4 Questions to Ask Your Exterior Door Company Before Hiring

When you're about to hire someone to replace an exterior door, it's easy to get lost in finishes, glass styles, and hardware. Those matter. But the questions that protect you are simpler, and they're about the company, not the door. Ask these four before you agree to anything, and write down the answers.

1. Who will actually install it?

This is the most important question, and it's the one companies are least often asked. Plenty of door businesses sell the job and send it out to independent installers. You may never meet the person who sets your frame. If something goes wrong, the company and the installer can each point at the other.

Ask whether the people who install are employees of the company, and whether the company ever subcontracts. At Strictly Doors we never subcontract our installations. Our own team does the work, from measuring to the final adjustment. That means the person who sold you the door and the people who hang it work in the same shop, answer to the same owners, and talk to each other. It also means that if you have a question six months later, you know who to call.

2. What does the warranty cover, and for how long?

A warranty is only as useful as its details. Ask these things out loud:

• How long does the labor warranty last, and what counts as a labor issue?
• Does the door manufacturer have a separate product warranty?
• What do you need to do to keep the warranty valid, such as finishing or sealing a certain way?
• Who do you call if something needs attention, and how quickly do they respond?

Strictly Doors provides a 1-year labor warranty on our installations. Ask any company you're considering to put its terms in writing, then compare them side by side. The product itself may carry additional coverage from the manufacturer, and that is a separate document. Keep both together in a folder.

3. What about permits, and what does my home already have?

Door and window work in Florida is shaped by the wind. Permit questions depend on your home, your area, and what's already installed, so don't accept a one-size-fits-all answer from anyone. Ask the company how it handles permits and what it needs from you.

Here is what we can say from our own FAQ: a permit is not required if the home already has up-to-date, code-approved shutters installed. If your home doesn't, ask when you call and we'll walk through how it applies to your situation. It's a short conversation, and having it before the quote avoids a delay after you've picked out a door.

4. Can I see what I'm buying, and what will the quote include?

A photo in a catalog can hide a lot. Ask if you can see the door in person, feel the slab, compare finishes, and look at the hardware. That's why we keep a showroom at 4365 Okeechobee Blvd, Suite B4, in West Palm Beach, where you can see styles, materials, and customization options before you decide.

Then ask what the quote includes. A good quote names the door and brand, the size, the glass, the hardware, the finish, the install, and the cleanup. It should also tell you what isn't included. If a line item is vague, ask about it. We provide free quotes within 24 hours, and you don't have to schedule an in-home estimate first, so you can ask these questions on the phone and have the details in hand quickly.

Why these four, and not the others

Questions about price get asked every time, and you should ask them. But the cheapest quote that comes from a subcontracted install with a thin warranty and an unclear permit plan can cost far more once you add up the callbacks. The four questions above cover accountability, protection, compliance, and transparency. If a company answers all four plainly, the rest of the conversation tends to go well.

A few things that help in South Florida

While you're talking, bring up the local conditions. Mention if your entry faces west and gets afternoon sun, if you're close to the coast and deal with salt, or if rain blows sideways at that door during storms. A company with real experience here will adjust its advice. It might steer you toward a fiberglass slab that doesn't swell in humidity, or toward hardware finishes that stand up better to salt air. Our staff has more than 75 years of combined experience, and conversations like this are a normal part of the job.

What to do next

Take these four questions to every company on your list, ours included. When you're ready to talk to us, call (561) 414-2089 or use /contact. You can read about the entry doors we install at /services/front-doors, and if you're also looking at windows, /services/impact-windows explains that side of the business. Jack handles residential sales and can answer these questions directly.