Replacing an entry door in Arlington typically runs $1,800 to $5,500 installed, patio doors $2,500 to $6,500, and simpler steel doors can land below both ranges. We’re Sunshine Contracting, family-owned in Woodbridge since 1993, and every door we install carries a lifetime workmanship warranty. For the number that fits your actual opening, schedule a free in-home estimate: we measure, we check the frame, and you get the real number in writing.
What door replacement costs in Arlington
The price of a door project comes down to the material, the glass, the hardware, and the condition of the frame it is going into. Here is how that shakes out across typical Arlington projects:
| Project | Typical installed range |
|---|---|
| Steel entry door, simpler configurations | Below $1,800 |
| Entry door replacement | $1,800 – $5,500 |
| Patio door replacement (sliding or French) | $2,500 – $6,500 |
These are planning ranges, not quotes. Sidelights, transoms, and decorative glass grow an entry project from replacing a door to rebuilding the whole entry system, which is beautiful and worth it for the right house, and also the fastest route from the bottom of the range to the top. The full breakdown is in our door replacement cost guide.
Century-old openings are the real story here
Much of Arlington was built between the 1920s and 1950s, and in neighborhoods like Lyon Village, Ashton Heights, Waverly Hills, Donaldson Run, Bellevue Forest, Arlington Ridge, and Westover, the doorways have been settling for the better part of a century. That matters because a new door hung in an out-of-square or rotted frame inherits every problem the old frame has: the sticking, the gaps, the draft under the threshold. When the frame is sound, an insert-style swap works and costs less. When it is not, the honest fix is a full-frame replacement that squares the opening itself. We check before we quote, so you know which project your entry actually needs instead of finding out after the caulk dries.
Which door for which job
For front doors we usually steer Arlington homeowners toward fiberglass: it handles the freeze-thaw cycle and summer humidity without warping or rusting, and Therma-Tru’s wood-grain lines give the stained-wood look these older houses wear well, minus wood’s upkeep. Steel costs less and is the workhorse choice for side, basement, and garage-to-house doors, which in houses of this age are usually the draftiest doors in the building and the cheapest to fix. For patio doors, sliders anchor the low end and French doors the high end, and the glass package deserves the attention: a patio door is mostly glass, so that choice does more for comfort than anything else on the order form. We install ProVia and Therma-Tru entry doors, our crews hold both manufacturers’ installer certifications, and our doors page walks through every style.
A word on storm doors
Arlington’s older homes and storm doors were made for each other: a storm door shields a good entry door from weather, adds screened airflow in spring and fall, and puts another layer between your foyer and a January wind. We install Andersen and ProVia storm doors, and adding one while the crew is already working on your entry costs less than making it a separate project later. One planning note from experience: on a west-facing entry, ask about ventilating models, because trapped heat between two doors is the one storm-door pitfall worth designing around.
Do you need a permit to replace a door in Arlington?
For a direct like-for-like replacement in the same opening, generally no: Virginia’s building code exempts it for most homes. The bigger Arlington catch is historic districts: in designated local historic districts like Maywood, exterior changes need approval first, so the door conversation starts with what the review board will accept. Condo and HOA buildings run their own architectural review as well, and a fair amount of Arlington lives under one. Enlarging an opening or converting a window to a door is structural work and does need a permit. Mention your building when you book and we will walk through which rules apply before anything is scheduled.
Why Arlington homeowners pick us for doors
Lifetime workmanship warranty on the installation, with the door covered by its manufacturer on top. 4.9 out of 5 from 999+ verified customers on Guild Quality. Our own factory-trained crews, never subcontracted labor, replacing one opening at a time so the house is never left standing open. Family-owned since 1993, based down the road in Woodbridge. Licensed, bonded, and insured: Virginia Class A #2705075333. And the written quote is the price: no expiring today-only discounts, no kitchen-table adjustments.
Timing and financing
Doors are built to order for your opening, so plan on roughly four to six weeks from signed contract to installation day, and installation itself is typically one day. Financing is available with approved credit, though many door projects are small enough that customers simply pay outright.
Arlington door replacement FAQs
How much does a new front door cost installed in Arlington?
Most entry door replacements run $1,800 to $5,500 installed and patio doors $2,500 to $6,500, with simpler steel doors below the entry range. Material, glass, sidelights, hardware, and the condition of the existing frame set the final number, and a free in-home estimate pins it down in writing.
My door sticks and lets in drafts. Do I need a whole new frame?
Maybe: a hinge side that binds, light showing at the corners, and a threshold gone soft underfoot are usually frame symptoms, not door symptoms, and they are common in Arlington’s 1920s-1950s housing stock. If the frame is square and rot-free, a door-only replacement works. If not, a full-frame replacement fixes the actual problem. We check the frame before quoting so you know which job you need.
Can I replace my door in a historic district like Maywood?
Yes, but approval comes first: designated local historic districts require sign-off on exterior changes before work starts, and the acceptable styles and materials vary by district. Condo and HOA architectural review can apply elsewhere in Arlington too. Bring it up at the estimate and we will walk through what your street requires.
Ready for a real number? Schedule your free estimate: an honest look at your door and frame, a written price, and no pressure to sign anything on the spot. Proudly serving Arlington, from Lyon Village to Westover.