I live in a post-WWII cape cod style house. A few months ago we had a medical emergency and the EMTs pushed their way through the front door. This resulted in the door frame being pushed apart right where the strike plate is mounted. The brass box that was mounted inside the wall, to catch the bolt came out as well.

The door closes and locks, but a few pounds of pressure and you can push the door right in.

I believe that the front door's frame was built by hand, not installed as a door+frame unit as I see when I look in the aisles of the local home store.

So the main question is should I get a contractor to fix up the frame that's there, or should they install a whole new door/frame? The current door is solid wood and has just OK weather stripping, and my wife and I don't love the design of the door either.

If this is a standard job, is there going to be much of a price difference between fixing or replacing? If we replace, we're getting a standard door with maybe a window at the top, no sidelights or anything fancy.

Thanks!

(darnit, I just realized this was posted under INTERIOR improvement, if a moderator wants to move it to the right forum, i'd appreciate it)

 

On alot of older homes the doors are not "standard" 3'0" x 6'8" for example. Quite often the doors are a little taller. If you are contemplating replacing the entire door and frame, take some measurements and see if you can fit a manufactured door in the hole. For most front entry doors the framed rough opening should be somewhere near 38" wide and 82" high. If your measurements fall in this range, then removing the old door and frame is a good option, since you don't like the door, either.
Save the door, as it may have a use elsewhere.