Door Types Compared
The door you choose has a bigger impact on the total cost than most homeowners expect. Here is what the main types cost, supply-only, at standard residential sizes (2040mm x 820mm).
Hume Doors is Australia's largest door manufacturer, with hollow-core flush doors from around $80 and solid-core options from $150 at trade price. Corinthian Doors offers a wider range of panel and feature designs, with internal doors from $120 and entrance doors from $375 through to premium timber options above $1,600. Both brands are stocked at Bunnings and independent timber merchants nationwide.
For cavity sliding doors, the CS Cavity Sliders track system is the most commonly specified by Australian carpenters. A complete cavity slider installation (door, track, frame kit, and labour) typically runs $800–$1,200 per opening, compared to $400–$700 for a standard hinged door.
Hardware: What to Budget
Most door-hanging quotes exclude hardware. Knowing the cost range helps you evaluate quotes accurately.
Passage sets (internal doors, no lock): $30–$55 per door
Privacy sets (bedrooms, bathrooms): $45–$80 per door
Entrance sets (front/back doors with deadbolt): $80–$250 per door
Hinges (pair, standard butt): $10–$25 per door
Gainsborough is the most common mid-range brand, with passage leversets from $43 and privacy sets from $46. Lockwood sits at the premium end, with entrance lever sets from $78 and deadbolts from $60. Budget hardware from Delf or Dorma starts lower but may not last as long in high-traffic areas.
For a whole-house door replacement (6–10 doors), hardware typically adds $300–$700 to the total project cost depending on the mix of passage, privacy, and entrance sets.
Australian Standards and Glazing Compliance
Two standards are particularly relevant to door and window work in residential properties.
AS 2047:2014 Windows and External Glazed Doors. All external windows and glazed doors installed in Australian homes must comply with AS 2047, which covers structural performance (wind load resistance), water penetration resistance, air infiltration, and operational durability. Under the NCC 2022 energy efficiency provisions (Section J), new and replacement external windows must now meet minimum energy ratings under the WERS (Window Energy Rating Scheme), assessed on U-value (insulation) and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC).
AS 1288:2021 Glass in Buildings. Requires Grade A safety glass in doors, sidelights, and any glazing below 500mm from finished floor level. This applies to glass panel doors, French doors, and any window where human impact is likely. The 2021 revision tightened requirements for overhead glazing and glass balustrades.
For properties in bushfire-prone areas, external windows and doors must also meet the relevant BAL (Bushfire Attack Level) requirements under AS 3959. At BAL-12.5, ember screens with a maximum 2mm aperture are required on openable windows. At BAL-40 and above, fire-rated glazing (minimum 6mm toughened) and non-combustible frames are mandatory.
When You Need Door and Window Work
Doors sticking or not closing. Seasonal timber swelling, house settling, or hinge wear. A carpenter can plane the door, rehang it, or repack hinges.
Draughty windows. Original timber sash or casement windows in period homes lose heat (Melbourne) or let in dust and noise (all cities). Draught sealing is the cost-effective first step before considering full replacement.
Security upgrade. Replacing a hollow-core front door with a solid-core or solid timber entry door. Adding security screen doors to front and back entries.
Whole-house door refresh. Replacing all internal doors at once (6–10 doors in a typical 3-bedroom home) gets better per-door rates and delivers a consistent look.
Indoor-outdoor connection. Installing bifold or stacker doors to open a living area to a deck or patio. One of the most popular renovation items in Australia.
Heritage restoration. Restoring original double-hung sash windows in Federation or Victorian homes, including re-roping sash weights, re-glazing, and draught sealing.
Energy efficiency. Replacing single-glazed timber windows with double-glazed units to meet NCC energy performance requirements. Particularly relevant in Melbourne's cold winters and Adelaide's temperature extremes.
What Affects the Cost
Number of doors or windows. Bulk work gets better per-unit rates. Replacing all internal doors at once is more efficient than doing them individually, spreading the callout and setup cost across more units.
Internal vs external. External doors and windows need weather sealing, security hardware, and energy performance compliance under AS 2047. Internal doors are more straightforward.
Frame condition. If the existing frame is square and undamaged, hanging a new door is a 1–2 hour job. Replacing the frame as well roughly doubles the cost per opening and takes half a day per door.
Door type. A hollow-core door at $80–$150 versus a solid timber panel door at $400–$1,200+ represents a significant material cost difference before labour.
Structural modifications. Widening an opening (e.g. turning a window into a door or widening a doorway for wheelchair access) requires removing part of the wall, installing a new lintel or header beam, and engineering sign-off. This changes the job from carpentry to structural work and typically requires a building permit. The
structural repairs guide lists $3,000–$36,400 per job for work ranging from individual repairs to whole-house restumping; widening one opening needs a quote for that specific scope.
Hardware quality. Budget hardware ($30–$55 per door) versus premium Lockwood sets ($80–$250) adds up across a whole house.
Property age. Pre-1960 homes frequently have non-standard door heights and window widths. Custom milling or shimming adds time and cost. Homes with 2400mm+ door openings (common in Adelaide and Melbourne character homes) cannot use off-the-shelf doors.
Hanging a new hollow-core door in an existing, square frame with basic hardware in a modern home sits toward $300. Replacing multiple external doors and timber window frames in a pre-war home with out-of-square openings, custom sizing, new architraves, and period hardware pushes toward $6,400; plaster repairs to damaged reveals are separate, typically $200–$1,600 per job.
City and Regional Price Comparison
Sydney sets the baseline. Melbourne tracks close to Sydney, with strong demand driven by period home restorations in inner suburbs where Victorian terraces with double-hung sash windows are the dominant housing type. Brisbane pricing is similar, though Queenslander homes with timber louvre windows create a niche skillset that commands a premium. Smaller trade pools and materials logistics influence quotes in Perth and Adelaide; see the Pricing by City table for local ranges.
Within any city, the price depends heavily on the age and style of the property. A new-build home in a growth corridor (Oran Park in Sydney, Tarneit in Melbourne, Springfield in Brisbane) has standard-sized openings, level floors, and plumb walls. That is a predictable, efficient job. An older home, particularly a Victorian terrace in Melbourne, a Federation home in Sydney's inner west, or a Queenslander in Paddington, often has settled frames, non-standard dimensions, and heritage overlay requirements that add complexity and cost. Properties in bushfire zones (Hills suburbs across Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, and Adelaide) face additional material costs for BAL-rated doors, glazing, and ember screens.
How We Calculate
Estimates are based on surveyed trade rates for licensed carpenters across Australian capital cities, adjusted for regional labour markets and typical material costs. All prices include GST. Figures cover standard residential door and timber window work. Aluminium and uPVC windows, commercial glazing, and structural modifications requiring engineering are not included.