Door & Window Installation in Baltimore

What does a door or window installation include?

A Solomon door or window job covers removal, opening repair, installation, sealing and trim. We take out the old unit and check the rough opening for rot and square, then repair what needs it. The new door or window is set level and plumb, then flashed and insulated. Casing, trim and hardware finish the job, and we clean up and adjust everything before we leave.

In older Baltimore homes, most door and window problems start at the opening itself, with rotted sills, out-of-square jambs and missing flashing. That’s why the opening gets as much attention as the new unit.

Some door work comes inside bigger jobs, like the door we set while framing new basement walls. Replacing a unit in the same opening is the simpler case; cutting a new opening or enlarging one changes the framing and needs a header sized for the span.

Entry, storm and patio doors

Exterior doors take the most abuse in the house, and most problems start at the bottom. A rotted sill or threshold lets water into the subfloor long before it shows inside. When we replace an entry or patio door, we check the sill and the framing below it first. A sill pan or flashing goes in so water that gets past the threshold drains back out, and then we seal the sides and head.

Common exterior door work includes:

• Entry doors. Prehung steel, fiberglass or wood units with new weatherstripping and hardware.
• Storm doors. Added in front of an entry door for ventilation and protection from weather.
• Patio and French doors. Sliding or hinged units that open onto a deck, patio or balcony. If the deck outside needs work too, see our deck repair and rebuilding page.

How do you fit interior doors in older homes?

Interior doors are mostly about fit. In older homes the opening is rarely square, so a new prehung door has to be shimmed carefully to swing freely and latch. When an existing frame is in good shape and you want to keep the original trim, we can fit a new slab to it instead, planing and mortising it to the old hinges and strike.

We set the reveal even all around, adjust hinges and strikes, and leave doors that close without dragging or bouncing. If the wall around the door was damaged during removal, we patch it, and our drywall repair work covers larger areas.

How are replacement windows installed?

Replacement windows go in one of two ways: as an insert inside the existing frame, or as a full-frame replacement down to the rough opening. Inserts are faster and keep more of the existing trim. Full-frame replacement takes more work, but it’s the right call when the old frame is rotted or the opening needs proper flashing.

Either way, the new window has to be set level, plumb and square so the sashes operate and lock. We shim at the right points, fill the gap with low-expansion foam that won’t bow the frame, and seal the exterior. Over-foaming or skipping the shims are common reasons new windows stick.

Trim around new doors and windows

Trim is what makes a new door or window look like it belongs, and outside it’s also part of the weather seal. Inside, that means casing, stool and apron on windows, and painted or stained casing on doors. Outside, it can mean new brick mold, wood or PVC trim, or capping around the opening so siding and trim meet cleanly.

When a door or window goes in alongside new siding, the flashing is lapped shingle-style, each layer over the one below, so water runs down and out of the wall.

Doors and windows in historic districts

In a historic district, replacing a window or exterior door goes through design review before it can be permitted. In Baltimore City’s 38 CHAP local historic districts, exterior work needs CHAP review and an Authorization to Proceed before the permit is released. (CHAP) National Register-only neighborhoods such as Canton and Hampden have no local review.

In Baltimore County, every exterior alteration on a property in a County historic district or on the Landmarks List needs a building permit, including windows, and repairs or replacements of windows and exterior doors go to the Landmarks Preservation Commission. (Baltimore County historic review) Confirm for your address before you order.

What affects the cost of a new door or window?

The condition of the opening affects the cost as much as the unit you pick. A new door in a sound, square frame is a simple swap, while a rotted sill or jamb adds carpentry before anything goes in. The main drivers:

• Unit type and size. Entry, storm, patio and French doors, and window size and style, vary widely.
• Insert or full-frame. Full-frame window replacement takes more labor and new trim.
• Rot repair. Soft sills, jambs or framing found at removal need carpentry first.
• New or enlarged openings. These need a header, wall repair and possibly a permit.
• Trim and hardware. Interior casing, exterior brick mold or capping, locksets.
• Height and access. Upper-floor windows need ladders or staging.
• Historic review. CHAP or County review can limit materials and add time.

We give a written price once we’ve measured and checked each opening.