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Patio door cost in Washington, DC

Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.

Typical range (1 door)
$630 – $6,300
Per door
$629 – $6,297
before permit
Versus US midpoint
+5%
US $3,300
Rank of 300 metros
#53
1 = most expensive

Local price for a patio door in the Washington area: $630 to $6,300 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 5% higher than the US figure. Building materials run about 5% above the US average here (BEA goods price index 104.8).

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Pick a size, a quality level and where you live. Prices update as you type.

Quality level

Wider slider or French door with better glass

Estimated cost for 1 door in Washington, DC, standard level

$2,350 to $4,600

About $2,330 to $4,597 per door before permits. Labor is about 49% of the bill.

Cost breakdown
PartLowHigh
Materials$1,250$2,350
Labor$1,100$2,250
Permits and fees$0$0
Total$2,350$4,600
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Cost breakdown for 1 door in Washington, DC

Part of the jobLowMidpointHighShare
Materials$420$1,800$3,15051%
Labor$210$1,700$3,15049%
Permits and fees$0$0$00%
Total$630$3,450$6,300100%

What is behind the Washington number

We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 3 trades: carpenters at 60%, glaziers at 30%, general maintenance and repair workers at 10%. Weighted together, Washington wages are 1.05 times the national level. Labor makes up about 49% of the midpoint estimate (48% at national prices).

Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Washington is at 104.8 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $1,700 nationally becomes $1,800 here (midpoint, 1 door). Permits follow the all-items index of 108.9: $0 to $0.

Related projects, priced for Washington

Jobs that often go together with patio door are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Washington wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, garage door comes out highest (+6%) and wood deck lowest (+3%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.

Related projects with local prices
ProjectSizeRangevs. US
Window replacement10 windows$4,750 – $15,800+5%
Front door1 door$520 – $2,600+4%
Storm door1 door$360 – $990+4%
Wood deck300 sq ft$7,750 – $15,600+3%
Garage door1 door$740 – $3,900+6%

Washington: what basic, standard and premium work costs

The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Washington. 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

$630 to $2,900

Standard vinyl slider, same opening

Standard

$2,350 to $4,600

Wider slider or French door with better glass

Premium

$4,050 to $6,300

Multi-panel or custom door, new opening

Cost by size and quality level
SizeBasicStandardPremium
one sliding door$630 – $2,900$2,350 – $4,600$4,050 – $6,300
two doors$1,250 – $5,800$4,650 – $9,200$8,050 – $12,600

Who does the work: Washington 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 Washington the blend is 1.05.

Carpenters (47-2031), 60% of the weighting: a median of $29.23 an hour, in line with the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $26.62 and $35.56 an hour. About 13,280 work in the metro. That is 42.3 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.

Glaziers (47-2121), 30% of the weighting: a median of $30.44 an hour, 11% above the US median of $27.44. The middle half of them earn between $28.10 and $36.25 an hour. About 1,380 work in the metro. That is 4.4 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 $27.52 an hour, which is 15% above the national $23.84. The middle half of them earn between $22.10 and $33.40 an hour. BLS counts 23,100 of them working in the area, 73.7 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 $210 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $85. That is a swing of roughly 2.5% to 6.0% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria has 3,136,190 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 6th by size among the 300 metros on this site.

Median hourly wages behind the labor line (BLS OEWS, May 2025)
TradeWeight25th pctMedian75th pctUS medianRatioLevel used
Carpenters (47-2031)60%$26.62$29.23$35.56$29.121.00metro
Glaziers (47-2121)30%$28.10$30.44$36.25$27.441.11metro
General maintenance and repair workers (49-9071)10%$22.10$27.52$33.40$23.841.15metro
Blended100%1.05

The best months for patio door in Washington

Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Washington Reagan Ap (5 miles from the city center). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.

For exterior installation, the comfortable months in Washington are August through June: 11 of 12. Outside them, July has an average daytime high of 90°F or more.

Washington gets about 42 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 14 inches of snow. The wettest months are May, June and July (4.3 inches in July). Inside the workable window, January and February are the driest, at 2.9 and 2.6 inches. The station averages about 40 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.

Monthly normals, Washington Reagan Ap (NOAA, 1991-2020)
MonthAvg high °FAvg low °FPrecip (in)For this job
Jan45302.9Workable
Feb48322.6Workable
Mar57393.5Workable
Apr68483.2Workable
May77583.9Workable
Jun85684.2Workable
Jul90724.3Hot
Aug88713.3Workable
Sep81643.9Workable
Oct69523.7Workable
Nov58422.9Workable
Dec49353.4Workable

Washington against nearby metros and the rest of the District of Columbia

Of the five closest metros, all are cheaper than Washington. Winchester is the lowest at about $3,100 (midpoint, 1 door), 60 miles away.

Comparison with nearby areas
AreaRangeMidpointvs. here
Washington, DCthis page$630 – $6,300$3,450
Hagerstown, MD55 miles$580 – $5,750$3,150−9%
Baltimore, MD60 miles$620 – $6,150$3,400−2%
Winchester, VA60 miles$570 – $5,600$3,100−11%
Lexington Park, MD65 miles$610 – $6,100$3,350−3%
Chambersburg, PA75 miles$580 – $5,750$3,150−9%
District of Columbia (statewide)$660 – $6,650$3,650+5%
United States$600 – $6,000$3,300−5%

Out of the 300 metros we cover, Washington ranks #53 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Washington is 5% below the District of Columbia figure.

Washington is the only District of Columbia 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 Washington against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.

Metros closest to this one by total employment
MetroSizeRangeMidpointvs. here
Houston, TX3,289,720 jobs$570 – $5,550$3,050−12%
Philadelphia, PA2,897,830 jobs$600 – $6,050$3,300−4%
Dallas, TX4,049,800 jobs$580 – $5,600$3,100−11%
Atlanta, GA2,889,670 jobs$570 – $5,500$3,050−12%

Patio door: what moves the price in Washington

  • Old door removal

    Removing and disposing of the old door is $100-$500 extra.

  • 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).

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 $2,350 to $4,600 for Washington, DC is attached.

Detailed patio door report for Washington, DC, $9

The report lays out the patio door numbers for Washington, DC 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.

Patio door in Washington: your questions

+How much does it cost to install a patio door in Washington?

For 1 door, expect $630 to $6,300 in the Washington area. A standard-spec job lands at $2,350 to $4,600. Small jobs usually cost more per door and large ones less.

+What is the price per door for patio door in Washington?

About $629 to $6,297 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 Washington or Hagerstown?

Hagerstown is 55 miles away. The midpoint for 1 door there is $3,150, which is 9% less than Washington ($3,450). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.

+How much of the bill is labor in Washington?

About 49% at the midpoint, or $1,700 out of $3,450. Materials are 51% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 48%.

+What would two doors cost in Washington?

$1,250 to $12,600. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.

+Does patio door need a permit in Washington?

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 Washington area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).

+Is Washington expensive for patio door compared with the rest of District of Columbia?

Washington is 5% below the District of Columbia statewide estimate ($3,650 at the midpoint).

+What do carpenters earn in Washington?

The BLS median is $29.23 an hour in the Washington area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $26.62 to $35.56.

+What do basic and premium patio door work cost in Washington?

For 1 door, basic work runs $630 to $2,900 and premium work $4,050 to $6,300. Basic means: standard vinyl slider, same opening. Premium means: multi-panel or custom door, new opening.

+When is the best time to install a patio door in Washington?

Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are August through June. January and February are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.

Patio door near Washington

Patio door: all pricesPatio door in the District of ColumbiaAll projects in WashingtonDistrict of Columbia cost hub

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.

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.