Door Repair & Adjustment in Ottawa
A door that will not close is almost never a door problem. It is a frame that has moved, a hinge that has loosened, or a strike plate three millimetres from where it needs to be. Ottawa's freeze-thaw cycle guarantees a steady supply of all three, and the fix is usually adjustment rather than replacement.
$115–$220 per door, most adjusted in under an hour
Common problems we fix
What actually turns up on these calls in Ottawa homes, and what each one really means.
The door drags on the latch side
Classic settling. The top hinge has usually pulled slightly, letting the door drop. Longer screws into the framing behind the jamb pull it back square — often the entire fix, and it takes minutes.
It closes but will not latch
The strike plate no longer lines up with the latch bolt. Moved, or filed, or shimmed depending on how far out it has gone. Forcing the door shut every time is what eventually breaks the latch.
Cold air comes in around an exterior door
Weatherstripping compresses and stops sealing, and the threshold sweep wears through. Both are replaceable parts. If the gap is uneven top to bottom, the door itself needs squaring first or new stripping will not help.
The door swings open or closed on its own
The frame is out of plumb. Hinge shimming corrects the swing without touching the door.
Hinges are creaking or torn out
Stripped hinge screws in soft framing. Re-drilled, plugged and re-set, not just switched for a longer screw into the same failed hole.
A door was cut for old flooring
New floors go in and the door now rubs. Bottom edge trimmed, cut edge sealed so it does not take on moisture.
How the work is done
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1
Check the frame
Level and square measured before anything gets adjusted — the door is usually the symptom.
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2
Hinges first
Long screws into framing, shims where needed, to bring the door back into position.
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3
Then the strike
Latch alignment corrected once the door hangs true.
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4
Seal and test
Weatherstripping and sweep on exterior doors, then a full open-close cycle before we leave.
What it costs
Single door adjustments run $115–$220. Exterior doors with new weatherstripping and a threshold sweep land closer to $215–$330 with parts. Multiple doors in one visit drop sharply per door — most of the cost is the callout.
See the full Ottawa rate card →Frequently asked — Door Repair Ottawa
Can a sticking door be fixed without replacing it?
Almost always. In several years of these calls, full replacement is rare — the door is usually fine and the frame has moved. Replacement only makes sense when the slab itself is delaminating or badly water damaged.
Why does it only stick in winter?
Framing and the door slab both take on and release moisture with the season. A door with tight clearance to begin with will drag in the humid months and clear in the dry ones. Adjusting for the worst case fixes it year round.
Do you fix patio and sliding doors?
Yes — rollers, tracks and latches. Sliding doors that have gone hard to move are usually a roller adjustment or a track full of grit, not a failed door.
Related jobs
Closet Door Repair Ottawa
$115–$200 per opening, parts included on most jobs
Door Lock Installation Ottawa
$130–$265 per lockset installed and aligned
Casement Window Repair Ottawa
$170–$310 per window including standard operator hardware
Part of Doors, Locks & Hardware · Serving Kanata, Stittsville, Nepean, Barrhaven, Orléans, Gloucester and all of Ottawa.
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