What goes into a door repair
- Loose hinge screws replaced with longer ones that reach the framing
- Hinges shimmed or adjusted so the door hangs square again
- Rub points planed or sanded, then the bare edge sealed and painted
- Strike plates shifted until the latch catches on a gentle push
- Paint build-up cleaned off edges, stops and hinges
Older doors and the openings they hang in
Many San Gabriel houses still have their first doors. The City’s historic resources survey found seven potential historic districts, each made up of single-family houses, and describes a city built mostly in the 1920s–1950s in Period Revival, Minimal Traditional and Ranch styles.
The same survey separates reversible changes from ones that aren’t. Swapping an original entry door counts as reversible, but “resizing of original window and door openings” is listed among alterations that can’t easily be undone. That matches how we work: the door gets adjusted to fit its opening, and the opening stays as it is.
About half of the city’s households rent: the Census survey counts 6,261 renter households out of 12,612. So we often coordinate a door visit with both tenant and owner.
When the door isn’t the problem
If several doors stick at once, cracks run out from the frame corners, or the floor has started to slope, the house may be moving. A foundation specialist or structural engineer should look first. A door that is split, rotted or needs a new frame is a carpentry or replacement job rather than an adjustment.
What helps us quote
A few seconds of video as you swing the door shut and open, plus a close-up of the hinges and latch side. Text it to (626) 684-3505 and say whether it’s worse in damp weather.
Door repair questions
Do you text before showing up?
Yes. You’ll get a message from us before we head your way.
What if the frame needs work too?
We stop and explain what we found and the extra cost. Nothing outside the quote happens until you agree.
The owner lives elsewhere. Can the tenant let you in?
Yes, or the owner can leave a key or lockbox code. Both are common for us.
What if the door starts sticking again?
Get in touch. If our repair didn’t hold, we come back to fix it.
Guides on older doors
- Heavy plank doors that sag, drag or will not latchHow we fix heavy plank and arched doors with iron strap hinges in San Gabriel's Mission Revival homes: sagging, dragging and latches that miss.
- Keeping vintage door hardware workingHow we repair, adjust and replace old mortise locks, glass knobs and skeleton-key hardware on the heavy doors in older San Gabriel homes.
- Fixing screen doors that slam, sag or will not latchHow we repair or replace screen doors, closers, latches and security door hardware on older San Gabriel homes.
This job sits in our doors, cabinets and hardware group. For other repairs, see the services overview, or start with the repair guide for San Gabriel’s older homes.