Steel Entry Doors
The best value for security and insulation, and a popular choice for suburban homes and rentals. The trade-off is that steel can dent and must be kept painted. Details are on our steel entry door page.
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Pre-hung entry systems, sealed and squared
Front and Entry Door Replacement in Kitchener-Waterloo
Replacing a front door is one of the most noticeable upgrades a house can get, and GTS Windows & Doors has been doing it around Kitchener-Waterloo since 1986. We remove the old door and frame, install a new pre-hung entry system, and finish the trim inside and out. Homeowners, landlords, property managers and small builders call us for single doors, doors with sidelights and complete entry makeovers.
The difference between a door that stays tight for 25 years and one that drafts by its second winter is mostly hidden inside the wall. It comes down to a flashed sill, a frame shimmed plumb at the hinges and strike, and weatherstrip that meets the slab evenly all the way around. Those are the steps we never skip, and they are covered by our 20-year parts and labour warranty.
This page covers entry door replacement as a whole: when to replace, which material fits, slab versus pre-hung, glass, locks, installation and cost, so you can plan the whole project before anyone pulls out a tape measure. For patio, French and screen doors, start at our exterior doors overview. We are licensed, insured, WSIB covered and a SAWDAC member, and we hold a 4.5-star rating from 31 Google reviews.
- Since 1986Four decades in Waterloo Region
- 20-Year WarrantyParts and labour, in writing
- Licensed & WSIBFully insured crews
- ENERGY STARRated windows and doors
- SAWDAC MemberIndustry association
Signs Your Front Door Needs Replacing
Many front doors in Waterloo Region homes built from the 1970s to the 1990s are still original to the house. Hinge adjustments and new weatherstrip can buy time, but these signs usually mean the door and frame have reached the end.
- Drafts you can feel: cold air at the latch side or under the sweep, or frost along the inside edge of a steel door in January.
- Soft or rotted sill: water that sits on the threshold rots wood sills and the bottom of the brick mould. If a screwdriver sinks in, the frame is failing.
- Sticking or swinging open: seasonal sticking points to a warped slab or a frame that has shifted, and adjustments stop holding.
- Warped or peeling slab: skins that bow, blister or separate from the edges cannot be flattened again.
- Weak security: short strike screws, a single deadbolt or glass within reach of the lock make older doors easy to force.
- Fogged glass: moisture between the panes of a door lite or sidelight means the seal has failed.
Steel, Fibreglass or Wood?
All three make an excellent entry door when they are installed well. The right pick depends on budget, how much sun and weather hits the door, and the look you want.
Fibreglass Entry Doors
Stable through freeze-thaw, dent resistant and available in smooth or woodgrain skins. It costs more than steel but suits sunny, exposed entries. See our fibreglass front doors for finishing options.
Wood Entry Doors
Unmatched character for older homes and custom builds, with the highest upkeep of the three. It needs a covered entry to last. Read about solid and engineered wood doors before you decide.
Slab Replacement vs Pre-Hung Door
A slab is the door panel alone. A pre-hung door arrives already hung in a new frame, with the sill, hinges and weatherstrip fitted at the factory.
For most homes we recommend pre-hung, because it replaces the parts that actually cause drafts and rot: the sill and the jamb seals. It also lets us insulate and air seal the gap between the frame and the wall, which a slab swap never touches.
| Option | Works best when | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Slab only | The frame is square, the sill is solid and you want to keep original trim or a custom opening | Old weatherstrip and sill stay in place; the slab must be bored and mortised to match old hinge and lock positions |
| Pre-hung unit | The sill is soft, the frame is out of square, or you are changing material, size or glass | Slightly higher price and new interior casing or touch-up around the frame |
Sidelights, Transoms and Decorative Glass
A door with sidelights brings daylight into a dark front hall, which is common in side-hall plans and many two-storey homes. Sidelights come full-length or half-lite, on one side or both.
Adding sidelights to a single door means widening the rough opening and adding a new header. In Kitchener that requires a building permit, while replacing a door within the same opening does not.
Transoms sit above the door to add height and light, a detail that suits century homes with tall ceilings. Most decorative inserts are triple-glazed units with the textured, bevelled or leaded glass sealed between two clear panes, so the pattern stays clean and the insert insulates better.
Locks, Handlesets and Smart Locks
Hardware is where a secure door is won or lost. Ontario Building Code Article 9.7.5.2 sets out forced-entry requirements for dwelling entrance doors, including a deadbolt with at least a 25 mm throw and strike plate screws that reach at least 30 mm into solid wood. We treat those numbers as the minimum on every replacement.
- Multi-point locks throw hooks or bolts at the top and bottom as well as the centre, pulling the slab tight against the weatherstrip along its full height.
- Reinforced strikes with long screws into the framing, plus solid blocking at lock height so the jamb cannot spread under a kick.
- Handlesets and levers in finishes from matte black to satin nickel, from widely sold brands such as Schlage, Weiser and Emtek.
