Front door cost in Dover, DE
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1 door)
- $450 – $2,350
- Per door
- $454 – $2,363
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −6%
- US $1,500
- Rank of 300 metros
- #177
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a new front door in the Dover area: $450 to $2,350 for 1 door. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint runs 6% lower than the US figure. Carpenters earn a median of $25.07 an hour in the Dover area, 14% below the US median of $29.12.
Estimate your front door cost
Pick a size, a quality level and where you live. Prices update as you type.
Estimated cost for 1 door in Dover, DE, standard level
$1,050 to $1,800
About $1,027 to $1,790 per door before permits. Labor is about 25% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $710 | $1,400 |
| Labor | $310 | $380 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $1,050 | $1,800 |
Cost breakdown for 1 door in Dover, DE
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $190 | $1,050 | $1,950 | 75% |
| Labor | $260 | $350 | $440 | 25% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $450 | $1,400 | $2,350 | 100% |
What is behind the Dover number
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: carpenters at 85%, general maintenance and repair workers at 15%. Weighted together, Dover wages are 0.87 times the national level. Labor makes up about 25% of the midpoint estimate (27% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Dover is at 96.4 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $1,100 nationally becomes $1,050 here (midpoint, 1 door). Permits follow the all-items index of 97.5: $0 to $0.
Why two Dover quotes can differ
Door material
Basic steel doors run about $200-$600 for the door; fiberglass and wood go to $2,000 (HomeGuide).
Double doors
A double front door costs $1,500-$6,500+ installed; the doors alone are $1,200-$5,000.
Frame
Frame repair adds $75-$200+; rebuilding the opening for a new size costs $7-$20 per linear foot for framing.
How Dover compares
Same job, same size (1 door), priced for the nearest metros. Baltimore is the priciest of the group at $1,550.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dover, DEthis page | $450 – $2,350 | $1,400 | |
| Vineland, NJ25 miles | $510 – $2,500 | $1,500 | +8% |
| Atlantic City, NJ45 miles | $500 – $2,500 | $1,500 | +6% |
| Philadelphia, PA55 miles | $500 – $2,450 | $1,450 | +5% |
| Baltimore, MD60 miles | $510 – $2,550 | $1,550 | +9% |
| Lancaster, PA75 miles | $480 – $2,500 | $1,500 | +5% |
| Delaware (statewide) | $490 – $2,400 | $1,450 | +3% |
| United States | $500 – $2,500 | $1,500 | +7% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Dover ranks #177 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Dover is 3% below the Delaware figure.
Dover is the only Delaware metro we cover, so the statewide page is the only in-state comparison. It uses statewide wages, which include rural areas.
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Dover against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traverse City, MI | 68,440 jobs | $480 – $2,350 | $1,400 | +1% |
| Burlington, NC | 67,830 jobs | $440 – $2,350 | $1,400 | −1% |
| State College, PA | 68,840 jobs | $480 – $2,500 | $1,500 | +5% |
| Winchester, VA | 67,740 jobs | $450 – $2,350 | $1,400 | level |
Who does the work: Dover trade wages
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 2 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For Dover the blend is 0.87.
Carpenters (47-2031), 85% of the weighting: a median of $25.07 an hour, 14% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $22.87 and $32.20 an hour. About 270 work in the metro. That is 39.7 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
For general maintenance and repair workers (49-9071, weighted 15%) the local median is $22.08 an hour, which is 7% below the national $23.84. The middle half of them earn between $18.01 and $28.34 an hour. BLS counts 410 of them working in the area, 60.2 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 98.4), so the local bench is thinner than average.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (carpenters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $85 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $25. That is a swing of roughly 1.8% to 5.9% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Dover has 68,080 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 265th by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 85% | $22.87 | $25.07 | $32.20 | $29.12 | 0.86 | metro |
| General maintenance and repair workers (49-9071) | 15% | $18.01 | $22.08 | $28.34 | $23.84 | 0.93 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.87 | |||||
Cost by quality level and size in Dover
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Dover. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from single entry door to front and side doors.
