Interior Door Installation Price: Slab vs Prehung Rates

A handyman typically charges roughly $100 to $250 in labor to hang a slab door in an existing frame and $150 to $400 to install a prehung interior door, before the door itself, hardware and trim. These are rough estimates, not survey data. The price depends on your region, your hourly rate, whether the opening is square and how much trim and finish work the customer wants.

Doors are a fit-and-finish job. Customers judge the gaps, the swing and the latch. This guide covers the price ranges, what moves the price, time estimates, a worked quote and the mistakes that cause callbacks.

Typical interior door installation price ranges (estimates)

Labor only unless stated. The door and hardware are extra. Ranges vary by region, door type and the condition of the opening.

Job	Typical labor range	Typical time
Slab door, hang in existing frame (hinges and bore already set)	$75-$150	45-90 min
Slab door, new hinge mortises and lockset bore	$100-$250	1.5-2.5 hr
Prehung door, standard interior opening (hollow-core)	$150-$300	1.5-2.5 hr
Prehung door, solid-core or heavy (more weight, second person)	$200-$400	2-3 hr
Trim/shorten a door (cut to height, or plane the edge)	$25-$75	15-45 min
Casing/trim replacement around the door (per side)	$50-$150	30-90 min
Lockset, privacy or passage lever install (new or swap)	$25-$60 each	15-30 min
Door stop, hinge pins, bumper or soft-close add-on	$10-$40 each	5-15 min
Bifold or sliding closet door install	$100-$300	1-2.5 hr
Pocket door (rough framing/repair)	quote separately	often more than a handyman scope

A new opening or a changed rough opening involves framing and sometimes electrical or plumbing in the wall. Treat that as carpentry or remodel work and price it separately.

Slab vs. prehung doors: which one to use

This is a choice you can help the customer make, and it changes the price.

	Slab door	Prehung door
What it is	A door only, no frame or hinges	Door hung in a frame with hinges attached
Best when	The existing frame is square, sound and the size matches	The frame is damaged, out of square or you are changing size
Your labor	Hinge mortises, bore holes, trimming to fit	Remove old unit, shim and plumb the new frame, trim casing
Material cost	Lower	Higher
Risk	Fit problems if the old frame is off	Wall damage when removing the old frame, casing repair
Finish	Often needs paint and hardware	Often comes primed; casing may need paint

A good rule: if the old frame is plumb and in good shape, a slab is cheaper and faster. If the frame is racked, sagging or rotted, a prehung unit usually costs less in the long run because you are not fighting the old frame.

What drives the price

Door type and weight

Hollow-core: light and easy to handle, easy to cut and plane.
Solid-core: heavy, better sound, harder to hang. Plan on a second person for lifting and a more careful hinge install.
Fire-rated or specialty doors: rated assemblies have strict requirements. Do not modify them in ways that void the rating, and refer to a qualified pro if code compliance is in question.
French doors and double doors: two panels, more alignment, more time.
Bifold and sliding closet doors: their own track and hardware system.

Opening condition

Plumb, square, level jambs: fast.
Out-of-square frame: shimming, planing and trimming take longer.
Uneven floors: the door may need a trimmed bottom, and the gap changes by side.
Thick carpet or new flooring coming: the door height must account for the finished floor. Ask whether flooring work is planned. Cutting a door short and then adding thick flooring is easy to fix; cutting it too short is not.

Trimming and fitting

Typical fitting work includes:

Cutting the door to height
Planing the edge for clean gaps
Chiseling hinge mortises
Boring a lockset hole and latch edge
Adjusting the strike plate

A consistent 1/8-inch gap around the door on the top and latch side, and a bit more at the bottom, is a common target, but follow the door manufacturer's instructions.

Hardware

Hardware drives both materials and time:

Passage levers (no lock) for halls and closets
Privacy levers for bathrooms and bedrooms
Keyed or locking sets for offices and exteriors, which are a different category
Hinges: 3 per door is common, heavier doors may need a fourth
Door stops: hinge-pin, base-mounted or wall-mounted

Always ask the customer whether they have the hardware or whether you are to supply it, and whether finishes need to match other doors in the house.

Trim, caulk and paint

Replacing a door often damages casing or paint. Plan for:

Casing removal and reinstallation, or new casing
Nail holes filled
Caulk at the casing and the wall
Paint or stain on the door and trim

If you are not painting, say so on the quote. If you are, price it as a separate line.

Number of doors

Multiple doors in one visit save you setup time and the trip charge. Offer a lower per-door price for three or more doors, but do not hand the discount away on the first door.

How long does door installation take?

Slab door, hinges already in place: 45 to 90 minutes.
Slab door, mortise and bore: 90 to 150 minutes.
Prehung, hollow-core: 90 to 150 minutes.
Prehung, solid-core or out-of-square opening: 2 to 3 hours.
Add: 30 to 90 minutes per door for casing, caulk and touch-up paint.

Faster crews work two doors at a time, using one door for cutting and mortising while the next is staged. Time your first ten door jobs and compare to your quotes.

