Guides
Interior Door Replacement Guide
Updated 3 min read
The short answer
Replacing interior doors is one of the highest-impact, lowest-disruption upgrades in a home. A standard interior door replacement costs $300–$800 per door installed (door, frame and hardware) for a basic hollow-core option, or $800–$2,000+ for a solid-core or custom door. The project takes one to two days for a typical house and requires no permit.
Door types compared
| Type | Core | Sound insulation | Weight | Cost tier | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hollow-core panel | Cardboard honeycomb | Poor | Light | Lowest | Budget renovations, closets |
| Hollow-core flush | Cardboard honeycomb | Poor | Light | Low | Modern aesthetic on a budget |
| Moulded panel | Moulded fibreboard | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Standard residential |
| Solid-core flush | Engineered wood | Good | Heavy | Mid–high | Quality residential, offices |
| Solid wood | Solid lumber | Very good | Very heavy | High | Premium residential |
| Fire-rated | Mineral core | Very good | Very heavy | High | Garage-to-house, code-required |
Slab vs prehung
- Door slab
- Just the door — no frame, no hardware. You reuse the existing frame. Cheaper and faster, but only works if the existing frame is plumb, square and in good condition. Any warp in the frame means the new door will not close properly.
- Prehung door
- Door pre-mounted in a frame with hinges. You remove the old frame and install the new assembly as one unit. More expensive but guarantees a square, properly fitting installation. The right choice when the existing frame is damaged, outdated or out of plumb.
- When to choose slab
- The existing frame is plumb and undamaged. You want to keep the existing casing. The budget is tight. The door is a closet or secondary room door where precision is less critical.
- When to choose prehung
- The existing frame is damaged, warped or out of square. You are updating the casing and trim. The door is a bedroom or bathroom where sound insulation and latching matter. You want a guaranteed fit.
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What makes one door better than another
- Core material
- The single factor that determines weight, sound insulation, and feel. Hollow-core doors feel insubstantial and offer almost no sound block. Solid-core doors close with weight, block sound meaningfully, and feel like quality every time you use them.
- Edge treatment
- A squared edge looks modern and clean. A bevelled edge is traditional. The edge treatment affects how the door sits against the stop and impacts the visual character of the room.
- Panel vs flush
- Panel doors have raised or recessed rectangles — traditional and transitional. Flush doors are flat — modern and minimal. The choice is aesthetic, not functional.
- Finish
- Pre-primed doors are ready for paint. Pre-finished doors are ready for installation. Unfinished doors require on-site finishing. Pre-finished saves time but limits on-site colour adjustment.
Answers
Frequently asked questions
- How much does it cost to replace all the interior doors in a house?
- A typical Calgary home has 8–12 interior doors. At $300–$800 per door (hollow-core, slab replacement) the total runs $2,400–$9,600. Solid-core doors push the range to $6,400–$24,000. The cost depends on door quality, whether frames are reused, and hardware selection.
- Can I replace interior doors myself?
- Slab door replacement is a moderate DIY project if the existing frame is in good condition. Prehung door installation is more challenging — it requires shimming the frame plumb and square, which is a skill that takes practice. For a single door, DIY is reasonable. For a whole house, professional installation ensures consistency.
- How long does door replacement take?
- A single slab door replacement takes 1–2 hours. A single prehung door takes 2–4 hours. A whole house of doors takes 1–3 days. These times assume no surprises behind the casing.
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