Door-only or fully installed: compare the real screen-door cost

Start with a real door price

Our standard screen-door designs start at $450 for SD2, with other listed designs from $518 to $678 each at 820 mm wide × 2040 mm high × 25 mm thick. Beading is included. Wire mesh is not included. Custom dimensions can add size surcharges, and different timber species require a separate quote.

Before comparing, check that both options describe the same design, timber, size and intended performance. A decorative screen and a certified security assembly are different products. A quote for one should not be treated as a like-for-like price for the other.

Comparing a $2,000–$3,000 quote?

If you have been quoted $2,000 or $3,000, subtracting a $518 standard door leaves $1,482 or $2,482 before the remaining costs. Those figures are budget headroom, not guaranteed savings. The quoted range is an example to compare against your own written quote, not a claim about every supplier’s pricing.

Add mesh, hinges, handle or latch, any closer, coatings, consumables, delivery and labour to the door-only price. Include tools you need to buy and the value of work you will pay someone else to do. If several jobs are included in the other quote, separate them rather than assuming all of the charge relates to the door itself.

A worked example, with the assumptions visible

Suppose you choose a standard SD3 door at $518 and allow a hypothetical $350 for every other cost combined. The project total would be $868. Against an otherwise comparable $2,000 quote, the arithmetic difference is $1,132; against $3,000, it is $2,132. The $350 allowance is an illustration only, not a mesh, hardware or labour quote. Replace it with your actual figures.

Where the door-only approach can work well

You may already own suitable tools, have an installer working on the renovation or be comfortable managing finishing and mesh fitting. In that situation, buying the frame and arranging the rest separately can be worth pricing. The saving comes from the actual choices you make, not from the words DIY or factory direct alone.

When a complete package may be worth paying for

A fully managed job may include measuring, installation, removal of an old door, finishing and responsibility for coordinating the work. Those services have value, especially if the opening needs attention or you do not want to manage several suppliers. Ask for an itemised written quote and compare the same scope on both sides.

Use our door-size calculator to establish your frame estimate, then request delivery and any timber changes before treating the budget as settled.