Patio door cost in San Francisco, CA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1 door)
- $710 – $7,450
- Per door
- $715 – $7,466
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +24%
- US $3,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #2
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a patio door in the San Francisco area: $710 to $7,450 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 24% higher than the US figure. Carpenters earn a median of $42.89 an hour in the San Francisco area, 47% above the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 1 door in San Francisco, CA, standard level
$2,750 to $5,450
About $2,740 to $5,440 per door before permits. Labor is about 55% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,300 | $2,400 |
| Labor | $1,450 | $3,050 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $2,750 | $5,450 |
Cost breakdown for 1 door in San Francisco, CA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $430 | $1,850 | $3,250 | 45% |
| Labor | $280 | $2,250 | $4,200 | 55% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $710 | $4,100 | $7,450 | 100% |
What is behind the San Francisco number
The wage side of the estimate leans on carpenters, who do 60% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $42.89 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for San Francisco is 1.40 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 55% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. San Francisco is at 108.5 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $1,700 nationally becomes $1,850 here (midpoint, 1 door). Permits follow the all-items index of 115.6: $0 to $0.
Why two San Francisco quotes can differ
Glass
Low-E, tempered and hurricane-rated glass cost more than basic single-pane glass.
Door type
Sliding glass doors run $1,200-$4,000 installed; exterior French doors $1,300-$5,500; telescoping doors $1,500-$5,000 (HomeGuide).
New opening versus replacement
Cutting a new opening in a wall adds framing, header and finish work compared with a like-for-like swap.
Related projects, priced for San Francisco
Jobs that often go together with patio door are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same San Francisco wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, wood deck comes out highest (+26%) and window replacement lowest (+16%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $5,350 – $17,300 | +16% |
| Front door | 1 door | $650 – $2,900 | +18% |
| Storm door | 1 door | $440 – $1,150 | +23% |
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $9,500 – $19,100 | +26% |
| Garage door | 1 door | $860 – $4,400 | +19% |
Cost by quality level and size in San Francisco
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to San Francisco. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from one sliding door to two doors.
Basic
$710 to $3,400
Standard vinyl slider, same opening
Standard
$2,750 to $5,450
Wider slider or French door with better glass
Premium
$4,750 to $7,450
Multi-panel or custom door, new opening
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| one sliding door | $710 – $3,400 | $2,750 – $5,450 | $4,750 – $7,450 |
| two doors | $1,450 – $6,850 | $5,500 – $10,900 | $9,550 – $14,900 |
The best months for patio door in San Francisco
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, San Francisco Dwtn (in the city). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
Weather is not a serious constraint for exterior installation in San Francisco: no month in the averages is cold enough (an average daytime high under 45°F) or hot enough (an average daytime high of 90°F or more) to rule it out, so the workable window is all year.
San Francisco gets about 23 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are January, February and December (4.8 inches in December). The station averages about 3 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 | 58 | 47 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Feb | 60 | 48 | 4.4 | Workable |
| Mar | 62 | 49 | 3.1 | Workable |
| Apr | 63 | 50 | 1.6 | Workable |
| May | 64 | 51 | 0.7 | Workable |
| Jun | 67 | 53 | 0.2 | Workable |
| Jul | 66 | 54 | 0.0 | Workable |
| Aug | 68 | 56 | 0.1 | Workable |
| Sep | 70 | 56 | 0.1 | Workable |
| Oct | 70 | 54 | 0.9 | Workable |
| Nov | 64 | 51 | 2.6 | Workable |
| Dec | 58 | 47 | 4.8 | Workable |
San Francisco against nearby metros and the rest of California
Same job, same size (1 door), priced for the nearest metros. San Francisco is the priciest of the group. Stockton is the cheapest at $3,600.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CAthis page | $710 – $7,450 | $4,100 | |
| Vallejo, CA40 miles | $670 – $6,800 | $3,750 | −8% |
| Napa, CA50 miles | $670 – $6,950 | $3,800 | −7% |
| Santa Cruz, CA55 miles | $660 – $6,700 | $3,700 | −10% |
| Stockton, CA55 miles | $650 – $6,550 | $3,600 | −12% |
| Santa Rosa, CA65 miles | $670 – $6,850 | $3,750 | −8% |
| California (statewide) | $670 – $6,800 | $3,750 | −9% |
| United States | $600 – $6,000 | $3,300 | −19% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, San Francisco ranks #2 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, San Francisco is 10% above the California figure.
