Get inspired for your next home improvement projects by browsing through our blog posts, which are full of great tips, valuable advice, and industry insights.
Blog
Two exterior-door quotes can look similar while covering very different work. One may include a complete frame, new hardware and interior finishing; another may price the door alone and leave those items unresolved. Before choosing a total, make sure you understand what will actually be supplied and installed.
This exterior door replacement checklist helps Toronto and GTA homeowners prepare for an in-home estimate and compare written proposals. Use it to confirm the product configuration, installation scope and finishing before you approve an order.
Write down what you want the project to solve. Is the door difficult to operate, is the frame deteriorating, or are you mainly updating the entrance? Photograph the doorway from inside and outside, including the sill, trim, sidelights and any visible damage. Tell the estimator about recurring water marks or a door that sticks seasonally; those observations may affect the proposed work.
Choose a few priorities you can explain clearly: easier locking, more privacy, better daylight, a different colour, or replacement of a worn frame. A shortlist helps the estimator recommend a suitable configuration without turning the visit into a search through every available design.
The slab is the moving door leaf. A complete entry system also involves the surrounding frame and sill, with compatible seals and hardware; a sidelight or transom adds further components. Ask which of these are included and which existing parts will stay.
A slab-only proposal and a full-system proposal are different scopes. Keeping an existing frame requires checking its condition, dimensions and compatibility. A new slab cannot correct every problem caused by an unsuitable or deteriorated frame. Ask the estimator to explain the recommended approach after inspecting the entrance.
Explore Imperial's replacement entry door options when discussing the configuration. For the product choice itself, our fiberglass versus steel entry door guide covers the material comparison separately.
Your preliminary measurements are useful conversation notes, but they should not become final custom-order dimensions without verification. The installer needs to consider the opening, jamb depth, frame, sill and any sidelights—not simply the width of the old slab.
Discuss how the door will open in relation to stairs, porch space, a nearby wall, furniture and a storm door if one is present. Check whether the proposed handle has enough clearance and whether the threshold arrangement meets your practical access needs. Approve a clear drawing or written configuration instead of relying only on terms such as “left hand” or “right hand,” which can be interpreted from different viewpoints.
Our entry-door measuring guide explains what to record before an estimate. Final sizing remains a job for the supplier or installer responsible for the order.
Record the exact panel style, interior and exterior colours, glass design and sidelight arrangement. Look at a physical sample or the supplier's specification where possible. An attractive photograph alone does not establish how much privacy a glass insert provides or how the finish looks beside your brick and interior trim.
Ask for the proposed lock and handle models, their finish and any optional features to be identified. If you want a smart lock or a specific key arrangement, confirm compatibility before ordering. Discuss the complete door system's performance information where available; avoid comparing products solely through broad descriptions such as “premium” or “energy efficient.”
Ask what the installed proposal includes: removal of the old assembly, preparation of the opening, fitting and fastening, insulation and sealing at the perimeter, and adjustment of the door and lock. Ask how the sill area and visible water damage will be assessed. The precise method should suit the product and the condition of the opening.
Finishing is another common source of uncertainty. Clarify whether interior casing, exterior brickmould or capping, caulking and touch-ups are included. If painting or repair of nearby plaster, flooring or masonry is outside the scope, have that stated clearly. Record what happens to an existing storm door, doorbell or alarm contact affected by the work.
For the sequence of the work, see our entry-door installation-day guide. This checklist is about making that scope clear before you accept an order.
Some conditions cannot be fully assessed until the old assembly is removed. Ask how concealed deterioration or necessary additional repairs would be documented and discussed. Request a clear explanation of which work is included, which items are allowances, and what would require a separately approved change.
Confirm whether removal and disposal of the old door, site protection and cleanup are included. If other trades or repairs may be needed, discuss responsibility in advance. A written exclusion is easier to plan around than an assumption discovered on installation day.
Read each quote line by line against your checklist. If one includes sidelights, new trim or a different lock and the other does not, ask for clarification before comparing totals. Confirm how applicable taxes, optional upgrades and allowances are presented. You do not need identical brands to compare proposals, but you do need enough detail to understand the difference.
Keep the payment stages, order approval, estimated lead time and installation arrangements with the final specification. Ask for product and workmanship warranty information and the service contact in writing. An estimated date should be distinguished from a confirmed installation appointment.
Imperial Windows & Doors supplies and installs residential replacement entry doors, windows and patio doors across Toronto and the GTA. Bring your photographs, priorities and questions to the visit so the proposed work can be discussed in the context of your home.
Request a free entry-door replacement estimate and use this checklist to review the configuration and installation scope before ordering.
Ask for the exact door configuration, frame and sill scope, glass and hardware choices, installation and sealing work, interior and exterior finishing, disposal, exclusions and payment terms in writing. Compare the same scope before comparing totals.
No. Slab-only replacement keeps the existing frame, while a complete system includes a door and frame assembly. The appropriate scope depends on the existing frame, fit, condition and product compatibility; have the opening assessed before ordering.
Use your measurements for an initial discussion only. The supplier or installer should verify the opening, frame depth, swing, clearances and final order dimensions before a custom door is ordered.
Check whether both quotes specify the same configuration, glass, hardware, frame, installation and finishing. Ask each company to clarify omissions or allowances so you can compare the complete written scope.
Imperial Windows and Doors have long been serving our valued clients for over 10 years to be exact. We strive to deliver our clients only the finest solutions guaranteed to suit their needs, style, preferences and budget.
Imperial Windows & Doors provides professionally installed replacement windows, entry doors and patio doors for homeowners across Toronto and the GTA.
