Custom wood front doors in Longmont

What front doors suit Longmont houses?

Front door projects in Longmont come in two kinds: fitting a door to an older house, and replacing the original door on a house built since the city began to grow. The city was founded in 1871 and named for Longs Peak (City of Longmont). It “had grown only slightly beyond its original square mile plan” until it doubled in size between 1960 and 1970, and again between 1970 and 1980 (City of Longmont). Census counts show 7,777 housing units in 1970 and 20,480 in 1990 (U.S. Census Bureau).

The city lists bungalows, Craftsman houses, foursquares and Queen Anne houses among Longmont's historic styles, and notes that “the oldest buildings are interspersed among newer, architectural different structures” (City of Longmont). Its Eastside district runs generally between Fourth and Eighth avenues and Kimbark and Atwood streets, and the Westside district between Third and Fifth avenues and Terry and Grant streets (City of Longmont).

• Older houses can have openings that are not a standard size, or doors that are not today's standard 1-3/4 inches thick. A door made for the opening fits the frame instead of the frame being altered to suit a stock door, and a door in the house's own style, such as glass set above panels on a Craftsman entry, keeps the front in character. Our wood guide covers which woods move least.
• Newer houses with a standard opening can take a new door in the existing frame or a complete unit. Then the choice is about design, wood and how much sun the entry gets.

Which rules apply to a front door in Longmont?

Three sets of rules can apply, and the city decides each one. This is a summary of what the city publishes, not a ruling on your house.

What does the wildfire code say about doors?

In Class 2 areas (moderate to high fire intensity), the state code's section 404.8 says: “Exterior doors shall be approved noncombustible construction, solid core wood not less than 1 3⁄4-inches thick, or have a fire protection rating of not less than 20 minutes”, and glass in doors must meet the glazing section (Colorado DFPC). The state describes the code as applying to new construction and significant exterior alterations and additions, and says “It is not a retrofit code” (Colorado DFPC). Whether your door job is covered is the code official's call. You can look up a parcel on the state's wildfire code map, and Longmont's own map is at the Department of Public Safety.

Is my house a landmark?

Longmont has over 130 individual Local Landmarks (City of Longmont) and, the city says, “currently there are no locally designated historic districts in Longmont” (City of Longmont). Being listed on the National or State Register adds no restrictions or review unless the owner is seeking financial incentives (City of Longmont). Check with the city's historic preservation staff if you are not sure.

How much does the sun matter at a Longmont entry?

A lot. Front Range air is dry and south and west faces get strong sun, so which way the door faces and how much roof is over it decide the wood, the finish and the upkeep. Simpson Door Company calls an overhang adequate when it projects at least half the distance from the bottom of the door to the underside of the overhang (Simpson). See how to care for a wood front door.

What does a door cost, and how long does it take?

Cost guides put a basic custom exterior door at about $1,500 to $5,000 and a hand-built one at $5,000 to $20,000, before glass, hardware, finishing and installation. See what a custom wood front door costs and how a custom front door gets built.

How does a Longmont project start?

1. Send a photo of the entry, rough sizes, which way the door faces and how deep the overhang is.
2. If the house is a Local Landmark, plan for a Certificate of Appropriateness before ordering. The scale drawing of your door helps with that application.
3. Ask Longmont Building Services whether your door job needs a permit, and in a mapped wildfire area, which class applies.

Get a door quote and Sam will reply with next steps and a ballpark range.

Also in Longmont: cabinets

We build custom kitchen cabinets, vanities and built-ins for Longmont homes too. See custom cabinets in Longmont.