Cost of fitting interior doors: what affects the price

What is included in the price of fitting an interior door

A standard interior door installation covers fitting the frame plumb and square in the opening, hanging the door, adjusting the hinges so it closes properly, and fitting the basic hardware that comes with the set. For a straightforward job in an opening that is already the right size and shape, this typically runs from around 120 € as a fixed price for the whole job.

What is usually extra: removing an old door and frame, adjusting an opening that is not standard size, painting or varnishing the new frame and architraves, and any hardware bought separately from the door set. A fixed quote should say clearly which of these are included, because two quotes that look similar on the surface can cover quite different scope.

Standard versus non-standard opening size

Most interior doors sold in Estonia come in a handful of standard widths, commonly around 60, 70, 80 and 90 centimetres, with a standard height. If your opening matches one of these and the wall is reasonably plumb, fitting is quick: the frame goes in, gets shimmed level, and the door hangs off it in an hour or two of work.

Older buildings — wooden houses in Kalamaja or Nõmme, and some Soviet-era panel flats — often have openings that are slightly off standard, or walls that have moved a little over the decades. In these cases the frame needs trimming, packing out, or the opening itself needs adjusting with a bit of plastering or timber work, which adds time and sometimes materials.

Removing the old door and frame

If you are replacing an existing door, someone has to take the old one out first. A door that lifts cleanly off its hinges with a frame in reasonable condition is a fast job. A frame that has been painted over many times, is swollen with damp, or is fixed with old-style expanding foam and long screws can take considerably longer to remove without damaging the surrounding wall.

This is one of the most common reasons a job runs longer than expected, so it is worth mentioning the age and condition of the existing door and frame when asking for a quote. If the frame is in good shape and only the door leaf is being changed, that keeps the job simpler and cheaper.

Handles, locks and other hardware

Interior door sets are sold with a range of hardware included, from just the hinges to a full set with handle, latch and strike plate. Whether the price you are quoted covers fitting this hardware, or whether it is charged separately, is one of the details worth confirming before work starts.

This guide covers installation, not security: if you are choosing locks for a front door or thinking about upgrading security hardware, that is a separate question with its own considerations. For interior doors the hardware question is mostly about function and finish rather than security.

• Hinges — usually included with the door set
• Handle and latch — check if fitting is part of the quoted price
• Strike plate and adjustment — needed for the door to close properly
• Door closer or stopper, if wanted — normally an extra

Access and how many doors are done at once

Fitting one door on its own carries a proportionally higher cost per door than fitting several as part of the same visit, because setup and travel are spread across more work. If you are renovating a whole flat and replacing every internal door, it usually makes sense to do them together, either as a standalone door installation job or as part of a broader flat renovation from 180 € per job.

Access also matters in older buildings without a lift, where carrying doors and frames up several floors adds time, and in occupied flats where furniture needs moving out of the way before work can start. Clearing the room and the route to it beforehand keeps the job to the time quoted.

When to call a professional and when you can manage yourself

A door and frame swap where the opening is standard size, the wall is sound, and the old frame comes out cleanly is a job a confident DIYer can take on with a spirit level, a saw, and some patience with shims. Getting the frame plumb in both directions is the part most likely to go wrong, and a door that is out of square will bind or leave gaps no matter how good the door itself is.

Where it usually pays to call someone in: openings that are not standard size, frames that need adjusting with plaster or timber, old doors that are stuck fast, or several doors to do in one go. Odd jobs from 39 € an hour cover smaller fixes and adjustments, while a full door installation job is better priced as a fixed quote once we have seen photos or a description of the opening.