Installing New Doors?

wayne3434

im installing new doors in existing jambs in an old house. The problem is all the doors have to be ripped and cut and the jambs all r out of level so i will jhave to make lot of uneven cuts to make them work and the hinges and doorknobs have to be cut out too. I tried telling her to get prehungs but she doesnt want to. what is good price to charge per door. I am in the new york area thanks

loneframer

I just ordered blanks today for a similar job, same conditions. To hinge, bore and install locksets, and fit to existing jambs around $100 per door. Some doors will go well, others will test my patience. It's a crapshoot, but there are 100 plus units in this complex, most of which need remodels. Hoping to get a foot in the door.Good luck.

OW! My thumb

Depending on how out of wack the jambs are, you may have to take some casing off and shim them somewhat level. Say, if your hinge side is out at the top, the door will drag on the floor. Cant really squirrel cut the bottom THAT much. And what if the reveal at the top doesnt hit the stop? Know what I mean. I just installed a set of DH doors on a flat jamb cased opening,not too long ago,that wasnt set right. Total pain in the ass.
By the time you piss with that, you couldve set a pre hung in about 5 mins.

Leo G

Just tell them that it is such and such a price to put the lockset and hinges on and the fitting is at your hourly rate. Could take 10 minutes could, take 3 hours. You might scrap the door also.

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Custom Cabinets in Hartford County Connecticut

loneframer

I agree with the new jamb theory, but in my case the building is on pilings and is problematic to shifting and settling. All that work would be in vain.
I always fit the door in the opening and make reveals work, then mark hinge and latch locations directly on the door.This takes a little time, but the end result speaks for itself. If you have alot of doors I recommend a lock installation kit, it'll speed up that end of the install.

loneframer

Scrappin' doors blows! Especially non stock units

Leo G

I've never scrapped a good one, but I've come close, making it narrower than I'd like, having a heavy 1/8" gap instead of the 3/32" I like.

I did pull a stupid on a cellar remodel once. Had a few doors that needed to be fitted. Just cut 3/4" off the bottom of the doors and hang. Pc of cake. Until I cut it off the top.. Showed the client and he just said glue it back on and so be it. I felt uncomfortable on it, but I was giving them a fantastic deal on the cellar refinish. Glued it, sanded it and finished it. Was hard to see, I knew it was there. They were happy with the job. That is the only door I truly scrapped. And it was a cheapy too. $79 HD jobber.

__________________
Sawdust Follows Me Everywhere

http://lrgwood.com
Custom Cabinets in Hartford County Connecticut

WarnerConstInc.

Jobs like that is why I bought a Festool TS-55 rail saw.

Buy one of those but, dont charge by the hour then, because you will breeze through it.

OW! My thumb

Without a doubt! Its worth the 200 or so bucks after a day of boring out doors. And they have those spiffy strike plate templates. You just pick the size shape you needs and smack it. No more tracing it out.

Five Star

the hardest part will bewith the out of square openings, i would try to take the old casing off one side sawzall the nails and with a fein multimaster whack off as much is needed to get a nice reveal,then pull the nails from the back of the molding and it will be like nothing ever happened,

that old trim usually prys out nice and in whole peices,then to speed things up use a trim router for the hinges, sears has a nice dewalt lock bore set for $30 should take about an hour a door.

price depends on what your worth,what you got better to do,and how many doors

i would try to price by the day,if its a whole house make a week out of it watch them

loneframer

I did the same thing once, 3/4 off the top, luckily it was away from other doors. Banged a slab of 3/4 stock on the head, reset the stops and re trimmed. Fortunetely the painter liked to come in after every trade was complete. He called it "One and Done." No touchups. He did like to 1 coat the base before it was installed to reduce cut ins.

OW! My thumb

OHH, DAMNNNN.
Knock on wood I can honestly say I havent done that,.....yet. But, Ive done far worse things to make up for it.

loneframer

My father just handed down his Kwikset kit to me TODAY, because I have this upcoming job. It's at least 30 years old. Installed about a bazillion deadbolts with it back in the late 70s early 80s.Pretty much foolproof after initial setup.

OW! My thumb

You know thatll make you go blind.

Paulie

I don't know what you get per door in NY for a prehung but I'd have to agree with the 100.00 price. I've done my share of what you've got going. Don't understand HO's attachment to the old jambs. I've found the more you can fix the existing jambs for plumb,square ect.. the better off you are.

loneframer

Trust me, IT WON'T

Five Star

once i saw a 6 panel door hung upside down

with the small squares @ the bottom, they wanted me to do the rest of the doors that way. i asked wheres the guy who did this one? he told me he left the country i just and walked out the door i wish i had my camera that day

Five Star

and i was wondering why i can barely see the screen

OW! My thumb

Cool! Does it have the 2 1/8 Forsner bit and 1" auger bit for the bolt?
The only problem I had with the auger bit was,,(and here is my far worse story), I was boring out an 8' mahogany door with some real nice glass in it. I had the drill set to low and , well wasnt paying attention,and with the drill on low, it tends to turn after you release the trigger. Anyhow, I somehow still had some pressure on it and it hit the other side of my 2" bore, stuck the tip in the wood while the drill was still turning,..and,....CRACK. About a BILLION pieces of glass.
And I never did that again.

Five Star

loneframer did you ever use the split jambs from ex builder first source?