For comparable steel double entry door quotes, give every supplier the same ten-field request. Fix the verified opening, unit configuration, frame and threshold, material and finish, glass make-up, documented performance needs, hardware and access control, water-management interface, installation boundary, and delivery or warranty terms. If one supplier is pricing a bare door set while another is pricing a tested, glazed, prefinished assembly with hardware and installation support, the totals do not answer the same question.
This guide is for US homeowners, builders, and designers preparing a custom inquiry. Senmit's current Windows & Doors page presents broad custom categories, including French-style steel options, but it does not make every pictured configuration, size, glass package, rating, or certification a current stocked product. Request project-specific written confirmation before purchase.
The 10-field quote request
| Field | Information to provide | What the quote should return |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Opening | Field-verified rough opening, wall build-up, finished floor | Required unit and clearance assumptions |
| 2. Configuration | Leaf count, active leaf, handing, swing, sidelites, transom | Dimensioned elevation and operation |
| 3. Frame | Profile intent, jamb depth, anchors, interior and exterior returns | Frame and attachment boundary |
| 4. Threshold | Floor heights, accessibility goal, exposure, drainage interface | Threshold detail and trade coordination |
| 5. Material and finish | Steel system, interior/exterior environment, color and sheen | Material, preparation, finish system, care limits |
| 6. Glass | Safety, privacy, appearance, energy, impact or other project needs | Exact proposed glass make-up and documentation |
| 7. Performance | Project location, climate, exposure, applicable specifications | Named ratings, test standards, labels, and limitations |
| 8. Hardware | Locking, active/inactive leaf, closer, access control, egress needs | Hardware schedule and preparation |
| 9. Installation | Who verifies, unloads, installs, flashes, seals, trims, inspects | Clear inclusions and exclusions |
| 10. Commercial terms | Address, schedule, access, service expectations | Lead time, freight, warranty, damage and replacement process |
1. Separate rough opening from unit size
Record the rough-opening width and height at several points, diagonals, wall thickness, framing or substrate information, interior and exterior finish build-ups, finished-floor elevations, and any out-of-plumb or out-of-square condition. State who measured, when, and from which reference surfaces.
Do not ask a manufacturer to infer the unit size from a nominal opening. Request the required clearance, frame outside dimensions, threshold relationship, and responsibility for fillers, blocking, trim, waterproofing, and field adjustments.
2. Draw the exact double-door configuration
Show the exterior view and label the active leaf, inactive leaf, handing, swing direction, meeting-stile condition, astragal or flush-bolt concept, sidelites, transom, and desired clear passage. Identify furniture, stairs, switches, walls, and exterior obstructions that affect operation.
A recent homeowner discussion about patio-door quotes showed that everyday use, furniture movement, and which leaf opens most often can matter as much as the visual style. Ask for a dimensioned elevation and hardware schedule so the operating concept is visible before approval.
3. Define frame and anchorage scope
Ask the supplier to identify the proposed frame system, jamb depth, head and sill, mullions where applicable, attachment locations, required substrate, interior and exterior returns, and interfaces with adjacent construction. The project team must verify that the surrounding structure and attachment design suit the project.
Include a line for shop drawings, calculations or engineering if required, field measurement, anchor supply, welding, touch-up, and concealed backing. A door frame and an installed opening are different scopes.
4. Coordinate the threshold before flooring and waterproofing
Show interior and exterior floor levels, slope, porch or landing, drainage, accessible-route goals, waterproofing transition, sealant joint, and exposure to wind-driven rain. Ask who designs and installs each interface. Lower-profile appearance can affect water management and must be resolved as a project detail, not a sales-photo assumption.
The US Department of Energy's exterior-door weatherstripping job aid illustrates the importance of continuous contact and coordinated seals. Use the selected manufacturer's details and project design for the actual assembly.
5. Specify material and finish as a system
Record the proposed steel type or system, profile, exposed environment, surface preparation, primer, finish layers, color, sheen, texture, acceptable variation, touch-up procedure, maintenance, and exclusions. Ask for separate confirmation for interior and exterior exposure.
“Black steel door” is an appearance description, not a complete corrosion or finish specification. Request samples and written finish information for the proposed project before approving color from a screen.
6. Make the glass make-up explicit
State the project needs for safety glazing, privacy, daylight, appearance, energy performance, acoustics, bird-friendly patterns, impact resistance, fire protection, or security. Not every need applies, and some combinations require specialized assemblies. Ask the supplier to return the exact proposed make-up, thicknesses, coatings, pattern or tint, spacer, gas fill if used, safety designation, and visible-label expectations.
7. Ask for documented performance, not adjectives
Provide the project address, climate, elevation, orientation, exposure, building type, and applicable project specification. Ask which whole-product values, test standards, ratings, certifications, labels, size limits, and installation conditions apply to the exact proposed configuration.
ENERGY STAR's residential windows, doors, and skylights guidance explains that certified products are evaluated against climate-zone criteria and identified through product information. The Department of Energy overview of window technologies explains the roles of frames, glazing, coatings, gas fills, and spacers. Neither source proves the performance of an unverified custom door.
8. Build a complete hardware schedule
List hinges or pivots, pulls, lever or knob sets, latch, deadbolt, multipoint locking if proposed, inactive-leaf bolts, closer, hold-open restrictions, door stop, sweep, weather seals, cylinder and keying, smart-home or access-control interfaces, and preparation by others. Identify egress, accessibility, security, or fire-protection requirements for the responsible professional to resolve.
Public repair discussions about large multi-panel doors often begin with a failed or unidentified wheel, hinge, lock, or seal. Before purchase, ask for hardware manufacturer and model information, adjustment instructions, replacement-part availability, and the service process.
9. Divide installation responsibility line by line
- Field measurement and approval of final sizes.
- Permit, code, and design review.
- Structural opening, backing, and anchors.
- Delivery appointment, offload, storage, and protection.
- Removal and disposal of the existing assembly.
- Frame setting, door adjustment, glazing, hardware, and access control.
- Flashing, sill-pan, waterproofing, sealant, insulation, interior and exterior trim.
- Finish repair, cleaning, inspection, owner training, and closeout records.
Ask each supplier to mark included, excluded, buyer supplied, or by others. This prevents a lower material quote from being mistaken for a lower installed-project cost.
10. Compare delivery, warranty, and service terms
Record manufacturing lead time, approval milestones, packing, freight destination, offload boundary, damage-report deadline, storage requirements, warranty start, finish and glass exclusions, adjustment visits, replacement glass process, and hardware lead times. Confirm what happens if the field opening changes after approval.
Keep quote validity, currency, taxes, duties, payment milestones, and cancellation terms on the same comparison sheet. Commercial terms can matter more than a small difference in unit price.
Send one complete inquiry
Use the Senmit Windows & Doors project page to share the address, drawings, verified opening, exterior and interior views, configuration, finish direction, glass and performance needs, hardware, schedule, and installation boundary. Ask which steel double entry door configuration is currently supported for the project and request written confirmation of all ten fields before treating the response as a comparable quote.
