Any carpenters or doors installers here?

I purchased a front door back in Oct and it is about 2 inches wider than my "rough opening". It is a 36" door with 2 12" sidelites. Trying to find a good looking door in the correct size was almost impossible and I thought I did get the right one, but it turns out it is a little too wide. I don't want to take it back as I like the looks of it and it seems all the 60" wides are the same width of the one I got. I have had a few installers over and they said they are going to have to do some "cutting" or expanding the frame opening to get it in. It is possible but will need work.

Here is my question, has anyone taken apart the actual door frame that surrounds the door and sidelites and trimmed down the sidelites (and surround) to fit the smaller opening of the house? It appears to be screwed into the frame but I don't know how it is attached to the frame pieces between the main door. I figure if I take off a 1/2" off of each "sidelite", that will get me the 2" I need not to mess with the house. It would be close to the trim but I think there is just enough room. It is a fiberglass door and fiberglass sidelite but the frame is all wood. Link to the door:

Thanks.....

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Feather...w-Sidelites-332491-3A5/205211135#overlay

Wait..you bought a $2K door and you want to cut it up and alter it? Is your house brick or what is the big deal with opening up the framing?

I don't think you'll be able to cut it down like that without having it look bad from the proportions being off. The part you want to cut off is probably hollow and you'd be cutting off the edge that's closed off to give it support.

Agree! You bought a 2k door and now you want to figure out how to make it fit?? Should have coordinated with an installer before the purchase. Good luck!

Eliminate one of the sidelights. Or bite the bullet and widen the rough opening. This would mean a new header, king studs, and a jack stud on one side.

"Home Depot" pretty much explains it. Had you called a Window and Door retailer they would have come out, measured the opening and ordered you the correct size door/frame. Probably would have been a few more bucks for the door but now you're going to pay through the nose for someone to butcher the door or the house. Good luck !!

I make doors-side lites. Many thru 50 years. If what you bought is really old maybe but not the new ones. New class is all tempered and can’t be cut down but the surrounding wood can be cut (not sure it would look good) cut the top jamb and sill plate then move the side jambs over, screw it back together. The side lites can be cut on a table saw just look for screws and nails holding the together, after cutting put the back in. It all depends on how wide the styles are behind the stop. Most if not all will never notice the difference

The outside of the house is stucco. I had an installer over and he didn't think it was a good idea enlarging the opening.

Getting rid of one of the sidelites won't work either, then the opening will be too big.

Yes, I bought at home depot because I was tired of waiting for my window / door guy to come by. I've been trying to get his installer team to come out since December, still haven't fit me in. I had another installer come by and he's the one that said he doesn't recommend opening it up.

Cudaman - thanks for the info, the sidelites are fiberglass as well. I think I am going to have the opening expanded.

Installers make money on speed and volume. Something like this is just a pain in the azz that will take more time than they can charge for and you'll probably [censored] when its done. Take the damn thing back to HD and buy the right f'n size !!

I custom ordered a front door the correct size from Home depot. It wasn`t that much more cost wise.

You put a filler in the opening.