How Much Does It Cost to Repair a Garage Door?

It's pouring rain and your garage door is stuck closed for the umpteenth time. You're going to get soaked again while you try to get the door open. It's time you called in a garage door technician to find out what's wrong with the door and whether to repair or replace it.

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Common Garage Door Issues

For all their apparent simplicity, garage doors are finely tuned pieces of machinery that open at the touch of a button. Thanks to their springs, cables and tracks, garage doors are remarkably easy to open, despite them weighing anywhere from 200 to 400 pounds. But garage doors can develop problems, such as:

• Broken springs: A garage door is equipped with strong springs to balance its weight. If these springs come loose or break, the door becomes difficult to open and may not stay in the open position.

• Snapped cables: Most garage doors have a cable on either side connecting the door to the springs and opening mechanism. If a cable snaps, one side of the door will hang lower than the other. The door may jam or when it opens, you're likely to hear a scraping or grinding noise.

• Damaged tracks: The door rollers run in tracks. If the tracks are damaged, the door will be stiff to open and may jam, and you'll probably hear scraping noises when it moves. The door guides may come out of the tracks if a roller breaks.

• Malfunctioning garage door opener: If the opener develops a fault, the garage door may not open properly or close fully. When the opener fails, the door won't work at all, and you'll have to release the drive mechanism to open it manually.

• Faulty remote: When the remote is faulty, the door won't work. This is often caused by a dead battery that’s easy to replace, but it's also possible for the remote or the electronic receiver in the door control unit to fail.

• Dented door: Door dents and panel damage are usually the result of a minor collision, but panels can also be damaged if the springs or cables fail and twist the door out of alignment.

How Much Do Garage Door Issues Cost to Fix?

When your garage door develops problems, it's best to look for a nearby garage door repair technician. Garage doors are heavy, and the springs and cables are under a lot of tension. Repairs require training and special equipment, and it's unwise to try to fix a faulty garage door yourself.

The amount you'll pay to have a professional repair your garage door varies based on local labor rates and the cost of parts. Depending on where you live, expect to pay between $63 and $150 (CAD 87 and CAD 208) per hour to hire a certified garage door technician. Based on what needs to be done, your garage door repairs may cost between $98 and $860 (CAD 136 and CAD 1,191).

Garage Door Spring Repairs

Faulty or broken springs are the most common reason for garage door repairs. Fixing the issue involves using special tools and having a proper understanding of how to safely tension the springs. Don't attempt to repair them yourself, as the springs are under a lot of strain, often tensioned to between 200 and 400 pounds each. New springs for a standard garage door may cost between $5 and $200 (CAD 7 and CAD 278). With parts and labor, the cost to replace door springs runs between $150 and $300 (CAD 209 and CAD 416).

Cable Repair

Stretched, frayed or broken cables are common reasons for an overhead door repair. Cables may be connected to the springs and be under a lot of tension. Some doors use chains instead of cables. Replacement cables cost from $5 to $200 (CAD 7 to CAD 277). The total cost to replace a set of door cables is between $98 and $400 (CAD 136 and CAD 554).

Track Replacement

Garage door rollers run in U-shaped pressed steel tracks on either side of the door. Tracks wear out after extended use. They can also twist if the door is subject to a sudden impact or the springs break. A set of 7-foot tracks for a standard garage door costs between $40 and $120 (CAD 55 to CAD 166). Together with labor costs, the price to repair or replace tracks is between $147 and $400 (CAD 204 and CAD 554).

Door Panels

Garage doors are typically assembled from panels. If the door opens vertically, the panels are hinged, but they're fixed for side-opening and tilt-up doors. If a panel gets damaged, it's usually best to replace rather than repair it. A replacement door panel costs between $300 and $900 (CAD 416 to CAD 1,247). The cost to disassemble the door, replace the damaged panel and reassemble the garage door costs around $860 (CAD 1,191).

Door Openers

If you need to replace the garage door opener, the cost can range from $150 to $250 (CAD 208 to CAD 346) for a chain-drive unit to $300 to $500 (CAD 416 to CAD 693) for a belt-drive opener. Installation costs are around $150 to $400 (CAD 208 to CAD 554).

Hardware

The garage technician may need to buy additional hardware such as new rollers, mounting brackets, hinges or fittings. These costs add up quickly, so it's best to make an allowance of between $110 and $230 (CAD 152 and CAD 319) for these extras.

When to Consider Garage Door Replacement

If your garage door is old or the damage is extensive, you should consider whether to repair or replace it, as garage door repair costs can mount up. Points to consider include:

• The type and severity of the damage. Depending on the damage, repair costs might be excessive, especially if the door panels are dented. If it's too expensive to repair the door, garage door replacement makes more sense.

• There are too many things wrong. If the door is seriously damaged, such as if it comes off its tracks and becomes badly twisted, the technician may need to replace many components, including tracks, cables, springs and panels. The total costs may so high the door isn't worth repairing.

• The door's age and condition. If the garage door is old and worn, the overall condition may make it too difficult to repair and refurbish the door so it's reliable and safe to use.

• The availability of parts. Depending on the type and age of the door, it may be impossible for the technician to source replacement parts. In this situation, replacing the garage door with a new model may be more economical.

How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Garage Door?

Garage doors are relatively expensive, so consider your options carefully. While custom garage doors are attractive, they cost more than standard models. The main factors to consider when installing a garage door are the type of door, the material it's made from and its size.

Types of Garage Doors

Here are several common garage door types and their installed prices:

• Standard panel garage door: These are vertically opening doors that are assembled from horizontal panels. They slide along tracks into the ceiling of the garage. A standard single-car garage door costs between $1,151 and $1,284 (CAD 1,595 and CAD 1,779).

• Tilt-up door: This solid one-piece garage door lifts upward and outward when opened to slide under the ceiling of the garage. These doors need adequate clearance to open. Prices range from $1,100 to $1,250 (CAD 1,524 to CAD 1,732).

• Roll-up garage door: This type of door rolls into a drum located above the garage door, leaving the ceiling area unobstructed. These doors cost between $1,500 and $2,400 (CAD 2,078 and CAD 3,325).

• Carriage doors: This traditional design swings open like a barn door. These garage doors are eye-catching but need sufficient clearance to open. Prices start at $1,412 and go up to $1,869 (CAD 1,956 to CAD 2,589).

Garage Door Materials

The most common exterior garage door materials are steel, fiberglass and aluminum. Other available materials include wood, composite and translucent glass. The installed costs of doors made from these materials span a wide range:

• Steel: $700 to $2,500 (CAD 970 to CAD 3,464)

• Fiberglass: $1,000 to $2,500 (CAD 1,385 to CAD 3,464)

• Aluminum: $800 to $2,100 (CAD 1,108 to CAD 2,909)

• Wood: $1,200 to $4,000 (CAD 1,663 to CAD 5,542)

• Composite: $650 to $4,740 (CAD 904 to CAD 6,589)

• Translucent glass: $2,500 to $6,000 (CAD 3,464 to CAD 8,313)

Garage Door Size

The average single garage door size is around 8 to 9 feet wide, while the height varies from 7 to 8 feet. A standard single garage door costs between $700 and $2,700 (CAD 970 and CAD 3,741), including installation. A double-width door for a two-car garage is typically 16 feet wide and 7 to 8 feet high. The installed cost for this size door ranges from $1,000 to $3,500 (CAD 1,385 to CAD 4,849).

A standard three-car garage would require one single door and one double door. If both doors were replaced, the total installed cost would range from $1,700 to $6,200 (CAD 2,355 to CAD 8,590).