Entry Doors with Sidelights
A dark entry hall is one of the most common complaints in older Capital Region homes, and sidelights are the direct fix. A narrow glass panel on one or both sides of the door brings daylight into a space that usually has no other window, and it changes how the front of the house reads from the street.
An entry door with sidelights costs $3,000 to $7,000 installed in the Capital Region. Sidelights transform a dark foyer, but they add glass area near the floor, so insulated low-E tempered glass and a proper perimeter seal matter more than on a solid door.
The project is bigger than a door replacement. A single door opening is roughly three feet wide. Adding two sidelights takes that to five or six feet, which means the opening has to be widened, a new and larger header has to carry the load above, and the exterior and interior finishes have to be rebuilt across the wider span.
Two things need attention in our climate. Glass near the floor is where cold air pools, so the glass package matters more here than in a wall opening at eye level. And glass beside a door is a security consideration worth addressing deliberately rather than ignoring.
Configurations and cost
| Configuration | Typical opening width | Installed cost |
|---|---|---|
| Single door, no sidelights | 3 feet | $1,200 to $4,500 |
| Door with one sidelight | 4 to 4.5 feet | $2,400 to $5,500 |
| Door with two sidelights | 5 to 6 feet | $3,000 to $7,000 |
| Door with transom above | 3 feet, taller | $2,200 to $5,500 |
| Door, two sidelights and transom | 5 to 6 feet, taller | $4,500 to $9,000 |
| Double door with sidelights | 6 to 8 feet | $5,500 to $12,000 |
Widening an existing opening is most of the difference. If your opening already accommodates sidelights, the cost drops substantially.
Cold-climate specifications that matter
- Insulated low-E glass with argon in every sidelight, not just the door glass.
- Warm-edge spacers, because sidelight glass runs from near the floor upward and edge condensation shows there first.
- Tempered safety glass, which code requires in sidelights adjacent to a door regardless of preference.
- A continuous, well-insulated perimeter seal, since a wider assembly means more linear feet of perimeter to leak through.
- An insulated mullion between the door and each sidelight rather than a hollow one.
- Obscure or reeded glass if privacy matters, which also reduces the see-through view of your interior door hardware.
The security question people avoid
Glass beside a door means someone can break the sidelight and reach the interior thumbturn on your deadbolt. That is a real consideration and it has three straightforward answers. First, use a double-cylinder deadbolt that requires a key on both sides, though be aware that many jurisdictions restrict these because they impede escape in a fire, and you must keep a key accessible. Second, and better, use laminated glass in the sidelight, which holds together when struck and cannot be quickly cleared to reach through. Third, place the sidelight far enough from the lock that reaching it is impractical, which is a design decision made before ordering. We recommend laminated glass as the best balance of security and fire safety.
Ranges reflect typical Capital Region projects and are for planning only. Every Sundog quote is written, itemized, and free.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to add sidelights to an entry door?
A door with two sidelights runs $3,000 to $7,000 installed in the Capital Region. Most of the difference from a plain door is the structural work: widening the opening from roughly three feet to five or six, installing a larger header, and rebuilding the interior and exterior finish across the wider span.
Do sidelights make the entry colder?
They can if specified cheaply, because glass insulates far worse than an insulated door slab and sidelight glass extends down toward the floor where cold air pools. With insulated low-E glass, argon fill, warm-edge spacers and a properly sealed perimeter, it is not a practical issue. Skip those and you will feel it in January.
Are sidelights a security risk?
They are a consideration worth addressing rather than a reason to avoid them. Someone can break a sidelight and reach the interior thumbturn. Laminated glass is the best answer, because it holds together when struck and cannot be cleared quickly. Double-cylinder deadbolts also work but are restricted in many jurisdictions because they impede escape in a fire.
Does sidelight glass have to be tempered?
Yes. Building code requires safety glazing in glass adjacent to a door within a defined distance and height, and sidelights fall squarely inside that. Your options are tempered or laminated, and laminated additionally provides the security benefit.
Can I add a sidelight without widening the opening?
Only by installing a narrower door, which is usually a poor trade because a standard thirty-six inch entry door is already the practical minimum for moving furniture and for accessibility. In most cases adding sidelights means widening the opening, which is structural work requiring a permit.
What about a transom instead?
A transom, which is a window above the door, adds light without widening the opening, so the structural work is much smaller. It brings light in high, which distributes well through a foyer, and it raises no security concern because it is out of reach. On a home with sufficient ceiling height it is often the better value.
Related reading
Not sure which is right for your house?
We will walk the house, measure every opening, and tell you which option actually fits your budget and your architecture.