House Post: Basement Door

Dear me of 10 years ago: someday, you're going to be VERY excited about getting a door installed.

Let's talk about this #@$#@%@$ door.

It's between the new garage space and the main basement space, and per code, needs to be therefore a 90 minute fire door.

I had no idea how expensive doors could be until this saga. I've been dragging my feet on buying it for two years now. They're anywhere from $350-$500. For a frigging door. Not even a decorative one, either!

Sigh.

A few weeks ago, it finally reached the top of the financial priority list, and I had a free day. After some intensive Googling, I located the door I needed in New Hampshire, for $295. So, a friend and I took my truck to New Hampshire and picked up this door.

On Sunday, there were 5 of this particular door (size, fire-rating, correct inswing) in stock. When we arrived on Monday late morning, there was only one, and it had a handwritten note saying "no hardware."

Ummmmmmmm. Cue a 45 minute runaround with a very patient salesman during which we printed out the install directions from the internet and combed through them meticulously to figure out what the heck that meant. Eventually, we determined that it meant that it was missing the 2.5" wood screws that would usually come with it. I politely asked for a discount, and they gave me 10% off AND a free package of the necessary screws, bringing the door down to $260. SWEET.

Then the door came home, and sat in my basement for two weeks, and then my parents came to visit and my amazing father installed it!!!

Now that the furnace is on, this door blocks the last of the drafts from one side of the house to the other, and it's fantastic. 

Not to mention the entire garage project is tantalizingly close to being finished...!