Does this door really need replacing?? Asking all contractors

Schwarzy
by Schwarzy
We moved in to our house 3 months ago and have these doors off of our bedroom. The base of the frames surrounding the door are rotted away. But the door are in decent condition. We have had two contractors out and one says you have to replace the door to resolve the problem. The other says that just the trim needs replaced. But they recommend something with pvc so it will last longer. I don't like getting such conflicting feedback from licensed contractors. If I can reduce the costs and fix it, I would prefer to go that route. Can anyone advise? I'm sorry for the bad picture. But you can see the missing portions at the bottom pretty well.
  6 answers
  • Debi53 Debi53 on Jul 24, 2015
    I checked with my hubs just to make sure; we have done lots of flips & remodels and we both say, just replace the rotted wood if your doors are OK. We do agree that you should use something other than wood to prevent the same problem at a later date.
    • Schwarzy Schwarzy on Jul 24, 2015
      @Debi53 But at those pieces separate from the door? It is really hard to tell.
  • Funnygirl Funnygirl on Jul 25, 2015
    Sounds to me the first man was overcharging you for the job. The second man sounds like he wants to do trim with a combination pvc /wood.would definitely work with him. I think the previous installer that put the door in should have caulked the space between the door and trim to prevent moisture damage to the wood.i know this type of combo pic/wood can be ordered online, you will need both trim pieces mitre cut at a 45 degree angle,then screwed in with special screws.you could do this yourself. When you remove the old trim ,make sure everything like insulation is dry and no mildew,or you may need to cut out any damaged materials.make sure whoever does it ,they should apply caulk between the trim and doors.the bottom threshold may also need to be replaced,if that is damaged,and caulked between the trim on the sides where it meets the threshold.Try doing yourself!
    • CS CS on Jul 25, 2015
      Yes, I already know they overpriced. But I'm still uncertain that the trim can be replaced separate. It's so hard to discern.
  • John John on Jul 25, 2015
    If the doors are tight and prevents cold air from entering and are sun reflective for summer, see if the lower trim can be removed. Lots of this type door sit in place after the frame is in place and "nailed" down. The removal of the frame may, just may, have to have the entire framework pulled and the door removed/replaced. Look at door replacement businesses and weigh the replacement cost with a door you can really love with the cost of keeping that door and tearing out the lower or entire frame. The final decision is yours. If the lower frame is rotten, what it connects to will be also, especially in wet and cold climates. Look at all options, get several bids, and be honest with the contractor. Replacement vs. repair. Advantages or disadvantages. Cost vs. happiness. I replaced my old aluminum thin windows and doors with wooden slash doors and windows 24 years ago. Since then, there has been great improvements in the vinyl industry and they also have fiberglass and stronger aluminum replacement windows, dual and triple pane and built in sun blocking capabilities. Here are the before and after of my kitchen windows we replaced.
  • Kathy Kathy on Jul 26, 2015
    If the doors open and close smoothly, you don't feel any outside air and you like the look and style, just replace the trim. If you can afford to replace them, I would to get something more modern and energy efficient. That was one of the first things we did when we moved into our current home.
  • Alton Alton on Jul 26, 2015
    You can replace the bottom 16 in. of the jamb and replace with treated wood made to match jamb and replace the side brick molding with PVC brick molding .
  • If you have a mold problem and your door has been rotted or bended from mold growth, then you should replace your door instantly otherwise you can suffer from various diseases. The effects of water if not mitigated properly will produce an array of odors and mold. This will escalate the risks and costs to mitigate. If you are in need of full mold remediation, consult with a professional mold removal service to ensure that the job gets done theright way the first time around.