Replace Front Door - Need Advice
 

We live in a designer home. We would like to replace our front door and single sidelight panel. I have two questions I need help answering. Thank you.

1. I am handy and can do the 8nstall myself. Do I need permit from The Villages?

2. Any recommendations on where to find a full length glass door/side panel?

Please don’t take this the wrong way, but unless you’re 100% sure of what you’re doing, you may want to leave this job to a pro. But, to answer your question, armed with your rough opening dimensions, Home Depot, Lowe’s, MICO (Wildwood), Town & Country Bldg Supply (Ocala) should all be able to show you what’s available in doors with sidelights. As far as approval, check with ARC once you’ve made your door selection.

A glass door and sidelights is beautiful and brings light into your foyer.

That being said, our Tampa house had double glass
designer doors with a large matching transom.
Not only was their no privacy, they were very unsafe
as being easy to break into.
Just something to think about.

Use a pro. We used Entryways by Perry and highly recommend them with no reservations. Further, they can custom make virtually any design you can imagine. (I was told one guy asked to have his wife’e image, ahem, on the shower door.) In addition to the front door, they also framed our bathroom mirrors, and they look great. PM me if you like.

If you’re replacing with same size panel arrangement,I would not expect any difficulty, but as previously mentioned I would also advise going to ARC and get it in writing.

And there are code requirements with regard to wind resistance, and the fastening system you use to install the door and glass.

It would be great to have a door that would open outward--much greater strength for wind and break-ins