How much does it cost to fix an interior door in Virginia?

What decides the price

There is no honest single number for fixing an interior door in Virginia, because the cost depends on what is wrong with the door and who does the work. Loclis has no dated price from a Virginia public source to quote, so this page explains what drives the cost and how to pin it down in a written quote, rather than guess at figures.

Most interior door problems fall into one of a few jobs, and they run from nearly free to a carpenter's half day:

• Loose hinges, a sticking edge or a latch that misses. Often a screwdriver, a little wax and a few minutes. The materials cost almost nothing.
• A planed or trimmed edge. A skilled carpenter can do it on site. The cost is mostly their time and the trip to your house.
• A cracked panel or damaged edge. Wood filler, glue and repainting, or in a hollow-core door a patch that may not look right.
• A warped or split door. This is often a replacement, which means a new door, new hinges and finishing, and sometimes a new frame.
• A bad jamb. Cutting out and replacing a jamb or trim is a bigger carpentry job.

Try the free fixes first

Many sticking doors do not need a professional at all. Wooden doors are subject to expansion and contraction with changes in heat and humidity, and the result can be warping and sticking.^[1] That is normal and may correct itself, and the same guide advises you to allow your home to go through at least one dry and damp season before you make other permanent changes.^[1] Do not pay for planing a door that is only swollen for the summer.

Tighten the hinge screws first. If screws were ripped out of the door or doorjamb, use new screws that are longer and larger in diameter when replacing the damaged hardware.^[2] For minor sticking, try paraffin, candle wax or commercial dry lubricant sticks.^[1] For the full method, see how to fix a door that sticks.

What raises the cost of a professional visit

Quotes for the same door can differ because of:

• The call-out. Many small jobs cost mostly the minimum visit, not the work.
• The number of doors. One door in a house of sticking doors costs more per door than six done in a visit, and a house-wide humidity problem may be the real cause.
• Door type. Solid-core and solid-wood doors are heavy and cost more to handle than hollow-core doors.
• Finish. Raw wood left after planing has to be sealed, and a planed edge on a painted door needs paint.
• Paint age. In a pre-1978 house, a paid contractor who disturbs paint must be certified in lead-safe work practices, which can add to the quote.^[3] The EPA says that includes all firms, even sole proprietorships.^[3]
• Damage behind the door. A rotted jamb or an out-of-square frame turns a small fix into carpentry.

What a licence means at this size of job

A small door repair is usually well under the point where a Virginia contractor's licence applies. DPOR's consumer guide says that if the work you are considering is valued at $1,000 or more, a valid Virginia Contractor's License is required for the license category in which the contractor is to work.^[4] The Code of Virginia defines Class C contractors as performing work when the total value in a single contract or project is over $1,000 but less than $30,000, or when their work within any 12-month period totals less than $250,000.^[5] A handyman fixing a door under that line is not covered, so you have to do the checking yourself: ask for references, a business address and a written price.

Get the price in writing

Ask each person who quotes to put the following on paper:

• the work, door by door, including finishing and cleanup
• who supplies the materials, and which door if a replacement is quoted
• whether the price covers a second visit if the door still sticks
• how paint will be handled in an older house

Virginia law requires all licensed contractors to provide a written contract for residential work.^[4] For a licensed contractor, DPOR's rule of thumb is an initial deposit of no more than 10% of the total price or $1,000, whichever is less.^[4] On a job this small, you rarely need a deposit at all.

Stop and call a pro if

• The frame is out of square or the jamb is cracked or soft. That is carpentry, and the price should cover the frame, not just the door.
• The door is warped or split. Replacing it may cost about the same as repairing it, so ask for both prices.
• The job is valued at $1,000 or more. Virginia requires a licensed contractor at that size.^[4]
• The house was built before 1978 and paint will be disturbed. A paid contractor must be lead-safe certified.^[3]

Getting help in Virginia

If a repair is not worth the money, read whether to repair or replace an interior door next. Other pricing and how-to answers are on the Home Repair answers page, and local pros are listed under Doors and Windows on Loclis.

When you are ready, describe the door and local pros will quote it in writing.