Materials and tools checklist

Materials

Door (slab or prehung), sized to match the opening
Hinges and screws (use long screws into the stud for the top hinge)
Lockset and strike plate
Shims (cedar or composite)
Finish nails, wood filler, caulk
Casing trim, if replacing
Primer and paint for any cut edges (sealing the cut ends helps)
Door stop

Tools

Tape measure, 4-foot level and square
Circular saw or hand saw, and a block plane
Drill/driver, hole saw kit for the bore, spade bit or latch bore jig
Chisel set and a hinge mortise template, or a router with a jig
Finish nailer or hammer and nail set
Utility knife and pry bar
Pencil, painter's tape
Drop cloths and a vacuum

Worked quote example

The job: replace one hollow-core 30" interior door with a new prehung unit in an existing opening, including a new privacy lever and caulk and touch-up on the casing. Your labor rate is $80 per hour, material markup is 25%, trip charge is $40, and disposal is a flat $25.

Line item	Calculation	Amount
Remove old door and frame, shim, plumb and secure new prehung unit	1.75 hr x $80	$140.00
Trim, fit, caulk and touch up casing	0.75 hr x $80	$60.00
Prehung door (cost $85) plus shims, screws, nails, caulk, filler (cost $12)	$97 x 1.25	$121.25
Privacy lever (cost $22, 25% markup)	$22 x 1.25	$27.50
Disposal of old door and frame	flat	$25.00
Trip charge	flat	$40.00
Total		$413.75

Check: labor is $140 + $60 = $200. Materials are $121.25 + $27.50 = $148.75. Disposal is $25 and trip is $40. So $200 + $148.75 + $25 + $40 = $413.75.

Notes for the quote:

"Door painting is not included. Doors can be painted for an additional charge."
"Assumes standard opening, 30" x 80", with a standard wall thickness. Out-of-square or damaged framing quoted separately."
"Final flooring height may require a door trim adjustment; please tell me if new flooring is planned."
"My workmanship is covered for 90 days. The door and hardware are covered by the manufacturer."

For the full structure, see how to write a handyman quote, and for markup percentages see the material markup guide.

Upsells that make sense

Paint or stain the door and trim: price per door and per side.
Upgrade the hardware: match finishes house-wide.
Replace all hinges and strike plates on the same visit: cheap, quick and visible.
Fix sticking, rubbing or latching doors: a good small-job line item for customers with other issues. See the idea of a service menu in the upsell tips guide.
Soft-close or magnetic door stops: a small materials sale.
Closet doors and rods: bifold, sliding or hanging rods.
Baseboard and casing touch-up: for rooms where the floor changed.
Door sweeps and weatherstripping: not usually needed for interior doors, but good for exterior and garage doors.
Multi-door packages: a bundled price for the whole floor.

Common mistakes

Cutting the door too short. Measure twice; check the finished floor height before trimming.
Hanging on a racked frame. Fix the frame or switch to a prehung unit.
Not checking hinge screw length. Use at least one long screw per hinge into the framing, especially on the top hinge.
Misaligned latch bores and strike plates. Mark and test with the door closed before you finalize.
Forgetting the paint and caulk. The job is not done until the casing is clean. Price it or exclude it in writing.
Altering fire-rated doors. Do not modify rated assemblies without confirming what is allowed. Refer to a qualified pro or the code office.
No second person for heavy doors. Solid-core doors are heavy and awkward. Bring help or price it in.
Quoting before you see the opening. Ask for a photo and the existing door size before you quote.

Customer text template

Thanks for reaching out about the door. To price it, can you send: 1) a photo of the door and frame from the hallway side, 2) the door width and height (usually printed on the top edge or hinge side), 3) whether the door swings left or right, and 4) whether you are buying the door and hardware or want me to supply them? I will send a written price today.

Keep it organized

Door jobs often come in batches: three bedrooms, a pantry and a closet. HandyBook lets you save door install, hardware and trim as quote line items, send the quote with an e-signature and turn it into an invoice when the job is done. See the quoting and estimates feature and the pricing page for current plans and trial terms.

FAQ

How much should a handyman charge to install an interior door?

For a prehung hollow-core door in an existing opening, labor often falls around $150 to $300. A slab door in a good frame is typically less, and solid-core or out-of-square openings are more. These are estimates; use your hourly rate and measured time.

Is it cheaper to hang a slab door or a prehung door?

A slab is cheaper in materials and often in labor when the old frame is square and sound. A prehung unit costs more for the door but saves time when the frame is damaged or out of square. Look at the opening before you recommend one.

Should I charge extra to paint a new door?

Yes. Painting involves priming, multiple coats, dry time and cleanup. Price it as a separate line item per door, or state clearly that painting is not included.

How long does it take to install a prehung door?

Most take 1.5 to 2.5 hours for a hollow-core door in a normal opening. Solid-core doors, uneven walls or trim replacement can push it to 3 hours or more.

Do I need to buy a hinge mortise jig?

Not required, but if you hang a lot of slab doors a mortise template or router jig saves time and gives cleaner results. A sharp chisel and a pattern from the old door work for occasional jobs.

What if the opening is not standard size?

Measure it and quote before you buy. Custom sizes, uneven walls or very wide jambs often mean special-order doors or framing work. Add a note: "Non-standard openings may need a special order or additional carpentry, quoted separately."