Quick Question, I have a house where I’m doing a few odd jobs, and one of them is hanging new doors. The existing doors are nothing special (15yrs old), and she wants 6 panel hollow core. But she asked to replace the door only, I think to save money. I’ve never done it this way.
They are going to paint all the walls after I finish anyway, so which way would be easier…
Hang new door only or hang new casing with door
One of my concerns is if I buy blank doors and hang them will the existing casing give me problems because these doors all ready have problems
I’m leaning to new casing and door…appreciate any opinions, thanks
Replies
Simply ask her if it is a cost saving measure. If she says yes, you have a grand opportunity to shine. Tell her you can save her more money by replacing the entire door.
Most people are receptive to this. Be sure to explain how the cost savings is in the labor. Her cost saving idea made a simple pre-hung door installation into a custom project.
Do the math before you approach her. Be ready to offer your price both ways and let her choose.
Either way, you scored.
WAHD
Life is a series of coincidences, if you believe that drivel. I was talking to a client yesterday who wanted a door changed, but not the jambs. I've seen the jambs, and they are as scratched as the door from her two (large) dogs. I did exactly as you suggest, told her the estimated time it would take to hang and fit the new slab, and repair the jamb, and countered with the estimate of pulling the unit and replacing it all at once. The time and effort saved convinced her to buy the prehung.
"Either way, you scored. "
Not sure I'd be saying that, since he's dealing with a woman..............(-:This man has the mind of a four-year-old boy, and I bet he was glad to get rid of it.
2 summers ago, 25 doors in one house, the exact same situation Slabs only kept the old jambs, Man it was a pain in the butt.
If the existing doors already have problems fitting the a new slab into an old racked jam is not fun.
Is there anything speacial about the old jambs?
I'd try to explain to her that the extra material cost will be offset by less labor required and on the upside she will now have perfectly working doors.
Often it's short-sightedness (if that's a word.) In my case, the HO said she really didn't feel like staining and finishing the jambs. I reminded her she was going to finish the door anyway, but gave her the option of having me do both, which would have been easier anyway. She elected to finish the door and jambs, though not without a passing grumble. In the long run, it'll look better, she just doesn't realize it at the moment.
Ocassionaly people just need a push in the right direction to see things, If that doesnt work a good solid shove will usually do it :)View ImageGo Jayhawks
Joedigs, this I learned from a good friend of mine, he would say to the client " If this were my house, this is the approach I would take". Me, personnelly , I'd go either way, as said before in this thread, have the numbers, a big smile, Best if luck, Jim J.
From a labor perspective, three points:
A quick trip through the place with your 6' or 80" level and a square should have already answered the first two questions. If there is no reasonable place on site to mill doors, pre-hungs may be your best option.
If the jambs are racked, they could be adjusted by gently removing the old casing and tweaking the striker jamb to fit the new door. If the old frames are within reason, at $100 per door, I would do better $/hr fitting a new door than ripping out the old frames and replacing. This of course would be a cheaper option for the customer because of less material and less disruption to the site.
Turtleneck
I would rather go to bed with Lillian Russel stark naked. than with Ulysses S. Grant in full military regalia. - Samuel Clemens
There is nothing special about the old jambs at all.
All of your insight is greatly appreciated, I know where to steer, there is problems with the old jambs, one of my worries (none of the doors close properly, well maybe one :)...)
Anyhow I think I'll now score big, but not too big Boss Hog, I of coarse am a happily married man, with open eyes and a discipline of "no touch" ;)
thanks
is part of the problem the fact you've never hung a door for reeal and have only installed prehungs?
If the jambs are plumb/level/square and in plane....aka not racked......
what's the big deal with cutting out 2 hinge mortices?
If you've never done this...better learn quick if carpentry is what ya tell people you do.
JeffBuck Construction Pittsburgh,PA
Fine Carpentery.....While U Waite
If making a door from scratch is hanging a door for real then no.
I definitely don't tell people I'm a carpenter. I give them my experience straight with no curves. I'm venturing out into doing anything I can at the moment because I don't want to just do "spec" houses. The same women wants a new kitchen sink and faucet, replace a toilet, some trim they never finished (divorced), re-rout a dryer vent with problems and fix a hole in the wall. True the biggest challenge for me will be hanging the doors and I don't want to screw them up.
I price the job on how a fast guy would do it and then take my time. I like a challenge and anything to do with the trades, always want to learn more, that's why I found this place and like it very much. I've had so-called experts on projects, and when they leave I have to go back and rip it down after they leave w/my money.
Hence, my philosophy is, if someone else can do it, so can I, and better with ample time, (that's me vs the average guy none of the true pros around here).
My experience is road construction and building two houses for myself and etc., which includes a few set of stairs my biggest challenge in carpentry {or hanging my ### off on a roof three stories up :)}, and I have no problem with re-doing work, I need perfection.
I don't want anyone to perceive I'm trying to be anyone else then I am, but I like many have to start from the bottom of the learning curve.
Jeff Thank You for giving me an opportunity to tell a bit about myself, or maybe too much :), but I didn't want to be short and sound rude.
Again I appreciate all the insight around here
Joe Montemayor
I was thrown by the "haven't do it that way" bit.
I read that as...haven't hung a slab. I wasn't talking about building a door from scratch......just hanging a slab.
If that is what ya haven't done "that way"......then this is the time to figure it out. Sounds like the doors won't break the bank if you need to replace one along the way.
Not that this is the case here....but my point was....a carp that steers a customer one way because he hasn't done the other....might not be doing the customer justice.
JeffBuck Construction Pittsburgh,PA
Fine Carpentery.....While U Waite
Your point is well taken ... however, in this case I think that most of us who HAVE done it both ways would agree that the potential for spending a lot of time fitting the new slabs to the existing jambs is quite high. I have found the easily fitted ones to be quite rare. The type of wall should be considered ... the potential for causing quite a mess while replacing the jambs is much higher if the walls are plaster ... higher still if they are crumbling plaster.
Another thing to take into consideration is that the ideal doorknob location on a six panel door won't always line up with the strike in the jamb. You'll either have to install the knob is an undesirable location on the door or do major filling and smoothing in the jamb.
I've done both and almost always recommend replacing the whole unit jamb and all. It's less labor intensive and has more guarantee of success which after all, is really the key here.
Maybe, I should have added, "which way" to steer in the title, but I thought it was implied, well next time. And no plaster on the walls, or anything fancy to deal with.
thanks again all, now I know which way will be easier for me and better for her.