Walkout Basement Door Replacement — Patio or Entry Door on a Slab
The walkout door is at grade, water from the patio runs toward it, and the carpet by the sill is damp. We replace the door and rebuild what it sits on so it stays dry.
JMB Builders does walkout basement door replacement across the Twin Cities metro. We measure the opening, order a slider, French pair or entry door to fit it, pull the old door, replace a rotted bottom plate or sill framing with treated lumber, set the new door in a sill pan with flashing over the concrete, and trim inside and out. Priced per door, quoted from photos within one business day.
- Priced per door, door included
- Rotted sill plate rebuilt in treated lumber
- Sill pan and flashing over concrete
- Quote from photos in 1 business day
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
A walkout basement door has a harder life than any other door in the house. It sits close to grade, often on a concrete slab or a short wall, with a patio or pavers right outside that may slope toward it. Snowmelt and rain pile up against the sill, and the wood the door sits on stays wet. That is why so many walkout doors leak at the bottom and have a dark, soft bottom plate behind the trim.
We measure the opening and order the new door — a slider, a French pair or an entry door with or without a sidelite — sized to it. When the old door comes out, we check the bottom plate and framing it sits on. Wood touching concrete should be treated; when it was not, or when it has rotted anyway, we cut it out and replace it with treated lumber before the new door goes in.
Then a sill pan goes down over the concrete and the rebuilt plate, flashing is lapped at the sides and head, and the new door is shimmed square and level, foamed, and sealed. We look at the grade outside too. If the patio slopes toward the door, we tell you, because a new door will not stay dry with water running at it. Trim goes on inside and out; painting is quoted as a separate line — or leave it primed and caulked and paint it yourself.
What you supply
- Your pick of door type — slider, French pair or entry door — and the frame, glass and color
- Photos of the door from inside and outside, the floor at the sill, and the patio or grade outside
- Access to the inside of the door — furniture and stored items moved back a few feet
- Paint color if you want the new casing painted — painting is quoted as a separate line
What JMB supplies
- Measurement of the opening and the order for the new door
- Removal and haul-away of the old door, frame and trim
- Rotted bottom plate or sill framing replaced with treated lumber, quoted from the photos
- Sill pan over the concrete, flashing tape, foam, sealant, shims and fasteners
- Door set square and level, panel or doors adjusted to slide or latch and seal
- Interior casing and exterior trim, and a note on grade or drainage problems at the door
- 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:
- The door you choose: slider, French pair or entry door, and its frame and glass
- How much of the bottom plate and framing has rotted where it meets the concrete
- Whether the new door fits the opening or the framing has to change
- Exterior finish around the door — siding, stucco, or exposed foundation
- Finished basement inside: carpet, drywall and trim to protect or patch at the door
- Painting the new casing, quoted as a separate line
Send a photo of the patio or ground outside the door showing which way it slopes, plus a close-up of the inside floor at the sill.
How long it takes
One walkout door in a sound opening: about a day on site. Add time when the bottom plate or framing has to be rebuilt. The door is ordered after you approve the quote.
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
Walkout sliding door
The most common walkout door. Replaced in the same opening or resized, set in a pan over the concrete so the track water goes out, not under.
Walkout French doors
A hinged pair for a lower-level family room. Inswing is usual here since the patio outside often collects snow.
Walkout entry door
A single steel or fiberglass door, sometimes with a sidelite, for a walkout that gets used like a back door. Takes a keyed deadbolt like any entry.
Grade and drainage outside
If pavers or a patio slope toward the door, water ends up at the sill. We point it out; paver releveling or regrading is quoted separately.
Walkout Basement Door Replacement — Patio or Entry Door on a Slab: questions, answered
Why does my walkout basement door leak at the bottom?
Walkout doors sit close to grade, so snowmelt and rain pile up at the sill. If the door was set without a sill pan, or the patio outside slopes toward it, water gets under the threshold and into the bottom plate and floor. A new door set in a pan fixes the door side; the grade outside has to slope away too.
What if the wood under my walkout door is rotten?
We cut out the rotted bottom plate or sill framing and replace it with treated lumber, since it sits on or near concrete. Then a sill pan goes over it before the new door is set. We show you photos once the old door is out and quote the repair from what we find.
Should a walkout basement door be a slider or French doors?
A slider takes no floor space and is the usual choice. French doors open the full width and seal against compression weatherstrip, but need room to swing. Inswing is more common at a walkout because snow on the patio would block an outswing pair.
Can you fix the patio sloping toward my walkout door?
We point out grade problems when we replace the door, because water running at a new door will find a way in. Resetting pavers or regrading is quoted as its own line. We do not want to set a new door where the water problem is still outside it.
Do you supply the walkout door?
Yes. You choose the door type, frame, glass and color, we measure and order it to fit, and the door is a line on the quote. If you already bought one, we install it and price it as labor only.
Will you protect my finished basement during the door replacement?
Yes. We lay floor protection from the door to the work area and keep the dust to the opening. Carpet at the sill sometimes has to be pulled back to check the plate; if it is wet or stained, we tell you before it goes back down.
What do I do about water coming under my walkout basement door?
Find where it starts. If water runs toward the door because the patio or grade slopes at it, the grade has to be fixed. If it gets under the threshold because the door was set without a sill pan, or the sweep and threshold do not seal, the door is reset in a pan or replaced. We check both, cut out any rotted bottom plate and set the door so water outside runs away from it.
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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