Door Repair in Philadelphia

Professional Door Repair in Philadelphia: Fix Sticking and Misaligned Doors

I’m Slava from TonyFix Handyman. My door repair work in Philadelphia covers the problems homeowners usually have: a door that won’t close, rubs at the top, won’t latch, or needs a new deadbolt or smart lock. Labor for a sticking door is $100–160. A lock or deadbolt is $90–120, and a smart lock is $110–150. You send photos, I come out, and when I leave, the door closes flush and locks without a shove.

Most of my work is in Northeast Philadelphia and the neighborhoods around it. My base is in Bustleton, so Somerton, Rhawnhurst, Fox Chase, and Mayfair are close. I like door work because the result is easy to check. The door either swings and latches cleanly, or it doesn’t.

One craftsman from the first measurement to the clean-up — no call center, no subcontractor you have never met. If something feels off a month later, the same person who did the job comes back to look at it. I clean up before I leave because that’s part of the job.

Insured. City of Philadelphia Commercial Activity License #1012177. My Google rating is 5.0 from 12 reviews.

Common Issues: When Your Door Won’t Close All the Way

A door that won’t close all the way is usually hanging out of line. The hinges have sagged, the hinge screws have worked loose, or the frame was set out of square when it was installed. Each symptom points to a different fix:

What you notice	Usual cause	What I do
Door sticking at the top on the latch side	Top hinge sagging or loose screws	Tighten the hinge, drive longer screws into solid wood, shim the hinge if needed
Door won’t latch	Latch misses the strike plate	Adjust or reposition the strike
Edge rubs along its whole length	Door too tight for the opening, or built-up paint	Plane the edge and refinish the bare wood
Uneven gap from top to bottom	Frame out of square	Reset the frame

I start with the hinges, because that alone often fixes a sticking door. I only plane the door when adjusting the hinges isn’t enough. Even then, I take off as little wood as possible and prime the planed edge. When the door box itself is out, I set it on wedges, strictly to a plumb line and square. It’s the only way a door closes flush without catching anywhere.

Labor for a door that sticks or will not close is $100–160. Where it falls in that range depends on what the photos show.

Door Frame Repair Philadelphia: Fixing Frames and Trim

Door frame repair means fixing the jamb, stops, and trim around the door when they’re split, loose, or were badly installed by someone before. Typical work includes:

• re-fastening a loose jamb so the hinges have something solid to hold;
• replacing a split section of stop or casing;
• re-setting trim that has pulled away from the wall, then filling and sanding the nail holes.

Door frame repair in Philadelphia rowhomes has one complication. In older rowhomes, the wall around the opening is often brick or plaster, not drywall, and those walls take different fasteners. I check what’s behind the trim before I choose screws or anchors.

Sometimes taking off old casing tears the wall surface next to it. When that happens, I patch the area so the trim sits flat against a clean surface. A drywall patch is $100–150, depending on the size of the hole and how many spots there are.

Interior Door Installation Philadelphia

Interior door installation means taking out an old door and hanging a new one so it swings freely and latches on the first try. Usually, you buy the door so you get exactly the style you want, and I install it. If you’d rather I pick it up, I buy it and you pay what’s on the receipt. A small purchasing markup appears as its own line on the estimate.

The work goes in this order: I measure the old door and the opening, remove the old door, trim the new one to fit, and cut the hinge recesses. Then I bore for the handle if needed, hang the door, check that the gaps are even, and set the strike. The cost of an interior door installation depends on the door and the condition of the frame, so I quote it from photos.

I can also paint a door on both sides. That’s $110–150 per door, with paint separate.

“Slava installed an interior door for an apartment building, which can be tricky, but he did a good job. He was professional, and did good work for a good price. I would definitely hire him again.” — Ben Wechter, Google

Deadbolt and Smart Lock Installation

Deadbolt and smart lock installation means replacing a worn or basic lock with a solid deadbolt or a keypad or app-controlled smart lock. You choose the hardware, and I make it work properly in your door.

Deadbolt installation is $90–120 per lock, using hardware you provide. Smart lock installation is $110–150 per lock. Prices are for labor — materials and hardware are separate. I suggest buying the lock yourself so you get the finish, brand, and features you want. If you’d rather not shop, I can buy it for you and you pay what’s on the receipt.

Here’s what a lock job includes:

1. Checking the existing bore and the edge hole. If they’re the wrong size, I enlarge them or drill new ones.
2. Setting the bolt so it lines up with the strike plate.
3. Testing that the bolt throws all the way with the door closed normally, not pushed or lifted.
4. For a smart lock, setting it up and running the motor through several lock-unlock cycles.

A smart lock is less forgiving than a manual deadbolt. Its motor struggles if the bolt drags against the strike. That’s why alignment is part of every install. A deadbolt installation that only works when you lean on the door isn’t finished.

Service Area and Pricing in Philadelphia

I work in Northeast Philadelphia, including Bustleton, Somerton, Rhawnhurst, Fox Chase, and Mayfair. I also go out to Bucks County, Montgomery County, and Delaware County. On the phone, I can only give a range. Send a photo of the job, and the price comes back the same day. A fixed price is given in writing before I start. That number doesn’t change during the work. When the scope isn’t clear yet, custom work is billed at $85/hour.

The minimum service call is $75. Small jobs are welcome — they go faster and cheaper as one list in one visit. That means a sticking door, a new deadbolt, and a loose cabinet hinge are better handled in a single trip than three separate ones.

For the photos, send the whole door from a few steps back. Add a close-up of the spot where it rubs or won’t latch, and one shot each of the lock and the hinges.

On regular jobs, there’s no deposit. You pay after the work is done, by cash, Zelle, check, or card. I work Mon–Sat, 7 AM – 7 PM, and Sunday, 8 AM – 5 PM. Monday to Saturday the last booking starts at 6 PM, so evening visits after your workday are possible. Call or text (267) 679-8533.

FAQ

1. How can I repair a damaged door frame?

   Hairline cracks and small dents can be fixed with wood filler, sanding, and paint. A split jamb or one that no longer holds hinge screws needs to be reinforced or replaced. Filler won’t carry that load. Whichever repair it is, I check that the frame is plumb and level before closing it up, so the door hangs straight afterward.

2. How can I repair a peeling or delaminated door?

   Peeling paint comes off by scraping, then the surface is sanded smooth and repainted. I do that as a painting job, at $110–150 per door. Delaminated veneer is a different problem. If the layers are separating because the core underneath has failed, gluing the veneer back rarely lasts. In that case, I usually recommend replacing the door.

3. Does my door repair come with a warranty?

   Yes, every door and lock job comes with a workmanship warranty. Workmanship is warranted for one year from completion. If it isn’t right afterwards, I come back and make it right, free. That covers the work I did, such as an adjusted hinge, a reset strike, or a door I hung. The hardware you supplied isn’t covered, since it isn’t my workmanship.