- Smart lock prep with the correct bore and backset, and a strike aligned so a motorized deadbolt throws fully without binding.
How We Install an Entry Door
Measure and inspect
We measure the rough opening, not just the old door, and probe the sill and subfloor for rot. The order is placed only after swing, glass, hardware bore and colour are confirmed with you.
Remove and prepare
The old unit comes out and any soft subfloor or framing is repaired. We then install a sloped sill pan or flexible flashing so water that gets past the threshold drains out, not into the floor.
Set, shim and fasten
The frame is set level and plumb, with solid shims behind every hinge and the strike. Long screws through the hinge jamb into the framing keep the door from sagging over time.
Seal and insulate
Low-expansion foam fills the gap around the frame, and the interior side is air sealed to the wall. Outside, the head is flashed and the perimeter is caulked with an exterior-grade sealant.
Adjust and finish
We adjust the threshold and sweep until no daylight shows underneath, align the weatherstrip and set the strike. Then we install interior casing and exterior aluminum capping or trim, and haul the old door away.
What Front Door Replacement Costs
Published ranges for Kitchener run anywhere from $1,500 to $6,500, which is too wide to plan with. These are typical 2026 installed prices in Waterloo Region, including removal, insulation, interior casing and disposal.
For a side-by-side look at door and window pricing, see our Kitchener window and door cost guide.
- Sidelights, transoms and overall size
- Decorative, privacy or triple-glazed inserts
- Multi-point locks, premium handlesets and smart lock prep
- Rot repair to the subfloor, sill or framing
- Exterior aluminum capping, brick mould and interior casing
- Factory paint or stain versus a site-applied finish
| Door package | Typical installed price |
|---|---|
| Slab only, steel or fibreglass, fitted to existing frame | $900 to $2,200 |
| Steel pre-hung door, single | $2,000 to $3,800 |
| Fibreglass pre-hung door, single | $2,800 to $5,000 |
| Steel or fibreglass with one or two sidelights | $3,500 to $9,000 |
| Wood entry door, single | $4,500 to $9,500 |
Entry Door Warranty
Every entry door we install carries our 20-year parts and labour warranty, so if the unit or our workmanship fails, one call covers it. The door manufacturer's own warranty on the slab, glass and finish runs alongside ours.
Most door makers attach conditions, such as finishing an unfinished door within a set time or avoiding a clear glass storm door over a dark, sun-facing door. If you are planning a storm or screen door as well, ask us first so your coverage stays intact.
More Doors Services
- Steel Entry DoorsSteel entry doors installed in Kitchener-Waterloo: insulated, secure and affordable, with glass inserts and colours to suit your home.
- Fiberglass Entry DoorsFibreglass entry doors that won't dent, rust or warp, installed across Kitchener-Waterloo.
- Wood Entry DoorsWood entry doors, solid or engineered, installed in Kitchener-Waterloo.
- Sliding Glass DoorsSliding patio doors installed across Kitchener-Waterloo.
- French DoorsFrench doors and garden doors installed across Kitchener-Waterloo: hinged patio doors with multi-point locks, efficient glass and properly flashed sills.
- Screen DoorsScreen doors, retractable screens and storm doors installed across Kitchener-Waterloo.
Entry Door FAQs
How much does it cost to replace a front door in Ontario?
In Waterloo Region, a typical installed steel pre-hung front door runs about $2,000 to $3,800, fibreglass about $2,800 to $5,000, and doors with sidelights $3,500 to $9,000. Price moves with size, glass, hardware, finish and how much rot repair the opening needs. Low advertised install prices often leave out trim, capping and disposal, so compare itemized quotes.
How long does front door installation take?
Most single front doors take half a day to a full day on site, and doors with sidelights usually take a full day. You will have a working, locking door by the end of the day. Factory lead time adds roughly 2 to 8 weeks before install day, depending on size, glass and finish.
Can I keep my existing sidelights?
Sometimes. If the sidelights share one frame with the door, they come out together, because the new door needs its own sealed frame and sill. Separate sidelight units can stay if the glass is still sealed and the frame is sound, although new sidelights usually match the new door far better.
What is the best front door for Canadian winters?
An insulated fibreglass or steel door with a polyurethane foam core, compression weatherstrip and an adjustable, thermally broken sill. Fibreglass does not conduct cold, so it will not frost on the inside edge the way a poorly made steel door can. Either one underperforms if the frame is not sealed to the wall.
Do I need a permit to replace my front door?
Usually not. Kitchener does not require a building permit to replace a door within the existing opening when no structural members change and no fire-resistance rating applies, but adding a door or widening an opening does. Designated heritage properties can need a heritage permit even for a same-size replacement, as our permits and heritage guide explains.
Get an Entry Door Quote
Book an on-site measure and we will check your frame and sill, show you steel, fibreglass and wood options, and send a written, itemized quote.
Call or text226-806-0597- Monday to Saturday: 7:00am to 9:00pm
Sunday: 9:00am to 5:00pm - 47 Bridge Street East, Kitchener, ON N2K 1J7