A late or incorrect door order can hold up trim, painting, final inspections, and the handover date. Doors are one of the most common bottlenecks on a renovation timeline — but almost every delay we see traces back to one of a handful of avoidable issues. Here’s how contractors across Surrey and the Lower Mainland can keep their door orders from becoming the thing that stalls the project.
Get Your Measurements Right the First Time
This is the single biggest factor. If you’re replacing both the door and the frame, your rough opening measurements need to be accurate. If you’re only replacing the door and keeping the existing frame, we need the measurements from the top of the door down to the top of each hinge — this is what allows us to build a door that will actually hang correctly in an existing frame.
Incorrect measurements at the ordering stage are the most common reason a door order needs to be corrected or reordered, and that almost always costs more time than getting it right up front.
If You’re Not Confident Measuring — Bring in a Contractor or Finisher
We’re a wholesaler — we sell and build doors, but we don’t install them. If you’re not experienced with measuring rough openings or hinge placement, we strongly recommend hiring a contractor or finisher to measure first and install later. Getting the same person or company to handle both the initial measurement and the final install is the best way to avoid mismatches between what was measured and what gets installed.
We keep a list of carpenters, finishers, and installers we’ve seen do solid work on past projects, and we’re happy to pass along names — just know they’re independent, not employees of ours, so we can point you in a good direction but the working relationship is between you and them.
Choose In-Stock Styles Where You Can
If your timeline is tight, sticking to a door style we already have in stock is the fastest path to on-time delivery. For new construction specifically, staying with standard sizes avoids the added lead time that comes with custom sizing.
Talk to Your Sales Rep Early — Before You’re Locked Into a Schedule
Lead times vary depending on style, size, and what’s currently in stock versus what needs to be ordered in. The earlier you loop in your sales rep, the earlier you’ll know what’s readily available, what needs extra lead time, and how that maps onto your schedule. This is the single easiest way to prevent a door order from becoming a surprise holdup later in the project.
Build In a Buffer Day Between Delivery and Install
Even with everything ordered correctly and on time, production and delivery can run into unforeseen delays. We recommend scheduling at least one day between expected delivery and having your installer on site, so a small hiccup on our end doesn’t turn into downtime for your crew.
Double-Check Your Sales Order Before It’s Placed
Once you receive your sales order, take the time to review it carefully before confirming. We’ll always do our best to accommodate changes after the fact, but once a door has entered production, changes become difficult — and sometimes impossible — to make. Catching a sizing or style mistake before production starts is far easier than after.
Working With Us on Timing
We work with contractors across Surrey and the Lower Mainland on renovation projects of all sizes, and the projects that stay on schedule are almost always the ones where measurements are confirmed early, specs are locked in, and the sales rep is looped in before the schedule is set in stone.
Ready to talk about your renovation? Email us at info@a1doors.ca and we’ll help you find the right doors for your project.