Angi's September 2026 data puts a new exterior entry door at about $550 to $2,000 installed, and the 2025 Cost vs Value report's Des Moines page lists $2,281 for a steel entry door replacement. Material, glass, sidelights and the condition of the frame move the price, and your actual price comes from a free estimate.
The short answer
Angi's September 2026 door guide, based on 6,453 projects, puts the national average door installation at about $1,218, with most homeowners paying $497 to $1,960. For an exterior entry door, Angi lists about $550 to $2,000 installed. The 2025 Cost vs Value report's Des Moines page lists a steel entry door replacement at $2,281 and a fiberglass grand entrance with sidelights at $10,933. Those two numbers show how wide the range is: a plain steel door in a sound opening costs a fraction of a custom entry. Your actual price comes from a free estimate.
Prehung or slab
A slab is just the door. A prehung unit comes already hung in a new frame with hinges, weatherstrip and a sill, ready to set in the opening. Angi's 2026 guide lists prehung doors at about $300 to $2,400 installed and slab doors at about $200 to $1,800, and notes slabs take longer to fit. Drafty front doors often need the prehung route, because the old jamb is out of square or the sill is rotted. Angi lists a new frame and jamb at $200 to $650. Your actual price comes from a free estimate.
Steel, fiberglass or wood
Angi's 2026 table lists installation costs by material of $100 to $1,000 for steel, $150 to $5,000 for fiberglass and $200 to $5,000 for wood. Steel sits at the low end of that table. Fiberglass can be made with a wood grain look. Real wood looks warm but needs regular finish care. Glass inserts, decorative hardware and smart locks raise the price in every material. Your actual price comes from a free estimate.
Sidelights, storm doors and patio doors
Sidelights and transoms push a door toward the custom end of Angi's range, which runs from $500 to more than $10,000. A storm door adds a layer against Iowa wind and snow; Angi lists storm doors at about $185 to $700 installed, around $400 on average. Sliding patio doors run about $1,200 to $4,500, with an average near $2,600, according to the same Angi guide. We install entry, patio and storm doors, so one visit can price all three. Your actual price comes from a free estimate.
Energy rules for Iowa doors
ENERGY STAR version 7.0 sets door criteria by glass area. A solid, opaque door needs a U-factor of 0.17 or lower. A door with half glass or less needs a U-factor of 0.23 or lower. A door with more than half glass in the Northern zone, which ENERGY STAR assigns to Polk County, needs a U-factor of 0.26 or lower. A good door still leaks if the sill is not sealed and the weatherstrip does not meet the door evenly, so installation counts as much as the label.
Resale and the end of the door tax credit
The 2025 Cost vs Value report's Des Moines page lists the steel entry door at $5,341 in added resale value, or 234.1 percent of its $2,281 cost recouped. The fiberglass grand entrance recouped 71.5 percent. The federal 25C credit paid up to $250 per door and $500 total under the old rules, but the IRS says it is not allowed for property placed in service after December 31, 2025. See our 2026 tax credit guide for details. Your actual price comes from a free estimate.
Permits and getting a real number
The City of Des Moines exemption policy (effective July 1, 2023) lists replacing non-fire-rated doors and frames with doors of the same swing and size as exempt, and says exempt work must still meet current code. Widening an opening or adding sidelights changes that, and suburbs set their own rules, so check first. For a real number, Luke measures the rough opening, checks the sill and jamb for rot and walks through door styles with you. See our door installation and replacement service for how install day works.
Common Questions
How much does it cost to replace a front door in 2026?
Angi's September 2026 data lists about $550 to $2,000 to install an exterior entry door, and the 2025 Cost vs Value report's Des Moines page lists $2,281 for a steel entry door. Your actual price comes from a free estimate.
Is a new steel entry door a good investment in Des Moines?
The 2025 Cost vs Value report's Des Moines page lists a steel entry door replacement at 234.1 percent of cost recouped at resale, the second-highest return of any project on that page after garage door replacement.
Should I buy a prehung door or just a door slab?
A slab costs less but only works if the old frame, sill and hinges are sound and square. A prehung door replaces the frame and seals too. Angi's 2026 guide lists prehung at $300 to $2,400 installed and slab at $200 to $1,800. Your actual price comes from a free estimate.
Getting a Real Number for Your Job
A new front door changes how the whole house looks and feels. Call or text Luke at (515) 901-3646 or request a free door estimate.
See our doors service or call or text (515) 901-3646.
Sources
- Angi: How Much Does It Cost to Install a New Front Door? (2026)
- JLC / Zonda: Cost vs Value 2025, Des Moines, Iowa (2025)
- ENERGY STAR: Residential Windows, Doors and Skylights Version 7.0 Specification (2022)
- ENERGY STAR: Windows, Doors and Skylights Climate Zone, Polk County, Iowa
- IRS: Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (2026)
- City of Des Moines: Minor Repair Permit Exemption Policy (2023)
Cost figures above are published market ranges from these sources, not Flow Right Construction prices. Your price comes from a free estimate.