Basic
$450 to $1,200
Basic steel door, same size opening
Standard
$1,050 to $1,800
Fiberglass door with sidelight trim or glass
Premium
$1,600 to $2,350
Wood or custom door, frame work needed
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| single entry door | $450 – $1,200 | $1,050 – $1,800 | $1,600 – $2,350 |
| front and side doors | $910 – $2,450 | $2,050 – $3,600 | $3,200 – $4,750 |
The best months for front door in Dover
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Dover (in the city). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For exterior installation, the comfortable months in Dover are February through December: 11 of 12. Outside them, January has an average daytime high under 45°F.
In January the average high stays below 45°F. Sealants, adhesives and some materials, such as vinyl, are harder to install well in the cold, and short daylight cuts the working day.
Dover gets about 48 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 13 inches of snow. The wettest months are June, August and September (4.9 inches in August). Inside the workable window, February and November are the driest, at 3.1 and 3.4 inches. The station averages about 25 days a year at 90°F or above.
We do not adjust the estimate by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. It is still worth asking contractors whether an off-peak start date changes their bid.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 44 | 28 | 3.4 | Cold |
| Feb | 47 | 29 | 3.1 | Workable |
| Mar | 55 | 35 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Apr | 66 | 45 | 3.7 | Workable |
| May | 74 | 54 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Jun | 83 | 64 | 4.6 | Workable |
| Jul | 87 | 69 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Aug | 85 | 67 | 4.9 | Workable |
| Sep | 79 | 61 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Oct | 69 | 50 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Nov | 58 | 39 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Dec | 49 | 32 | 4.0 | Workable |
What nearby projects cost in Dover
Jobs that often go together with front door are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Dover wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, window replacement comes out highest (−4%) and storm door lowest (−7%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Storm door | 1 door | $320 – $880 | −7% |
| Patio door | 1 door | $570 – $5,600 | −6% |
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $4,300 – $14,400 | −4% |
| Garage door | 1 door | $650 – $3,500 | −6% |
Get 3 local quotes
Tell us about the job and we will try to connect you with up to three local contractors for written quotes. It is free and you are under no obligation to hire. Your estimate of $1,050 to $1,800 for Dover, DE is attached.
Detailed front door report for Dover, DE, $9
The report lays out the front door numbers for Dover, DE line by line, with the local wage and price inputs, permit and timing notes, a quote comparison sheet and the full method. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Front door in Dover: your questions
+How much does it cost to replace a front door in Dover?
For 1 door, expect $450 to $2,350 in the Dover area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,050 to $1,800. Small jobs usually cost more per door and large ones less.
+What is the price per door for front door in Dover?
About $454 to $2,363 per door for materials and labor, plus $0 to $0 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $500 to $2,500.
+Is front door cheaper in Dover or Vineland?
Vineland is 25 miles away. The midpoint for 1 door there is $1,500, which is 8% more than Dover ($1,400). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Dover?
About 25% at the midpoint, or $350 out of $1,400. Materials are 75% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 27%.
+What would front and side doors cost in Dover?
$910 to $4,750. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does front door need a permit in Dover?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $0 to $0 for fees in the Dover area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Dover expensive for front door compared with the rest of Delaware?
Dover is 3% below the Delaware statewide estimate ($1,450 at the midpoint).
+What do carpenters earn in Dover?
The BLS median is $25.07 an hour in the Dover area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $22.87 to $32.20.
+What do basic and premium front door work cost in Dover?
For 1 door, basic work runs $450 to $1,200 and premium work $1,600 to $2,350. Basic means: basic steel door, same size opening. Premium means: wood or custom door, frame work needed.
+When is the best time to replace a front door in Dover?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are February through December. February and November are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
Front door near Dover
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does Front Door Replacement Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020
Note on derived figures: Materials = HomeGuide's door prices, from about $200 for a basic steel door to $2,000 for higher-end fiberglass or wood.