How much does it cost to repair a garage door?
Most repairs cost between $125 and $400 when performed by a garage door contractor. Every potential garage door and opener repair cost is listed below including the price range and average cost to homeowners.
The cost can be less than $50 for DIY parts to more than $500 for multiple repairs to an aging door, leading a homeowner to consider replacement instead of repair.
Garage Door Repair Cost Guide with Repair and Service Prices
This repair pricing guide covers all common garage door repair costs including those for spring repair and replacement, track and roller repair costs, chain or cable repair cost, panel repair and repairs to the garage door opener.
This table gives common repairs and costs.
Below, the repairs are explained in detail along with factors affecting the cost of repairs.
Garage Door Repair Costs | ||
Repair | Cost Range | Average Cost |
Maintenance Tune-up | $125 – $250 | $180 |
Spring Adjustment | $85 – $175 | $135 |
Torsion Spring Replacement | $195 – $400 | $285 |
Extension Spring Replacement | $125 – $250 | $180 |
Panel Replacement | $235 – $750 | $450 |
Chain Repair/Replacement | $90 – $210 | $165 |
Cables Replacement | $90 – $170 per pair | $140 per pair |
Track Replacement | $175 – $325 per pair | $235 per pair |
Rollers Replacement per Door | $145 – $200 per set | $165 per set |
Sensor Replacement | $75 – $115 | $100 |
Handle & Lock Replacement | $160 – $375 | $250 |
Window Replacement | $195 – $515 | $280 |
Opener Repair | $75 – $130 | $95 |
Opener Replacement | $250 – $1,000+ | $525 |
Auto-reverse Repair | $75 – $200 | $130 |
Wall Control Replacement | $85 – $140 | $120 |
Keypad Replacement | $115 – $170 | $140 |
Remote Replacement | $30 – $45 | $40 |
If you decide the money would be better spent on garage door replacement, see our Garage Door Cost Guide with prices from $500 to more than $4,000 with details on what you get for each price tier.
Garage Door Repair Costs by Issue
Here are the top repairs completed by garage door contractors – what they entail and how much they cost.
Tune Up
While not a repair, having your garage door maintained every year or two can prevent the mechanical parts from breaking down. A preventative tune up checklist includes inspecting springs, cables and rollers for wear, adjusting the springs, lubricating the chain if necessary and testing the sensors and autoreverse for proper functioning.
Garage Door Maintenance Tune Up Cost: $125 to $250
Garage Door Spring Repair Cost
Signs that garage door spring repair is necessary include the door not opening evenly on either side, it tending to slip closed or it failing to open entirely. If tightening and adjustment don’t solve the problem, spring replacement might be needed.
Most garage doors have either horizontal torsion springs above the door opening, or side springs called extension springs that stretch when the door opens and compress when it closes.
Torsion springs are less common and more expensive to replace.
Caution: Torsion springs are also quite dangerous to work on, since they store a lot of energy, which is suddenly released if they’re improperly detached during repair. We recommend leaving torsion spring replacement to a contractor.
Garage door spring replacement cost varies by type and the size/strength of the springs:
Torsion Spring Replacement Cost: $195 to $400
Extension Spring Replacement Cost: $125 to $250
How long do garage door springs last? Most are rated for 8,000 to 12,000 “cycles.” Opening and closing once is a cycle. Most garage doors go through two to four cycles per day, so the math says they should last 5.5 years (8,000 cycles / 4 daily cycles) to 16 years (12,000 cycles / 2 per day). A maintenance tune up and adjustment will help maximize spring longevity.
Garage Door Panel Repair Cost
The size of the panel and its material are the key issues in garage door panel repair cost. Whether replacement panels are available will affect cost too – and if panels are no longer made for an older door, complete garage door replacement cost will come into the picture.
Aluminum or Steel garage door panel replacement cost: $235 – $500
Wood garage door panel replacement cost: $400 – $750+
Fiberglass garage door panel replacement cost: $350 – $575
What about an insurance claim? If the garage door damage is the result of an accident, vs normal wear and tear over the years, or weather (hail, falling debris), you might consider making an insurance claim. Get garage door panel replacement cost estimates and check your deductible to see if filing a claim makes sense.
Garage Door Chain Repair Cost
Chain-driven garage door openers are affordable, but the wear on the metal chain running on metal sprockets can lead to the need for chain replacement at some point.
Garage door chain repair cost: $90 – $210
Garage door belt repair cost: $115 – $225
We recommend: Any time significant repairs are made to a garage door opener, it is worth getting an estimate on a new opener. Chain-driven openers start at about $250 installed. Belt-driven models are a little more expensive. The average repair cost of $165 might be better spent on a new unit.
