You’re ready to replace your exterior doors. Now it's time to find a qualified Des Moines contractor and understand local considerations that could impact your project. Explore expert door replacement advice and read contractor reviews from real homeowners.
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Not sure if you're ready to replace your doors?
If you're replacing entry doors, the most common options are steel, fiberglass, and wood. For patio doors, sliding doors and french doors are also popular. If the door frame has rotted or shifted but the door itself is still in good condition, you may be able to replace the door frame and keep the existing door.
Wondering about return on investment? Explore the home improvement ROI guide.
Freeze-thaw cycling stresses door seals and weatherstripping hard in this region. Look for a door rated for cold climates, and expect weatherstripping to need replacement more often than in milder zones.
Door Replacement in Des Moines usually runs $1,100–$6,600 for a standard project on an average home. That is lower than the average national rate, because labor costs are lower in Des Moines. The table below compares national averages with typical Des Moines pricing.
| Project type | National range | Des Moines estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Steel Entry Door | $1,100–$2,300 | $1,086–$2,271 |
| Fiberglass Entry Door | $1,600–$3,800 | $1,580–$3,751 |
| Wood Entry Door | $3,900–$6,600 | $3,850–$6,516 |
| Sliding Patio Door | $1,700–$3,100 | $1,678–$3,060 |
| French Patio Door | $1,700–$3,100 | $1,678–$3,060 |
| Door Frame Replacement | $200–$650 | $197–$642 |
*All cost estimates on this page are planning estimates, not quotes. Actual costs vary by location, project scope, materials, site conditions, and contractor. See methodology and sources.
Installed cost in Des Moines runs within about a percentage point of the national average for this trade. Here's how we got to that number.
Project costs include three main components: labor, materials, and overhead. Material ships at national prices no matter where you live, and overhead is fairly consistent as well. So the main pricing difference between metro areas is labor costs. This is why a quote from a high-wage metro is rarely as far above the national average as people expect.
To get Des Moines labor costs, we compared the average hourly wage in the Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA area to the national average hourly wage for this trade. (source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025)
We found that the local trade wages sit about 6% below the national figure. Labor costs typically make up about 20% of a door replacement project cost, so the weighted difference between Des Moines and national averages is under 1%. See methodology and sources.
It depends on the scope of your project, so you should talk to the permitting authority to find out what your project needs. In general, Des Moines permitting is simple compared to other metros we cover.
Permitting for structural and plumbing work in this area goes through Polk County and City of Des Moines.
You should ask each contractor if they pull the permits for you and if the fee for pulling permits is included in their quote. Also, tell them you need to see the written, approved permit before work starts.
Iowa requires door replacement contractors to register with the state, which is not the same as holding a license. (source, verified as of 2026-08-12) What that means and how to verify a contractor in Iowa →
Here are the door replacement companies IA homeowners in and around Des Moines turn to, ranked by real customer rating and review volume, no filler. See our Editorial Standards.
Renewal by Andersen is consistently reviewed as a premium replacement door provider, offering Ensemble® Entry Doors and Andersen® Patio Doors. The door-specific reviews echo the window ones almost exactly: homeowners often highlight the installation experience, noting that crews arrived on time, were professional and courteous, and paid close attention to fit and finish. Many reviewers point to the customized fit, quality of the finished product, and the warranty service experience, for those who used it, as reasons they feel the investment is worthwhile.
Hansons fits entry and patio doors under the same tiered Smart Choice warranty as its other trades. The Lifetime Guarantee applies to the Premium and Smart Choice solutions, so ask which tier your door quote is written against. Reviews describing patio door installs are largely positive on crew conduct and on a same-day quality check before the crew leaves. A smaller number flag doors arriving shorter than the size ordered without advance warning, so have your exact dimensions documented in writing ahead of installation day.
We match contractors serving Des Moines and surrounding communities, including:
Contractor service areas vary rather than following ZIP-code lines, so your community may still be covered even if it is not listed above. Start your match to see the options for your project and location.
We match homeowners in Des Moines across every major exterior and interior trade. You get the same simple, free, no-obligation service for every project. If you're planning more than one project, it's worth requesting a combined quote if the contractor offers both types of work. This can sometimes make a project more affordable.
Yes. In general, contractors cover a defined service area, not a ZIP code. A company working one side of the metro will usually quote the other, so go ahead and find your match even if your area isn't listed.
Choosing a door replacement contractor in Des Moines comes down to a few important questions: what it costs, who does it well, how to pay for it, and what to ask before you sign. The resources below cover those and the rest of the decision.
