Hanging a door can take a cabinet maker's skills. Plus he has to bring his shop with him.

You could always suggest, "How about $385 if it turns out to be a simple replacement?" He may agree as long as he can charge $600 if it turns into a bigger project.

As mentioned above there are a lot of potential issues with this. Ultimately it would be easier to just order the complete door making sure that the door fits the rough opening. I would assume that insurance is covering it so why not??

Also which ever way you go make sure that there is at least one 3" screw that goes from the hinge plate through the jamb into solid framing.

You already have the doors and they were a custom build so they were not cheap and not returnable. So most of the suggestions above regarding ordering a complete unit are now moot.

I would pop out the hinge pins and take one of the doors down and lay it flat on top of one of the new doors. Align the tops and sides and then you can see if the hinge mortises are in the correct place on the new door and if the old door has been trimmed at the threshold. Using a speed square mark new locations for hinge mortises if necessary and then draw a line for the bottom trimming if needed. Make any necessary cuts, remove hinge half from old door and install on new door, hang new door by replacing hinge pins. Repeat for the second door.

I replaced all the interior doors in my house using this technique. The exterior doors I went with prehung units, partially to get new weather stripping and thresholds and do a better job with weather sealing the install, but that ship has sailed for you.

500 dollars for someone who knows what they are doing is a bargain. I have been a cabinetmaker for 32 years and I wouldn't touch it for anything less. it sounds easy to do but if it doesn't just go like you think it will then what?

quote:

Originally posted by XLT:
500 dollars for someone who knows what they are doing is a bargain. I have been a cabinetmaker for 32 years and I wouldn't touch it for anything less. it sounds easy to do but if it doesn't just go like you think it will then what?

I don't suppose you're anywhere near me?

-Rob

things always sound easy when someone else is doing. i'd pay the guy the $500 if it meant getting it done right

These kinds of jobs tend to be one extreme or the other. An easy peasy, lemon squeezey slam dunk or a fallen angel's nightmare. My guess is that if a professional does it the odds are slightly better it will be the former than the latter. If the odds go against the installer, that's his problem and he gets to earn his money. I'd also guess that the odds are reversed for a DIY guy. If that DIY guy is you and it goes the wrong way, it is your problem...

If I had ordered the doors, I'd feel compelled to get them in. Given that you didn't, discretion is probably the better part of valor.