Replace Front Door or Not?? Help me with a rational decision!

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Replace Front Door or Not?? Help me with a rational decision!

Account Closed
Eastern Michigan · Member since 2018 · 83 posts · 144 votes

I have a single family house in a class C neighborhood. My tenant texted me that she was thinking about it and she would really appreciate it if we could replace the front door on the house. She said that because the house is near a liquor store and some heioron addict recently coded in the alley behind the house she would feel safer with a steel reinforced front door instead of the older wood door it has.  

The thing is, she has lived there for 18 months and until last month we never heard from her. In December there was an issue with the heat and she herself called the heating and cooling people, paid them, then told us about it a week later. So I followed up with the heating and cooling people and paid her back, but told her repairs always go through me, always, and I will always be the one to order the repair and pay the bill. I wasn't a jerk about it but was firm. She didn't like this much but said ok. Since then she had an issue with the water heater, electric panel and a flooded basement-- all in the past 6 weeks. All seemed to be legit issues but holy moly I'm getting sick of hearing from her.

So my question for all of you on Bigger Pockets... is the door replacement a reasonable request? My emotions are feeling like she is giving me a hard time for telling her that she had to contact me about repairs so I want to tell her to kick rocks but at the same time I don't want to deny a valid request that is based on her perceived safety. 

As a side note-- I have lived in that neighborhood (twice) before and sure there are heorion addicts around sometimes but it's not like they wander the streets all over day and night. It's just kind of the neighborhood.  I didn't worry about... but that's me. 

So please let me know if this request seems valid? I really need an uninterested 3rd party opinion.
Thanks all!

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Bjorn AhlbladPro Member
Investor · Shelton, WA · Member since 2017 · 6k+ posts · 6k+ votes
5y

@Account Closed It won't make much difference to a burglar whether the door is solid wood or metal clad. The locks will fail before the door does. Make sure of the deadbolt; Amazon sells easy to install hardware you can use on the deadbolt when you are in the house. Tell her to lock the windows; as that is a more vulnerable entry point. Steel clad doors transfer noise and require more maintenance. If anything, I would look at hardware and not the door.

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  • Todd Rasmussen
    Rental Property Investor · Clarksville, TN · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    5y

    @Account Closed

    Call the local police department and ask for crime statistics on whatever reporting area your home is in. Are there more or less residential burglaries than average? Do the neighbors have security doors? When people inquire about your unit do they ask if there are security features? Do rental properties in the area advertise security features?

    If you did provide something, you wouldn't need to replace the front door, just add a metal security screen door.

    It might be a very reasonable request, but it's also reasonable for her to move to a property that has the safety features she desires if they are important to her. My answer to, "is it reasonable" is the average of the answers to the four questions I asked in my opening paragraph. Guessing I would not be doing this unless a multi year lease was signed where the eliminated vacancy expense was greater than the cost of the security improvements.

    2Reply
  • Debbie C.
    Member since 2019 · 118 posts · 74 votes
    5y

    @Account Closed

    I agree with @Todd Rasmussen about checking around your area to see what is going on with crime and what other houses have for security.

    She has brought this to your attention, it is a security issue and seems reasonable. I would add a security gate.

    1Reply
  • Bjorn AhlbladPro Member
    Investor · Shelton, WA · Member since 2017 · 6k+ posts · 6k+ votes
    5y

    @Account Closed It won't make much difference to a burglar whether the door is solid wood or metal clad. The locks will fail before the door does. Make sure of the deadbolt; Amazon sells easy to install hardware you can use on the deadbolt when you are in the house. Tell her to lock the windows; as that is a more vulnerable entry point. Steel clad doors transfer noise and require more maintenance. If anything, I would look at hardware and not the door.

    5Reply
  • Dennis Wayne
    Member since 2020 · 339 posts · 356 votes
    5y

    That’s silly ,If the front door works and closes then absolutely not , tell her if she’d like to purchase the new steel door and have it professionally installed then you’ll be ok with it but if it functions you won’t be fixing it ! Next she’ll want you to professionally install bars on the windows .

    2Reply
  • Casey C.
    Rental Property Investor · IN · Member since 2020 · 46 posts · 41 votes
    5y

    @Tiffany Roberts Steel entry doors still come with wood door frames. They can easily be kicked in just like wood doors. You can add a security strike plate to the existing door & frame with 4" screws that go into the studs which helps tremendously and is pretty cheap. Maybe add some wireless security cameras and charge to the tenant.

