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ellen2012_gw

French Door Installation

Ellen2012
11 years ago

I recently paid a contractor to install a French Door. The door slowly closes itself especially worse on right door. The contractor will not do anything. He feels it is good enough. I havent made my final payment.

Any suggestions as to how to handle this? I assume the doors should be able to placed in any position and stay open. I am not satisfied.

Comments (10)

  • handymac
    11 years ago

    Did you specify exactly how you wanted them installed before he started?

    Did he ask if you wanted anything special/definate?

    While doors should be installed completely square and plumb, unless that is specified, what you have is not necessarily incorrect. Ask yourself if you want to have the possible problems incurred with refusing the final payment---small court claim/mechanics lien and such.

    The fix is really simple, I am surprised he does not know how to easily fix the situation. Takes 5-10 minutes usually.

  • don92
    11 years ago

    A door should be plumb and level without having to specify. That is a given and he should fix it. If the doors fit correctly when closed then the door upper jamb is leaning out. You can take the trim off, cut the jamb nails, push the upper door jamb out and renail . If it is a very small correction you can do it by bringing upper hinges out and lower hinges in.

  • handymac
    11 years ago

    I've installed doors that would have required extensive wall reworking to allow the frame to be exactly plumb.

    The fix is to remove a hinge pin and bend it slightly. I've often worked on houses in other areas and was asked about a door like that.

    I'd tell the HO I could fix the door, but I did not know if they could afford the labor and expertise charge. I'd then tell them to come back in five minutes.

    Bingo, door fixed. Free.

  • millworkman
    11 years ago

    handymac is correct unfortunately your installing a door not rebuilding the house. The wall may very well be out of plumb and not true which makes it virtually impossible to get a door installed 100% perfect without like tricks like mentioned above and sometimes even they are not going to make it perfect!

  • sombreuil_mongrel
    11 years ago

    "lubricate" the hinge pins with red locktite, then orient the door in the desired position for 8 hours. Et voila!
    Problem solved.
    Casey

  • Jumpilotmdm
    11 years ago

    Send Mr. Nailbeater a letter stating your dissatisfaction and what you will do if he doesn't fix it. Usually when someone sees it in writing it really begins to mean something.
    The wall probably is out of plumb, slightly, but there is a handful of things that can be done to fix it.

  • brickeyee
    11 years ago

    The wall may very well be out of plumb and not true which makes it virtually impossible to get a door installed 100% perfect... "

    Not if you know what you are doing.

    You plumb the door jamb, not align it to the wall.

  • millworkman
    11 years ago

    I agree brick which is why I added "without like tricks like mentioned above and sometimes even they are not going to make it perfect!".

  • brickeyee
    11 years ago

    There is no reason the door installation itself cannot be perfect.

    What may end up off is the trim work (door casing) but the jamb and door operation should be just fine.

  • Liam18
    10 years ago

    You can install your door properly. Plumb the door jamb so that it can be easily installed. Also suggest you to consult door installer for advice. Visit window choice they better experience in this.

    Here is a link that might be useful: windowchoice