itself, a new or an existing opening, the condition of the frame and sill, and the trim and finish work. We give you an itemized estimate after looking at each opening.
What moves the price
- Number of doors
- Entry or patio door, and its size
- Door material, glass and hardware
- A new opening or an existing one, and the condition of the frame and sill
- Rot repair at the sill and the bottom of the frame
- Exterior trim, interior casing and painting
- Lead-safe rules (containment and cleanup) when a door job on a pre-1978 home is covered by them
Permits, inspections and rules in Massachusetts
Door work has fewer permit steps than an addition, but a few rules apply. In Massachusetts:
| Permit or rule | When it applies | Who handles it |
|---|---|---|
| Building permit | Replacing an exterior door may need one; your town's building department says whether your project does. | The contractor's Construction Supervisor License holder applies to the town's building department; the written contract must say who obtains each permit. |
| Safety glazing | Glass in or next to a door must be safety glazing (tempered or laminated). | Confirmed from the door's product specifications. |
| Historic district review | Local historic district commissions often review door changes visible from the street. | The property owner applies; we can provide product specifications. |
| Lead-safe renovation rules | Homes built before 1978, when the door work disturbs more than 6 sq ft of painted surface in the room or more than 20 sq ft in total outside. | A contractor holding a Massachusetts Lead-Safe Renovation Contractor license, with a certified renovator directing the work. |
| Written contract | Home improvement work on an owner-occupied home in Massachusetts needs a written contract above a set dollar amount, and the deposit is limited. | The contractor, who must be registered with the state Home Improvement Contractor program. |
In New Hampshire
New Hampshire has no statewide contractor license. Building permits come from each town's building department, and the federal EPA Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) rule governs lead-safe work on homes built before 1978.
Free estimate
Tell us about your project
Free and no-obligation. Prefer to talk? Call (508) 816-2726 (Mon–Sat, 7am–6pm).
- Itemized estimates
- 500+ projects completed
- Insured
Homes built before 1978: lead-safe rules
Paint applied before 1978 may contain lead, and cutting out an old painted door frame and trim disturbs it. Unlike a window replacement, which is always covered, a door replacement in a pre-1978 home falls under the lead-safe renovation rules (454 CMR 22.00) only when it disturbs more than 6 square feet of painted surface in the room or more than 20 square feet in total outside.
All the lead-safe rules for pre-1978 homes: containment, cleanup and licensing
How a door project works, step by step
Door installation time depends on the number of doors and the condition of each opening; we give you a schedule with the estimate.
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1. Estimate visit | We check each door, its frame and sill, measure, and talk through styles and options. You get an itemized written estimate. |
| 2. Order | Doors are usually ordered to fit your openings, so the install date follows the delivery date. |
| 3. Permit | Where the town requires a building permit, the contractor's Construction Supervisor License holder applies for it; the written contract says who obtains it. |
| 4. Removal and repairs | The old door and, where needed, its frame come out, and soft wood at the sill is repaired. |
| 5. Sill pan and setting | The sill pan or flashing goes in first, then the door is set level, plumb and square, fastened and sealed. |
| 6. Weatherstripping, trim and walkthrough | Weatherstripping is adjusted to seal on all sides, the casing and exterior trim are finished, and we check each door with you. |
Door Installation questions, answered
Have a different question? Call (508) 816-2726 or send us your project details.
How much does a new entry or patio door cost?
We do not publish a door price range. The door itself, a new or an existing opening, the condition of the frame and sill, and the trim work set the price; we give you an itemized estimate after a free visit.
What's the difference between sliding and hinged patio doors?
A sliding patio door saves floor space, because its panel slides past the fixed one instead of swinging into the room. A hinged (French) door swings open and gives you the full width of the opening. Both need the same sill pan, flashing and weatherstripping.
How is a door sill flashed?
A sill pan or flashing membrane goes under the threshold before the door is set, so water that gets past the door drains back out instead of soaking the framing below. Weatherstripping then seals the door on all sides. Our Lynnfield photos show the flashing membrane under a new entry door before its step was built.
Fiberglass, steel or wood: which entry door should I choose?
Fiberglass resists dents and can look like wood, steel is strong and economical, and wood looks traditional but needs refinishing. The right one depends on the look you want, how much sun and weather the door takes, and the upkeep you are willing to do.
Can a door be replaced at the same time as the windows?
Yes. When doors are replaced along with the windows, one crew handles the flashing, trim and finishes on one schedule.
Do I need a permit to replace an exterior door in Massachusetts?
It may need one. Ask your town's building department whether your door replacement needs a building permit; where one is needed, a Construction Supervisor License holder takes it out. If the house is in a local historic district, changes visible from the street may also need the commission's approval.
My house was built before 1978. Do lead-safe rules apply to a door?
Above a set amount of disturbed paint, yes. Unlike a window replacement, a door replacement in a pre-1978 home falls under the lead-safe rules only when it disturbs more than 6 square feet of painted surface in the room or more than 20 square feet in total outside, for example by cutting out a painted frame and trim.
How long does door installation take?
Door installation time depends on the number of doors and the condition of each opening; we give you a schedule with the estimate. Doors are usually ordered to fit your openings, so the install date also depends on delivery.
Can a new door go where there was none?
Yes. On our Lynnfield project, a new side entry door went into the new addition, with flashing at the sill before its step was built. Cutting a new opening into an existing wall changes the framing, so ask your town's building department about the permit.
Guides for planning your door project
- 6 Signs It's Time to Replace Your WindowsHow to tell a window that needs repair from one that needs replacing, plus permits, lead-safe rules for older homes and what changed with the federal tax credit.
- Do You Need a Permit to Remodel in Massachusetts?Which remodeling projects need a building permit in Massachusetts, who pulls each permit, what varies by town, and how New Hampshire differs.
Related services
- Window ReplacementReplacement windows, insert or full-frame, flashed, insulated and sealed, with interior trim and casing.
- Siding Installation & ReplacementVinyl, fiber-cement and engineered-wood siding with trim, soffit and fascia, installed over a proper weather barrier.
- Exterior House PaintingSiding and trim painting after washing, scraping, sanding, rotted-trim repair, caulking and priming bare wood.
Where we've done door installation, and every town we serve
- Lynnfield, MACase study: Lynnfield Addition & ExteriorOur door installation page for Lynnfield, MA
Based in Northborough (Worcester County), we work across Worcester County, MetroWest, Greater Boston, the North Shore, the South Shore & Bristol County, and southern New Hampshire: 193 cities and towns in 11 counties. See every town we serve, by county.
Door Installation by town
Sources and page details
Code and permit details are general: your town's building department has the final word on what applies to your project.
Published by Waterfront Construction Inc, an owner-led general contractor based in Northborough, Massachusetts. Ernando Nunes has 15+ years of hands-on construction experience and founded the company in 2017. Updated .
Planning a door project?
Get a free, itemized estimate from Waterfront Construction Inc. Call (508) 816-2726 or use the estimate form on this page.