    2Reply
  • Jim S.
    Sterman, MI · Member since 2017 · 378 posts · 306 votes
    5y

    Too many people think a steel door with deadbolt is invincible. They don't understand the frame will fail with one good kick.

    1Reply
  • Marcus Auerbach
    Investor · Milwaukee - Mequon, WI · Member since 2010 · 5k+ posts · 7k+ votes
    5y

    First off, you are absolutly right to have any all repairs go through you. She does not need to have an attitude about that. I always make this very clear when signing the lease and tell them at least 3 times to text me a picture with any issues.

    Above comments are correct, a steel door won't help much. The frame fails first. In fact, we install fiberglass doors and not steel, they hold up better. 

    Much better protection comes from some quality exterior LED motion lights. We used to own some properties in Milwaukee where we had garage break ins etc. LED flood lights fixed that really well, shady people don't like being in the spot light. Don't by the cheap ones.

    I would not replace the front door.

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  • Jonathan R McLaughlin
    Rental Property Investor · Boston, Massachusetts (MA) · Member since 2016 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    5y

    @Tiffany Roberts it’s a reasonable request but also a reasonable refusal.

    1Reply
  • Michael Robbins
    Property Manager · Henderson, NV · Member since 2018 · 501 posts · 317 votes
    5y

    @Account Closed if the tenant is concerned about safety and spells out that she thinks another door is in need to provide better security then I would take care of it.  You are probably in the right and are not required to take action but there might be an accusation down the road (if a break-in etc occurs) that the situation was "foreseeable."   

    0Reply
  • Scott Mac
    Austin, TX · Member since 2019 · 5k+ posts · 5k+ votes
    5y

    Hi Tiffany,

    Maybe "Feel Out" the situation.

    What I mean by that is say to her something like "I'm thinking about it, but I'd have to raise the rent $25 a month. Is that something you'd be interested in?"

    If she says yes, redo the lease.

    Now if she moves out, your rent may go back down to market. But in the mean time you can recoup the cost and then go on from there with more monthly income.

    Just my 2 cents.

    0Reply
  • Account Closed
    OP
    Eastern Michigan · Member since 2018 · 83 posts · 144 votes
    5y

    Thank you to everyone for adding your thoughts.  You all gave some great alternatives to replacing the front door and I really appreciate it!

    0Reply
  • Natalie Schanne
    Real Estate Agent · Princeton, NJ · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    5y

    @Tiffany Roberts - buy and install a $99 ring doorbell and give the tenant the login so it will buzz her phone. They have these on all the new construction in the iffy parts of philadelphia. Ask if that will make her happy. (It works best if you have a powered doorbell because it will auto charge the battery).

    Also immediately buy and set a lease addendum that you need working leak detectors in every leak able spot (under bathroom and kitchen sink vanities, by dishwasher, by washing machine, by hot water heater, by ac condensate line, anywhere basement might flood ( near sump pump). They’re cheap and they scream alarm when they touch water so you never have a bad flood anywhere (unless you’re not home).

    1Reply
  • Melissia Larson
    Member since 2021 · 4 posts · 1 vote
    5y

    @Bjorn Ahlblad

    I like this response. It’s the locks that will fail. Wood or metal door doesn’t matter once that happens. It’s not like criminals carry hatchets around seeking homes with wood doors. Now if it’s old and ratty that might be a reasonable request.

    Criminals take a boot to the door; it’s fast and breaks the frame/lock connection.

    0Reply
  • Jill F.
    Investor · Akron, OH · Member since 2016 · 2k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    5y

    If it's something that will actually increase the value of the property (and I don't think this would) I'll tell tenants Sure! I'll have to let you know the rent increase for the upgrade, we usually do a 30 month ROI. I might would offer to install a security storm rather than a new door for $xx/month as that might actually increase the perceived value.

    1Reply
  • Tyler Hull
    Contractor · Waukesha & Milwaukee County · Member since 2021 · 8 posts · 3 votes
    5y

    @Tiffany Roberts irregardless of what the statistics are do you want/need to make the tenant happier?

    I install doors and Im quite sure you could have one installed for under $300 or a DIY for even less.

    Either way I don’t think the issue sounds like a make it or break it issue for the Renter or yourself!

    -Best of luck

    0Reply
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