Garage Door Cable Repair Cost
Visible wear, especially fraying of a cable, and even whining noises as they operate, are signs that the cables are due for replacement. This is a possible DIY repair for motivated and handy homeowners. It is also easily done by a contractor during an annual inspection and tune up.
Pro tip: The cable pulleys are inexpensive – less than $15 each – and they will wear out. It makes sense to replace the pulley any time you replace a cable.
Garage door cable replacement cost: $90 – $170
Garage Door Track Replacement Cost
Straight tracks are essential to smooth garage door operation. When they get bent through a mishap or sag with age, the door might hang with one side lower than the other, or it might grind or jerk when opening or closing. These are signs that track replacement is necessary.
Garage door track repair cost: $175 – $325 per pair
Don’t forget rollers: This is a good time to replace the rollers too. Removing the door to replace the track gives easy access to them, and the normal garage door roller replacement cost of up to $200 per set is reduced to less than $100.
Garage Door Sensor Replacement Cost
Sensors are located in a vulnerable position and are easily damaged. If the wiring is in good condition, then disconnecting the wiring, connecting and mounting the new sensor is a fairly easy DIY fix. For pro installation, here’s the cost:
Garage door sensor replacement cost: $75 – $115
If this repair is made when a tune up or other repair is being made, then the cost will be about half. Garage door contractors charge $50 to $100 for a service call which covers an hour of their labor – and a lot of minor repairs like sensor replacement can be made in that hour.
Garage Door Lock and Handle Replacement Cost
Most garage doors have a manual lock in the handle for added security. Either the handle or lock might fail, and replacing them is a fairly quick and affordable job. Usually, the entire handle with the lock included is replaced.
Lock and handle replacement cost: $160 – $375
Garage Door Window Replacement
Windows range from cheap plastic to standard glass to tempered security glass depending on the quality of the door. Size is a factor in cost too.
Garage door window replacement cost: $195 – $515
Garage Door Opener Repair Cost
Minor mechanical issues like a worn chain-drive sprocket or even chain replacement can be repaired fairly affordably. But once repair costs start to climb, it is worth also getting an estimate for complete replacement
Opener repair cost: $75 – $130
Garage Door Opener Replacement
There are many factors in the cost of a garage door opener including type, horsepower and additional features such as a camera or WiFi. All these are discussed in detail on the Garage Door Guides Opener Costs page.
Here’s the quick answer for professionally installed openers.
Garage door opener replacement cost: $250 – $1,100
Wall Control Replacement
The wall control is typically mounted in the garage right outside the entry door to the home. The first one is often standard with the unit. But they wear out and can be damaged too.
Garage door opener wall control replacement cost: $85 – $140
Garage Door Autoreverse Repair Cost
The garage door sensors are the first thing to check, if your garage door auto reverse isn’t functioning. Make sure the sensor is aimed across the opening of the door – their brackets are easily bent, so that the sensor might not be properly directed.
This is a dangerous issue, and so it should be repaired ASAP.
When it isn’t the sensors, the issue is in the opener, and it could be mechanical or electronic. In the worst-case scenario, the circuit board isn’t working, and the entire opener should be replaced.
Garage door autoreverse repair cost: $75 – $200, if it can be repaired
Keypad Replacement Cost
Many garage door opener models offer an accessory keypad that is mounted outside the garage. They’re a nice feature when you’re working in the yard, rather than in your vehicle where the remote is located, and you want something from the garage. With weather, use and age, they can require replacement.
Or you might not have one and would like to add one to your garage. The cost for new installation and for replacement is roughly the same.
Garage door keypad replacement cost: $115 – $170
Factors Affecting the Cost of Garage Door Repair
How much does it cost to repair a garage door?
There are a few general cost factors related to most garage door repairs and opener repairs.
DIY vs Pro Repair – Garage door contractors charge $50 to $100 per hour for labor. Many repairs are completed in under an hour, but you’ll still pay one hour worth of labor. When jobs take longer, such as spring replacement or track replacement, jobs run into 2-4 hours. DIY repairs typically take about twice as long, since most homeowners are doing them for the first time.
Initial Quality of the Door or Opener – This factor especially relates to door panels, windows, hardware, tracks and springs. Many garage door and opener manufacturers make basic, better and best models with ascending costs for both the product and repair to the product.
Door Type – Simple steel-panel overhead garage doors usually cost less to repair than complex slide-to-side doors, carriage doors and more elaborate styles.
Opener Type – Chain-driven and belt-driven models often cost less to repair than sliding, jackshaft and screw-drive units. Parts might also be more readily available, so repairs can be done quicker.
Where you Live – Your local cost of living affects all prices including the cost of garage door repair. Prices are highest in large metropolitan areas, especially near the Coasts. They are lowest in many rural areas – and average most other places.