Peephole Installation — Door Viewer in a Front Door
A solid front door with no window and no way to see who is knocking. A peephole is a small hole, but in a steel door it has to be bored clean and sealed. We do it in half an hour.
JMB Builders does peephole installation on front, back and garage doors across the Twin Cities metro. We bore the door at a height that works for the household, install a wide angle door viewer sized to the door thickness, seal it against water on an exterior door, and can fit a digital viewer with a screen inside instead. Works on steel, fiberglass and wood doors. Priced per door, quoted from photos within one business day.
- Priced per door; often added to another visit
- Wide angle glass or digital viewer, sealed
- Quote from photos in 1 business day
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
A door viewer is a small lens set through the door so you can see the stoop without opening it. On a door with no glass it is the only way to check who is there, and it is the cheapest security upgrade a front door gets. The parts are simple: a two-piece brass or nickel barrel that screws together through a bored hole, with a wide angle lens that shows the whole stoop rather than a keyhole view.
The work is in the hole. A steel or fiberglass door has a thin skin over a foam core, so the bore has to be made with a sharp hole saw from both sides to keep the skin from tearing, then the barrel is sealed to the outside skin so water does not get into the core. A wood door bores clean but the hole needs to be sealed on the end grain. The height matters too: standard is at the eye level of the shortest adult who answers the door, and a second viewer lower down is common where a child or a wheelchair user answers.
JMB Builders installs door viewers across the Twin Cities metro, on their own or added to any other door visit, and fits digital viewers with a screen on the inside for doors where a lens is not enough.
What you supply
- A photo of the door from outside and one from inside, and what it is made of: steel, fiberglass or wood
- The height you want it at, or who answers the door most so we set it for them
- The viewer if you already bought one; otherwise we bring a wide angle viewer in a finish to match the lockset
- A digital viewer if you want a screen inside; we install what you pick
What JMB supplies
- Wide angle door viewer sized to the door thickness, in brass, nickel or bronze to match the hardware
- Clean bore from both faces with a sharp hole saw, no torn skin on steel or fiberglass
- Sealant at the outside barrel so water stays out of the door core
- A second viewer at a lower height when a child or seated person answers the door
- Digital viewer installed and set up when you supply one
- Photos of the finished door in your job folder
How it is priced: per door
Quoted in writing from your photos within one business day. What moves the number:
- On its own vs. added to another job at the same door, which makes it a small add
- Standard glass viewer vs. a digital viewer that needs a larger bore and a bracket inside
- Steel or fiberglass door vs. a thick wood door that needs a longer barrel
- Two viewers at different heights on the same door
- Number of doors in the same visit
One photo of the door from each side and the door material is all we need. Tell us if there is a storm door, since the viewer still works through it.
How long it takes
One peephole: about half an hour. A digital viewer: about an hour. Usually added to another visit rather than a trip of its own.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized quote within one business day. We only come out to measure first when the job needs a tape measure — no pressure, no games.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Situations and options
Wide angle glass viewer
The standard. A lens with a wide field of view so you see the whole stoop and anyone standing to the side, not a narrow keyhole view. Finish matched to the lockset. A privacy cover on the inside is available for doors that face a lit room.
Digital door viewer
A small camera on the outside and a screen on the inside of the door, in the same bore as a peephole. Shows a full view at any height and can record. We bore the door and mount it; battery and setup are per the unit you buy.
Second viewer at a lower height
For a household with children or a wheelchair user who answers the door, a second viewer set lower on the same door. Two small bores, both sealed. Common on the door to the garage as well.
Viewer with a doorbell camera already installed
A doorbell camera shows the stoop on a phone; a peephole shows it with the phone in the other room. Plenty of houses have both. A peephole is not a substitute for a camera and a camera is not a substitute for a way to look through the door.
Peephole Installation — Door Viewer in a Front Door: questions, answered
Can a peephole be installed in a steel door?
Yes. A steel door is a thin metal skin on each side of a foam core, and the bore is made with a sharp hole saw from both faces so the skin cuts clean instead of tearing. The viewer barrel is then sealed at the outside skin so water cannot get into the core and rust the door from inside. Same with fiberglass. It is a half-hour job when done with the right saw.
What height should a peephole be installed at?
At the eye level of the shortest adult who regularly answers the door, so nobody has to stand on their toes. If a child, a shorter person or someone in a wheelchair also answers, a second viewer at a lower height is the usual answer, since a wide angle lens shows the whole stoop from either height. We set it where you tell us or measure the person on the day.
Does a peephole work with a storm door in front of it?
Yes. The glass in a storm door is clear enough to see through with a viewer, and a full-view storm door gives an unobstructed look. A storm door with a screen panel in place is harder to see through in low light, but the viewer still shows shapes and movement. If the storm door is the problem, a digital viewer with a screen inside sees through it better.
Is a digital door viewer better than a peephole?
It shows a bigger picture on a screen at any height, some record, and it is easier for anyone who cannot get their eye to a lens. It also needs batteries and a bit of setup, and the bore is larger. A glass wide angle viewer has nothing to charge and lasts the life of the door. Many people put a glass viewer on the back door and a digital one on the front.
Can you add a peephole to a door with a small window?
Yes, if the window is high or to the side and does not show the stoop, which is common with a half-moon or a high lite. The viewer goes in the solid panel below or beside the glass. On a door with a full-lite window there is no need for one.
How long does peephole installation take?
About half an hour for a glass viewer, including boring, fitting and sealing. A digital viewer takes about an hour with its bracket and setup. We usually add it to another visit at the same door, such as a deadbolt or weatherstrip job, and it is priced as a small add that way.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough. You hear back within one business day. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
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Read morePage reviewed September 24, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All doors pages
Where we work
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Based in Zimmerman, scheduling across the Twin Cities metro. Closest first: