Installing a set of beautiful exterior folding doors as your porch doorway is arguably one of the biggest home improvement and design trends of the past couple of years. If you were to visit some of the top neighborhoods in Hollywood or Las Vegas, then you’d notice that many of the modern, high-value homes there feature at least one set of folding doors.

As the saying goes, though, “Beauty always comes with a cost.”

A set of high-quality folding doors can cost a pretty penny, and having them professionally installed can cost thousands of dollars, depending on the size of the job. This has led many of our readers to ask us, “Is it possible to install folding doors yourself as a DIY job?”

So, with that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the benefits and risks associated with a DIY folding door installation.

What Are The Benefits Of DIY Folding Door Installation?

Let’s start with a disclaimer:

If you have no carpentry, building, or glazing (glasswork) experience, then you 100% should not attempt to install folding doors by yourself.

That being said, let’s assume that you do have a bit of experience in these areas and you are somewhat confident in your ability to install your brand-new set of folding doors without professional help… Here are some of the benefits of a DIY folding door install.

1) You’ll Save Money

The biggest reason people even consider installing folding doors themselves is that it can save a ton of money. Folding door installation typically involves removing your existing doorway, possibly enlarging the doorway, and maybe even knocking down walls in your home. Additionally, you’ll also have to consider the fact that you might have to re-route electrical conduits and plumbing lines that go through your walls.

All in all, it’s a pretty labor-intensive job and requires lots of technical knowledge. If you were to pay a professional contracting company to install your doors for you, then you could easily spend thousands of dollars to make sure that the job got done right. By doing it yourself, you’ll be able to pocket the money or invest it elsewhere.

2) You’ll Get To Say You Did It

It seems to mainly be a “guy thing,” but some customers just like to be able to say that they did the job themselves. To be fair, there is a certain air of bravado when you can tell all of your houseguests that you performed a significant home improvement project by yourself, without the help of any pros. It’s definitely good bragging rights.

3) You’ll Learn How To Repair Your Folding Doors

On a more practical note, assembling and installing the folding doors yourself will teach you a lot about how the doors work. You’ll be forced to read the entire installation manual and you’ll learn everything about your folding door system.

If they ever malfunction or have problems in the future, you’ll likely be able to quickly identify the cause of the problem and fix it yourself thanks to your in-depth knowledge of the system.

What Are Risks Of DIY Folding Door Installation?

All of that being said, there are some considerable risks associated with DIY folding door installation. This is especially true if you have limited experience. Even those who do have the necessary experience and knowledge to install a folding door system are taking some considerable risks by not hiring a professional.

1) You Could Void Your Warranty

One of the biggest risks of DIY installation is that it could potentially void the manufacturer’s warranty on the door. Due to the complex nature of these doors, the manufacturers will usually recommend that you hire one of their preferred install teams or contracting partners to get the door installed. These companies may have gone through special certification classes to learn how to install these types of doors.

It can also void any construction warranty on your new home.

We’d be willing to bet that you probably don’t have a certification for installing folding doors, which means that the manufacturer could blame you for any problems with the doors down the road. Something that may have been otherwise covered as a manufacturer’s defect could be pinned on you and your warranty would be voided.

2) You Could Injure Yourself

Folding door systems aren’t just complex, they’re also very heavy. If you hire professionals, they’ll come with a team of workers who can help support the heavy doors and ensure that nobody gets injured. Folding door panels also present lots of pinch points where you could easily break a finger if you’re not paying attention.

3) You Could Break The Door Panels

As we said, these door panels are incredibly heavy. The average glass folding door panel weighs anywhere between 150 and 200 pounds. Some can weigh upwards of 250 pounds or more, depending on the materials used!

All it takes is for your hand to slip, and then you’ve just shattered all of the glass on a door panel and possibly warped the doorframe itself. Needless to say, the manufacturer will likely charge you hundreds to replace the door panel. You may also have to wait several weeks or even months for the replacement panel to get delivered, which can hold up your project and leave your home open and exposed to the elements.

4) You Could Damage Your Home

Folding doors are often installed on load-bearing sides of the home. Any architect will tell you that you need to exercise extreme caution when dealing with these walls. You don’t want to start knocking down walls and expanding doorways without ensuring that the house is properly supported beforehand. Otherwise, the entire house could come crashing down on top of you!

5) There’s No Guarantee On The Work

One of the perks of having a professional company install your folding doors is that the work will usually come with some type of satisfaction guarantee. If the team messes something up, they’ll come out and fix it. Or if they damage your folding door system, then their insurance will cover the cost of replacement.

TLDR: You Should Hire Professionals For Your Folding Door Install

If you have a considerable amount of experience with custom carpentry, working with load-bearing walls, installing doors, and glass glazing, then sure, your DIY folding door install might go well. Just make sure that you have a few experienced helpers to help you with the heavy lifting and positioning of the doors.

However, if you’re like most people, then you probably don’t have the necessary experience to install the folding doors properly. These doors are very complex and require a lot of fine-tuned adjustments to both the doorframe and the doors themselves.

Attempting to DIY is a recipe for disaster as you could accidentally break a door panel, void your warranty, or even injure yourself.

So, our recommendation is that you let the professionals do what they’re good at, even if you have to pay a little extra money. Trust us, it’s 100% worth it, and you’ll be able to enjoy your folding doors knowing that they were installed the right way.