Replacing an exterior door in Ottawa typically costs $1,400 to $5,500 installed in 2026, with a standard steel entry door landing around $1,400–$2,600 and a fibreglass door with decorative glass running $2,800–$5,500. Premium projects — a wide entry system with two sidelites and a transom, or a fully custom fibreglass door with multi-point locking — commonly reach $6,000–$10,000. Patio doors are their own category: a vinyl sliding patio door runs about $2,200–$4,000 installed, while a French or hinged patio door is typically $3,500–$7,500. Ottawa's climate makes this more than a curb-appeal de...
Insulated steel is the value option: a pre-hung 32- or 36-inch steel slab with a foam core, basic hardware, and a factory finish typically runs $1,400–$2,600 installed in Ottawa. Steel is dent-prone and can show surface rust at the bottom edge after a decade of road salt, but it performs well thermally and costs the least. Fibreglass is the local favourite at $2,800–$5,500 installed — it will not dent or rust, holds paint and woodgrain stains well, and handles Ottawa's -30 °C to +33 °C swing without warping. Solid wood entry doors are the most expensive and least common at $4,500–$12,000+, and they need refinishing every few years on a south- or west-facing exposure. Adding glass raises the price meaningfully: a small privacy lite adds $200–$500, a full-height decorative glass insert $600–$1,800, and each sidelite $700–$1,500. Side and back service doors are usually simpler and cheaper, often $1,200–$2,200 installed.
A vinyl sliding patio door runs $2,200–$4,000 installed, a hinged French patio door $3,500–$7,500, and a folding or multi-slide unit $9,000 and up. Widening a rough opening for a larger patio door adds $1,500–$4,000 because a new header is required.
Ottawa contractors quote two very different installations, and the difference matters. A slab or insert replacement reuses the existing jamb and brickmould, hanging a new door in the old frame. It is faster and cheaper — often $300–$700 in labour — but it only works if the existing frame is plumb, square, and completely rot-free, which is uncommon in homes over 25 years old. A full-frame replacement removes the door, jamb, sill, and exterior trim right back to the rough framing, allowing the installer to inspect and repair the subsill, install a proper sill pan, spray-foam the perimeter, and re-flash and caulk correctly. Full-frame labour typically runs $700–$1,500 per opening in Ottawa but is the only way to fix the water and air leakage that caused the problem in the first place. If your existing threshold is soft, the interior trim shows staining, or you feel cold air at the floor, insist on full-frame.
Rotten sill plates or studs are found on a meaningful share of Ottawa full-frame door jobs, especially where a step or landing sheds water back toward the house. Repairs typically add $400–$1,500. Ask each bidder how they price surprise rot before work starts.
An exterior door is a small part of your envelope but a disproportionate source of felt discomfort, because drafts at the threshold and latch side are at standing height. Look for an ENERGY STAR certified door rated for Canada's climate zones, a continuous foam core, a compression weatherstrip rather than a simple bulb, a sweep with an adjustable threshold, and Low-E argon glass in any lites. A door with a U-factor near 0.20 will noticeably outperform a 25-year-old builder door with a leaking sweep. Federal and provincial retrofit programs periodically include doors when they are replaced as part of a broader envelope upgrade documented by a registered energy advisor, so if you are also planning insulation, windows, or a heat pump, sequence the work and book the pre-retrofit evaluation before you replace anything. Rebate rules change frequently, so confirm current eligibility before assuming a door on its own qualifies.
Replacing an exterior door in the same opening generally does not require a City of Ottawa building permit. A permit is typically required when you enlarge or create a new opening, because that involves a structural header, or when the door is part of a larger addition or basement walkout. Basement walkout doors almost always require a permit and often a grading review. There are also code items worth knowing: a door serving as a required exit must swing and latch properly and cannot be obstructed, glass within a certain distance of a walking surface or door edge may need to be tempered, and any door between an attached garage and the house must be a self-closing, gasketed unit rated for that use — a very common deficiency flagged in Ottawa home inspections. On security, ask for a reinforced strike plate with 3-inch screws and consider a multi-point lock on fibreglass entry systems.
The man-door between an attached garage and living space must be self-closing and tightly gasketed to limit exhaust and fume transfer. Replacing one typically costs $900–$1,800 installed and is a frequent pre-sale repair item in Ottawa.
Ask for three itemized written quotes and make sure each one states the same things: door brand and series, slab material and core, glass package, frame material and whether the install is insert or full-frame, hardware and lock grade, sill pan and flashing details, insulation method around the perimeter, interior and exterior trim, and disposal of the old door. Confirm the lead time — custom fibreglass entry systems commonly run 4–10 weeks in the Ottawa market, and door manufacturers slow down in spring. Verify WSIB clearance and liability insurance, and get the warranty split out between the manufacturer's product warranty (often 10–25 years on fibreglass) and the installer's labour warranty (typically 1–5 years). Most single-door replacements are a one-day job, so be cautious of anyone quoting several days without explaining framing repairs, and never pay more than a modest deposit before the door arrives.
In 2026, expect $1,400–$5,500 installed. A standard insulated steel entry door runs about $1,400–$2,600, and a fibreglass door with decorative glass runs $2,800–$5,500. Entry systems with sidelites and a transom commonly reach $6,000–$10,000.
Fibreglass is generally the better long-term choice in Ottawa: it will not dent or rust from road salt, resists warping through our temperature extremes, and holds finish well. Steel costs less up front and insulates well, making it a solid choice for side and back doors or tighter budgets.
An insert install hangs a new door in the existing jamb and is cheaper but only works if the frame is plumb and rot-free. A full-frame install removes the jamb, sill, and trim to the rough opening so the installer can repair rot, add a sill pan, foam the perimeter, and re-flash properly — the better fix for drafts and leaks.
Not usually if the door goes back into the same opening. A City of Ottawa building permit is generally required if you enlarge the opening or create a new one, since that involves structural framing, and for basement walkout doors.
A single door replacement is typically a one-day job, or half a day for a straightforward insert. Framing repairs, an enlarged opening, or a large entry system with sidelites can extend it to two or three days. Order lead time for custom fibreglass doors is often 4–10 weeks.
A vinyl sliding patio door runs about $2,200–$4,000 installed, and a hinged French patio door about $3,500–$7,500. Widening the opening for a larger unit adds $1,500–$4,000 because a new structural header is needed.