Split Entry Front Door Replacement — Tight Landing, Steps and Storm
The split-entry door opens onto a landing barely bigger than the door, with stairs going up and down, and the storm door hits the railing.
JMB Builders does split entry front door replacement across the Twin Cities. A split-entry or bi-level door opens onto a small landing with stairs up and down, so the swing, sidelites, lockset height and storm door all have to clear the steps. We measure, order and set the new unit on a sill pan and trim it out. Priced per door, quoted from photos.
- Priced per door
- Swing and storm door planned around the steps
- Quote from photos in 1 business day
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
Split-entry and bi-level houses were built by the thousands across the metro, and the front door has the same problem in all of them: it opens onto a small landing with half a flight up and half a flight down. The door swing has to clear the stairs and the railing, and the person opening it has to stand on the landing, not on a step. When the old door gets replaced with a wider unit or one with sidelites, those clearances change.
Outside, most split-entry doors sit at the top of the front steps with a small stoop. A storm door swings out over that stoop. If the stoop is short, the storm door pushes you back toward the steps, and a full-view storm door can hit the railing. We look at the stoop, the railing and the house steps before the door is ordered, and pick the storm door swing and closer to suit.
The door itself is an ordinary exterior replacement: old unit out, sill and subfloor checked, sill pan and flashing, the new prehung shimmed plumb and square, foamed, sealed and trimmed inside and out. Split-level window replacement has its own page.
What you supply
- Photos of the door from the landing, from the stoop and from the street
- Your choice of door style, glass and color, or the door if you bought it
- Whether you want sidelites added or kept
- Your paint color if you want it painted
What JMB supplies
- Measurement of the opening, landing and stoop, and the door ordered to fit
- Swing and handing planned so the door clears the stairs and railing
- Removal and haul-away of the old door and storm door
- Rot repair at the sill and subfloor when we find it, quoted first
- Sill pan, flashing tape, foam and sealant; the unit set plumb and square
- Brickmould or exterior trim and interior casing
- A storm door with the swing and closer set for the stoop, when you want one
- Painting quoted as a separate line — or leave it primed and paint it yourself
How it is priced: per door
Quoted in writing from your photos within one business day. What moves the number:
- Door only vs. door with sidelites or a transom
- Widening the opening for sidelites on a split-entry wall
- Rot at the sill and subfloor
- Storm door added and the stoop clearance
- Door supplied by us vs. a door you bought
Send a photo standing on the landing looking at the door, and one from the bottom of the outside steps.
How long it takes
One split entry front door: most of a day. Add a day when the opening is widened for sidelites.
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.
Split Entry Front Door Replacement — Tight Landing, Steps and Storm: questions, answered
What size front door does a split entry house have?
It varies by house, so we measure. Many split entries have a single door with no sidelites, and some have one or two narrow sidelites. The replacement is ordered to the rough opening, not the door size printed at the store.
Can I add sidelights to my split entry front door?
Often, yes. The opening is widened with a new header, and the new unit with sidelites goes in. The landing has to leave room to stand beside the swing, and we check that from your photos before you order.
Should a split entry front door swing in or out?
In, almost always. An inswing door opens onto the landing and stays out of the weather. The storm door swings out over the stoop, and that is where clearance usually runs short.
Why does my storm door hit the railing on my split entry steps?
The stoop is short and the storm door swings out over it. A storm door hinged on the other side, a narrower door, or a stoop and railing reworked fix it. We plan the storm door with the entry door so it clears.
Is a split entry door replacement different from a regular front door?
The install is the same: sill pan, flashing, the unit set plumb and square, trim inside and out. The planning is different, because the landing, stairs and stoop leave little room for the swing and the storm door.
Do you supply the door or install one I bought?
Either. We can measure and order the door, or install one you bought as labor only. Send the product page before you buy and we check the size and swing against your opening.
Recent JMB work, from our job log
59 installs recorded across 30 Twin Cities communities since Dec 2025. Window and door installs for homeowners and for the builders and dealers we sub for. Counts come straight from our job log; no customer names.
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 26, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All doors pages
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