Sliding Patio Door = DIY?

[aigel]

My patio sliding glass door sporadically broke (the inside glass on the fixed pane). Not sure why.

Local glass shop wants $750 to replace the pane. Or $2k to install a new door ($1k for the door and $1k for labor).

It is an old Al door and the rest of the house is all vinyl. So I don't want to put any money in this old door. Rather replace it with a new Vinyl door.

My questions:

- How hard is it to replace a sliding glass patio door?
- Why is it a GRAND in labor? Is this an indication on how much time it takes?
- How long would it take me?

Generally, the area I live in is expensive and tradesmen are charging a lot. If I can get $50/h for my time and it doesn't bear any large risks of failure, I will tackle projects myself.

G

[stomachmonkey]

Well how much time do you think is involved?

Did they come out and look before they quoted you or is that their spec price?

Even if the replacement door is the exact same size and just "drops in" there is still prep and finish work which is where I suspect a good chunk of the labor is.

For instance, how much of the vinyl needs to come off and be reinstalled and how long does that take.

Never done one so I don't know, just me trying to justify the price, assuming it's accurate of course.

Pretty easy job. If there is siding around it. Pull the trim off and back the fasteners off the nailing flange. If it has brick around it, You need to get a crowbar/wonderbar between the fame and the brick and pry like crazy. It's kind of brutal but straightforward.

The new door needs to be one for a retrofit without the nailing flanges OR you'll have to cut them off. Set the new door in place and shim it level and plumb. Dive screws through those shims into the jack studs and header. Only screw through the shims or you'll warp the frame. Caulk it in and you're done

If a brick surround, make absolutely sure the new door frame is same size or slightly smaller than the original before you start.

[ninelevenick]

If you have stucco, you must cut back about about 1.5" around the frame to expose the nail flanges. I've used an angle grinder with a diamond blade. Cuts stucco and chicken wire like butter. If you have a sufficient overhang to block the rain, you could install French doors.

[aigel]

Stucco. Highly doubt the window company quote includes re-stucco and paint! But it is only my wife going there for an initial, nobody has been at the house ... The wall is pretty small, so planning on re-stucco around it and painting that whole wall for a better match of paint.

Keep the input coming! Appreciated!

G

[pete3799]

Never done a sliding door (or worked with vinyl siding) but have done 2 exterior French doors on my log cabin. If your replacement is the same size as your present door that part should go relatively easy. Removing and reinstalling the siding may be a PITA not sure. I'd wait for someone else to chime in on that.
You will definitely want another person to help remove and install the door.....they're quit heavy.
Some shims, caulking, screw gun and a good 4 foot level should get the door in.

[ninelevenick]

Right, stucco patch is your friend, and it is especially easily matched if the texture is rough.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by aigel

Stucco. Highly doubt the window company quote includes re-stucco and paint! But it is only my wife going there for an initial, nobody has been at the house ... The wall is pretty small, so planning on re-stucco around it and painting that whole wall for a better match of paint.

Keep the input coming! Appreciated!

G

Ahh, so the windows and doors are vinyl, not vinyl siding on the house, that's stucco?

[sammyg2]

I replaced the old aluminium slider with a double-pane vinyl door about 20 years ago. By myself.
And it's eight foot wide. Bigger than most.

Still works great but I've done a little maintenance on the rollers over the years.
Cost me about $900 total and took a long day to install and I did the stucco work the next weekend.

I was much younger and money was a little tighter then.
If I had to do it again I'd write the check.

[aigel]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

Ahh, so the windows and doors are vinyl, not vinyl siding on the house, that's stucco?

Yes, sorry for the confusion. I have an aluminum door now and want a plastic (vinyl). It is in a stucco wall ...

G

[aigel]

Originally Posted by sammyg2

I was much younger and money was a little tighter then.
If I had to do it again I'd write the check.

Money isn't tight, but if I can make $50/h doing it myself, that's better than what I clear at work! So why not!

G

[Scott Douglas]

When we had our vinyl double pane windows put in we got a new slider too. The company that did it wouldn't put it in without totally ripping out the old one and starting from scratch. I'm glad they insisted on doing it that way. Threshold is where the old one was, height wise, door works like a champ and hasn't leaked either. They had a stucco guy on the side do the finish work. Turned out nice and hasn't been any kind of a problem since.

[Scott R]

I'm a miser on my rentals and I didn't want to redo any of the exterior fascia so I removed the two sliding panels from the door, removed any screws I could find and sunk two eye-bolts into the sides of the frame. I then attached a cum-a-long, made two cuts to help the frame collapse in the right pace, and collapsed the metal frame (in this case) and it pulled right around the nails.

On the new vinyl door I removed the exterior flange pieces and screwed into the old openings after shimming it. A little caulk and it was done. I found this method for changing windows out on Youtube, turns out it works well on sliders too.

[aigel]

Originally Posted by Scott R

I'm a miser on my rentals and I didn't want to redo any of the exterior fascia so I removed the two sliding panels from the door, removed any screws I could find and sunk two eye-bolts into the sides of the frame. I then attached a cum-a-long, made two cuts to help the frame collapse in the right pace, and collapsed the metal frame (in this case) and it pulled right around the nails.

On the new vinyl door I removed the exterior flange pieces and screwed into the old openings after shimming it. A little caulk and it was done. I found this method for changing windows out on Youtube, turns out it works well on sliders too.

Whoa - this sounds great. How did you fasten the eye bolts to the frame?

Thanks!

G

[Scott R]

Originally Posted by aigel

Whoa - this sounds great. How did you fasten the eye bolts to the frame?

Thanks!

G

I used self tappers, I put them in the place of two of the original wood screws I removed. The eye-bolts were just a bit larger than the original wood screws.

This is how I got the idea:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcHWP4dLrpM

[look 171]

Its a two hour job if you get a retrofit vinyl door. Remove the old sliding doors themselves but leave the frame in place. The whole assembly (new) fits over the existing opening and they screw and glue it in place without having anything done to the existing sliding door frame. Go to any window place and they should be able to do this for you. I suggest your local glass company and they normally carry doors and windows, but the best part is that they will install unlike window companies, they have no installation service.

[enzo1]

He can't get out the Sawzall? Bummer!

[aigel]

Originally Posted by look 171

Its a two hour job if you get a retrofit vinyl door. Remove the old sliding doors themselves but leave the frame in place. The whole assembly (new) fits over the existing opening and they screw and glue it in place without having anything done to the existing sliding door frame. Go to any window place and they should be able to do this for you. I suggest your local glass company and they normally carry doors and windows, but the best part is that they will install unlike window companies, they have no installation service.

Sweet. So how do I find a local window company that supplies this? At Home Depot I don't see retrofit listed.

It is done like this?

https://www.milgard.com/sites/default/files/files/how_to_install/sliding-door-flush-fin.pdf


Thanks!!!

G

[vash]

i did a huge window at my old house. it was shocking how heavy it was. i had to gather my neighbors to help. i bet a sliding door is a heavy mofo.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by vash

i did a huge window at my old house. it was shocking how heavy it was. i had to gather my neighbors to help. i bet a sliding door is a heavy mofo.

I put in an Anderson some years back...well, my neighbors cousin did (a pro), with my neighbor and I doing the lifting, positioning, etc. while he did the shims and stuff since he had a back issue at the time. "A" heavy mofo....hmmph...two mofos at least , maybe three .