Who Should You Hire to Install French Doors?

Elegant French doors are a fantastic way to brighten a low-light living space. However, these glass-paned double entryways aren’t as easy to install as a standard door—especially if you have to alter the framework to fit them. A professional door installation company typically has the most experience for this project, but they aren’t the only pros that can tackle the task. If you’re in two minds about who to hire to install French doors or wonder if it’s a doable DIY project, read this guide to help you decide.

Benefits of Hiring a Door Installer for Fitting French Doors

It’s not just the fragility of these glass doors that makes hiring a local door installer a sensible strategy. 

• Design advice: A pro can help you choose the best materials, frame size, and door opening direction to maximize functionality and aesthetics.

• Sound structure: When you have to widen the frame to fit your French door, it brings structural challenges that won’t phase an experienced contractor.

• Weatherproofing: The pros will seal your French doors, so you won’t have to worry about increases in energy bills or water ingress issues. 

• Permits: You’ll need a building permit to increase your entryway size. Pros are well-versed in local regulations and can often support you through the application process.

• Warranty: Professional door installers often guarantee their work, providing extra peace of mind.

• Time-saving: If you hire the pros rather than tackle this task yourself, you will have your French doors sooner.

• Cost-effective: The average cost to install French doors professionally is $3,500. While you might spend more money upfront hiring a pro, you reduce the risk of costly repairs or premature replacement because of mistakes with DIY French door framing, sealing, or hanging.

Can I Hire a Handyperson to Install French Doors?

Hiring a local handyperson to install your French doors can be budget-friendly, with the cost to hire a handyperson starting at $50 per hour. Consider this option when replacing existing French doors or the right framing is already in place, but you don’t have the time or DIY skills to complete the work yourself. When your French doors require new, expanded framing, it pays to hire a licensed door installer.

Can I Hire a General Contractor to Install French Doors?

Swapping out an old door for stunning French doors sounds easy enough — until you realize the opening needs widening, the framing needs reinforcing, and the drywall around it needs patching.

This is exactly why many homeowners consider hiring a general contractor to install their French doors. Beyond basic installation, they can handle framing tweaks, minor carpentry, and even finish the interior and exterior touches, like siding repairs or fresh drywall. Plus, general contractors are pros at navigating building codes and pulling permits if needed.

Hiring a general contractor also means you’ll get the bonus of warranty and liability protection, something a handyperson doesn’t always offer. Just know that while their all-in-one service and skills are incredibly convenient, it usually costs more to hire a general contractor. Most contractors charge $50 to $150 an hour—or 10-20% of the job total—but if your project is more than just hanging a door, they’re worth every penny. Make sure you ask about their experience with door installs before you commit.

How Do Pros Install French Doors? 

The process for installing French doors depends on whether you're replacing old ones or creating a new frame for their installation. Once the frame opening is in place, the professionals will follow the basic steps below:

1. Install a sill pan at the base of the frame to prevent water ingress

2. Square and level the opening

3. Install the frame and shim it so it is level and square in the opening

4. Hang both doors

5. Secure the frame and doors

6. Add the French doors hardware, including knobs, locks, and strike plates

7. Install trim and weatherproofing

How Much Does French Door Installation Cost?

Budgeting for French doors means thinking about more than the doors themselves. On average, installing French doors costs about $3,500, though most homeowners spend somewhere between $2,000 and $5,000. Custom sizes, premium materials, and tricky locations can push that number closer to $6,000. Basic interior French doors run cheaper—between $400 and $2,000—since they don’t need to stand up to the elements or offer heavy-duty security.

Exterior French doors, built tough with reinforced materials and energy-efficient glass, usually land between $1,000 and $4,000. Professional installation adds another $140 to $600, depending on labor rates and project complexity. Remember that cutting corners, whether it's with the wrong door type, poor materials, or a sloppy install, will likely cost more later in repairs. 

Can I DIY Installing French Doors?

Learning how to install French doors is doable, but it isn’t an easy DIY project. The doors are heavy and delicate, and getting the measurements right is challenging. DIY French door kits are available, but if you have to widen the wall opening for the framing, leave the project to the pros. Mistakes can be costly, leading to leaks, drafts, and, in worst-case scenarios, security or structural issues.