10 Sliding Door Questions to Ask And Answer Before You Make the Swap

Sliding doors, usually made of glass, add access, style, and lots of light to rooms throughout your home. If you want a new door or are considering replacing an old model, expect these sliding door questions from the pros when you start searching for a contractor.

When Do You Need This Work Done By?

A project like this often takes a day or two of work. Expect sliding glass door pros to be booked for at least a few weeks, and adjust your preferred schedule accordingly. Winter schedules will likely be more flexible than the busy summer months.

Are You Replacing an Old Sliding Door or Adding a New One?

Your pro will want to know if you are adding a completely new door or replacing an existing one. These are significantly different projects.

Replacing an existing door is a faster, easier installation, and if you have the right-sized sliding glass door on hand, it can usually be done in a couple of hours. However, contractors will also want to know why you’re replacing the door. For example, if you’re replacing it because of a rot issue, they’ll want to look for further signs of rot before they put it in the new door.

Adding a new door to a space without a door is a much larger project and often requires electrical or even plumbing work, which your contract will want to discuss.

Are You Providing the New Door?

Pros will also likely ask if you’ve already chosen and bought a door to fit the space. If so, note that it won’t be covered under any contractor warranties. If you haven’t, your contractor can help you find the perfect fit.

What’s Your Budget?

The cost of your sliding door installation will depend on the work you want done. The average cost to replace a patio door is $2,500, while adding a sliding door to an existing solid wall costs over $6,000.

Where Will The Door Be Installed?

Pros like to know where they’ll be working to gauge the difficulty of accessing the area and take precautions. For example, installing a sliding door on a second-story balcony is much more complex than installing one in a dining room 20 feet from the main entrance.

What Style of Sliding Door Do You Want?

Your pro will want to know the exact size (which may require a stop-by to measure) and the style you want. Common sliding glass door styles include:

Traditional: Doors are made of two large, horizontally-sliding panes.

French: Instead of one pane, doors are made of multiple elegant panes.

Telescoping: Doors with multiple panels designed to open even wider.

Pocket: Glass doors that slide into a hidden slot in the wall, disappearing.

Corner: Doors that meet at a corner rather than being horizontal.

What Sliding Glass Door Material Do You Want?

You can choose from among the best patio door materials, including vinyl, wood or aluminum, each with its own benefits.

Do You Want a Particular Type of Glass?

For example, many doors are available with additional panes or low-emissivity (low-E) glass for better insulation.

What Kind of Lock Do You Want?

Standard sliding doors use a simple flip-up mortise lock. However, you may be asked about choosing sturdier lever locks or other options to help secure your sliding glass door.

Will You Need the Door Painted?

If the contractor is installing an entire door with trim, they may also offer to paint the trim for you.