Patio door cost in Durham, NC
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1 door)
- $560 – $5,450
- Per door
- $558 – $5,473
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −9%
- US $3,300
- Rank of 300 metros
- #194
- 1 = most expensive
Durham homeowners pay roughly $560 to $5,450 to install a patio door at 1 door, or $558 to $5,473 per door (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Durham is 9% lower. Carpenters earn a median of $24.78 an hour in the Durham area, 15% below the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 1 door in Durham, NC, standard level
$2,050 to $4,000
About $2,033 to $3,999 per door before permits. Labor is about 46% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,150 | $2,150 |
| Labor | $890 | $1,850 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $2,050 | $4,000 |
Cost breakdown for 1 door in Durham, NC
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $390 | $1,650 | $2,900 | 54% |
| Labor | $170 | $1,350 | $2,550 | 46% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $560 | $3,000 | $5,450 | 100% |
Why Durham prices look the way they do
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, Durham wages are 0.86 times the national level. Labor makes up about 46% of the midpoint estimate (48% at national prices).
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Durham metro is 96.6 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 1 door comes to $1,650, compared with $1,700 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (97.6) and land at $0 to $0.
When to schedule patio door in Durham
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Raleigh Durham Intl Ap (10 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
August through June is the stretch where exterior installation runs into the fewest weather problems in Durham (11 of 12 months). July has an average daytime high of 90°F or more.
Durham gets about 46 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 5 inches of snow. The wettest months are July, August and September (5.2 inches in September). Inside the workable window, February and November are the driest, at 2.8 and 3.3 inches. The station averages about 52 days a year at 90°F or above.
Does the season change the price? Probably, but we do not have a sourced seasonal price curve, so the estimator shows a year-round figure and does not adjust by month. When you collect quotes, ask whether scheduling in a slower month gets a better rate.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 52 | 32 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Feb | 56 | 34 | 2.8 | Workable |
| Mar | 63 | 40 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Apr | 73 | 49 | 3.5 | Workable |
| May | 80 | 58 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Jun | 87 | 66 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Jul | 91 | 70 | 5.0 | Hot |
| Aug | 89 | 69 | 4.7 | Workable |
| Sep | 83 | 63 | 5.2 | Workable |
| Oct | 73 | 50 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Nov | 63 | 40 | 3.3 | Workable |
| Dec | 55 | 34 | 3.4 | Workable |
Related projects, priced for Durham
Because every project leans on different trades, Durham's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, garage door runs −5% and wood deck −7%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Window replacement | 10 windows | $4,150 – $14,100 | −6% |
| Front door | 1 door | $450 – $2,350 | −6% |
| Storm door | 1 door | $320 – $890 | −7% |
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $7,000 – $14,100 | −7% |
| Garage door | 1 door | $660 – $3,500 | −5% |
Durham: what basic, standard and premium work costs
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Durham wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 2 common sizes.
Basic
$560 to $2,500
Standard vinyl slider, same opening
Standard
$2,050 to $4,000
Wider slider or French door with better glass
Premium
$3,500 to $5,450
Multi-panel or custom door, new opening
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| one sliding door | $560 – $2,500 | $2,050 – $4,000 | $3,500 – $5,450 |
| two doors | $1,100 – $5,050 | $4,050 – $8,000 | $7,000 – $10,900 |
Specs and site conditions that change a Durham bid
New opening versus replacement
Cutting a new opening in a wall adds framing, header and finish work compared with a like-for-like swap.
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.
Is Durham cheap or dear? The local comparison
Same job, same size (1 door), priced for the nearest metros. Durham is the priciest of the group. Fayetteville is the cheapest at $2,900.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durham, NCthis page | $560 – $5,450 | $3,000 | |
| Burlington, NC15 miles | $550 – $5,350 | $2,950 | −2% |
| Greensboro, NC40 miles | $550 – $5,400 | $2,950 | −2% |
| Raleigh, NC40 miles | $560 – $5,450 | $3,000 | level |
| Fayetteville, NC65 miles | $550 – $5,300 | $2,900 | −3% |
| Winston, NC70 miles | $550 – $5,400 | $2,950 | −1% |
| North Carolina (statewide) | $550 – $5,400 | $2,950 | −2% |
| United States | $600 – $6,000 | $3,300 | +9% |
Across 300 US metros, Durham comes in at #194 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $4,250; the cheapest is Laredo, TX at $2,650 (midpoints, 1 door). Statewide, Durham is 2% above the North Carolina figure.