Elsewhere in California
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | 6,271,560 jobs | $670 – $6,800 | $3,750 | −9% |
| Riverside, CA | 1,716,760 jobs | $630 – $6,450 | $3,550 | −14% |
| San Diego, CA | 1,538,060 jobs | $670 – $6,750 | $3,700 | −9% |
| San Jose, CA | 1,134,970 jobs | $690 – $7,200 | $3,950 | −3% |
| Sacramento, CA | 1,080,590 jobs | $660 – $6,700 | $3,700 | −10% |
| Fresno, CA | 476,890 jobs | $630 – $6,300 | $3,450 | −15% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is San Francisco against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix, AZ | 2,375,760 jobs | $580 – $5,850 | $3,200 | −22% |
| Seattle, WA | 2,086,210 jobs | $670 – $6,950 | $3,800 | −7% |
| Boston, MA | 2,703,890 jobs | $680 – $7,300 | $4,000 | −3% |
| Minneapolis, MN | 1,951,650 jobs | $660 – $6,750 | $3,700 | −10% |
Who does the work: San Francisco trade wages
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 3 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 San Francisco the blend is 1.40.
Carpenters (47-2031), 60% of the weighting: a median of $42.89 an hour, 47% above the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $30.45 and $48.26 an hour. About 14,010 work in the metro. That is 59.0 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
Glaziers (47-2121), 30% of the weighting: a median of $35.84 an hour, 31% above the US median of $27.44. The middle half of them earn between $28.73 and $58.62 an hour. About 1,080 work in the metro. That is 4.5 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 3.8 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For general maintenance and repair workers (49-9071, weighted 10%) the local median is $30.59 an hour, which is 28% above the national $23.84. The middle half of them earn between $24.99 and $38.53 an hour. BLS counts 18,550 of them working in the area, 78.1 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 $180 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $410. That is a swing of roughly 10.0% to 4.3% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont has 2,373,920 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 12th by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 60% | $30.45 | $42.89 | $48.26 | $29.12 | 1.47 | metro |
| Glaziers (47-2121) | 30% | $28.73 | $35.84 | $58.62 | $27.44 | 1.31 | metro |
| General maintenance and repair workers (49-9071) | 10% | $24.99 | $30.59 | $38.53 | $23.84 | 1.28 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.40 | |||||
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Patio door in San Francisco: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a patio door in San Francisco?
For 1 door, expect $710 to $7,450 in the San Francisco area. A standard-spec job lands at $2,750 to $5,450. Small jobs usually cost more per door and large ones less.
+What is the price per door for patio door in San Francisco?
About $715 to $7,466 per door for materials and labor, plus $0 to $0 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $600 to $6,000.
+Is patio door cheaper in San Francisco or Vallejo?
Vallejo is 40 miles away. The midpoint for 1 door there is $3,750, which is 8% less than San Francisco ($4,100). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in San Francisco?
About 55% at the midpoint, or $2,250 out of $4,100. Materials are 45% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 48%.
+What would two doors cost in San Francisco?
$1,450 to $14,900. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does patio door need a permit in San Francisco?
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 San Francisco area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is San Francisco expensive for patio door compared with the rest of California?
San Francisco is 10% above the California statewide estimate ($3,750 at the midpoint). We cover 23 metros in California; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in San Francisco?
The BLS median is $42.89 an hour in the San Francisco area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $30.45 to $48.26.
+What do basic and premium patio door work cost in San Francisco?
For 1 door, basic work runs $710 to $3,400 and premium work $4,750 to $7,450. Basic means: standard vinyl slider, same opening. Premium means: multi-panel or custom door, new opening.
+Is there a bad season to install a patio door in San Francisco?
Not from a temperature point of view. NOAA's 1991-2020 normals show no month with a freezing-level overnight low or a 90°F-plus average high, so timing is mostly about contractor availability and rain.
Patio door near San Francisco
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 It Cost to Install or Replace Patio Doors? (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 $400-$3,000 for the sliding door itself, matched to the lower part of the $600-$6,000 installed range; labor is the remainder and sits above HomeGuide's $200-$1,000 labor-only figure because the installed range also covers trim, flashing and haul-away.