A garage door is one of the main features of any home. It’s used to keep your vehicle and other items safe and it can be designed as a great feature on any house. The problem is when the garage door is damaged it can be a security issue if your home is linked with an internal door.
Maintenance and repair will be needed every few years as well, so understanding the costs is vital. Read on to learn what the cost will be dependent on, and how much you can expect for various repairs.
First and foremost, the type of damage to the garage door will be the first thing to figure out. A dent in the garage door may seem minor, but in some cases, just a small one can result in a new door. You can expect to pay anywhere from $100 – $400 based on a simple repair but up to the thousands for replacing the entire unit. Every garage door has many parts, whether it’s a manual or electronic door. Any number of things can stop working or get damaged by accidents and even weather.
A garage door spring can set you back about $100 per spring, and rollers or hinges will be about $15 a piece. These are probably the cheapest repair costs you will find. With spring-loaded garage doors, you’re better off having a professional repair the parts. If a spring comes undone, it can be very dangerous for anyone standing near the door. One broken or snapped spring can also cause all the others to fail in an instant, so be sure to consult a handyman first.
Garage doors are mostly automated now with a remote because it’s safer than getting out of your car late at night. Sometimes the remote will break, and sometimes the internal electronics go haywire and the door won’t open. When electronics are involved, there are a few things that can go wrong. Including installation and labor costs, a new motor will cost about $400 for a single chain-drive door motor. For a double garage door, the price increases to over $500.
Some garage doors have keypads installed as extra security because the door may lead to the home. If this breaks it’s relatively cheap to replace but the functionality will depend on the material used. Some electronics don’t function as well with different types of brick or cement.
Custom-made garage doors with special roll-up doors or specialized aesthetics could mean paying quite a bit more. Most garage doors are single roll-ups because they are the most cost-effective. If the garage door was created with a special design, you need to decide if you will replace the whole unit with something standard or try to source the same style. Individual panels can look nice but they become more expensive than using a single door design.
If you accidentally backed into your garage door and just need to fix one panel out of a few, it can be difficult to find the same color and design if you purchased the door a few years ago.
Wood is the costliest material to go for. It requires multiple panels that average $220 a piece. The same goes for aluminum doors at about $200, however, they are more resistant to weather damage. The type of material will greatly affect how much you pay for a garage door repair, which is why most are steel or fiberglass. The repair costs are about the same, but fiberglass is more durable to different temperatures, yet steel is resistant to rust so it can be great for coastal regions.
The cheapest overall material is aluminum with uninsulated steel that has no customization. It’s the most cost-effective type of garage door because it won’t need as much maintenance as often. They are also the easiest to install for DIY projects.
If you are a skilled repairman and are confident in your skills you can save a lot. Garage doors are extremely heavy though so you may need some extra hands. The force of the weight of these doors fall is incredible, so consider what needs to be repaired and get a few opinions from professionals.
If the project seems too risky, hire a contractor. The average hourly rate is anywhere from $50 to $100 and although this sounds reasonable, this doesn’t include the cost of materials. In the end, hiring a professional is probably the best option to avoid accidents that will lead to more costly repairs.
The garage door is the main feature in any home, and it can provide great security, however, they do need repairs from time to time. A repair can set you back a few thousand if you are not careful, but with the right choice of materials, style, and electronics, you can save quite a bit of money.