Other North Carolina metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte, NC | 1,358,370 jobs | $560 – $5,500 | $3,000 | level |
| Raleigh, NC | 743,120 jobs | $560 – $5,450 | $3,000 | level |
| Greensboro, NC | 365,410 jobs | $550 – $5,400 | $2,950 | −2% |
| Winston, NC | 271,980 jobs | $550 – $5,400 | $2,950 | −1% |
| Wilmington, NC | 191,280 jobs | $550 – $5,400 | $3,000 | −1% |
| Asheville, NC | 180,620 jobs | $560 – $5,450 | $3,000 | level |
Cities with a workforce like Durham's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Durham against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester, MA | 349,880 jobs | $640 – $6,650 | $3,650 | +21% |
| North Port, FL | 339,940 jobs | $560 – $5,450 | $3,000 | level |
| Little Rock, AR | 358,210 jobs | $530 – $5,200 | $2,850 | −5% |
| El Paso, TX | 339,120 jobs | $520 – $4,950 | $2,700 | −10% |
Local wages behind the labor line
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 3 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Durham is 0.86 times the national level.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 60%) the local median is $24.78 an hour, which is 15% below the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $21.40 and $29.03 an hour. BLS counts 520 of them working in the area, 15.1 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is thinner than average.
For glaziers (47-2121, weighted 30%) the local median is $22.73 an hour, which is 17% below the national $27.44. The middle half of them earn between $21.58 and $27.88 an hour. BLS counts 70 of them working in the area, 2.0 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 3.8), so the local bench is thinner than average.
General maintenance and repair workers (49-9071), 10% of the weighting: a median of $23.62 an hour, in line with the US median of $23.84. The middle half of them earn between $21.96 and $29.31 an hour. About 2,830 work in the metro. That is 82.3 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 98.4 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the carpenters on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($29.03 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $140. At the 25th percentile ($21.40) it shrinks by about $110. The total moves by 4.6% or 3.7%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 344,020 jobs in the Durham-Chapel Hill area. That makes it the 74th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.22% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 60% | $21.40 | $24.78 | $29.03 | $29.12 | 0.85 | metro |
| Glaziers (47-2121) | 30% | $21.58 | $22.73 | $27.88 | $27.44 | 0.83 | metro |
| General maintenance and repair workers (49-9071) | 10% | $21.96 | $23.62 | $29.31 | $23.84 | 0.99 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.86 | |||||
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Patio door in Durham: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a patio door in Durham?
For 1 door, expect $560 to $5,450 in the Durham area. A standard-spec job lands at $2,050 to $4,000. Small jobs usually cost more per door and large ones less.
+What is the price per door for patio door in Durham?
About $558 to $5,473 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 Durham or Burlington?
Burlington is 15 miles away. The midpoint for 1 door there is $2,950, which is 2% less than Durham ($3,000). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Durham?
About 46% at the midpoint, or $1,350 out of $3,000. Materials are 54% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 48%.
+What would two doors cost in Durham?
$1,100 to $10,900. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does patio door need a permit in Durham?
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 Durham area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Durham expensive for patio door compared with the rest of North Carolina?
Durham is 2% above the North Carolina statewide estimate ($2,950 at the midpoint). We cover 11 metros in North Carolina; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Durham?
The BLS median is $24.78 an hour in the Durham area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $21.40 to $29.03.
+What do basic and premium patio door work cost in Durham?
For 1 door, basic work runs $560 to $2,500 and premium work $3,500 to $5,450. 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 Durham?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are August through June. 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.
Patio door near Durham
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.