Garage Door Replacement: Everything You Need to Know

You may want to consider garage door replacement if your old one has aged or broken down. You may also be bored with your garage door’s outdated look and desire to spruce up your San Diego home’s aesthetics with a more modern design. After all, your garage door is the biggest moving piece of equipment in your house, and it is the most noticeable one too.

Hence, changing your garage door can boost your curbside appeal and increase property value. People driving by see it complementing your whole house, and guests sometimes enter through the garage door. Thus, many say garage door replacement gives you a high return on your investment, especially if you plan to sell the property down the line.

However, replacing your garage is not something you do on a whim. The standard garage door replacement cost is high, and it can create a dent in your pocketbook. Find out how much it costs to replace your garage door and what you can do to mitigate this expense.

The Average Cost to Replace a Garage Door

You can spend a broad range if you need to replace your garage door. When you hire professional garage door professionals, expect to fork out somewhere between $590 to $1,650. This includes materials, other parts, and labor. Some people even spend almost $4,000 on their high-end smart garage doors.

The national average encompassing all the elements mentioned above falls at around $1,210. If you do not have a home warranty or the garage door replacement is not covered by homeowner’s insurance because it falls under wear and tear, you have no choice but to pay out of pocket. Of course, the price will also depend on several factors such as:

Where you live
The size of the garage door
Number of doors
Type of garage door
Material of the garage door
Workmanship needed to craft, customize, and install the garage doors
Labor rates in the area
Prep work needed before the new door can be placed
The aftercare required once the door is installed

Notably, if you are changing any structural part of your garage door, you may need building permits and licenses to get the job done. Additionally, if you live in a community governed by a homeowners association, the HOA guidelines may require you to install a specific garage door. They have strict requirements on design and materials for uniformity and to preserve everyone’s property value.

Thus, you must comply with the bylaws stipulated by the HOA, or you receive fines and penalties. Hence, you must check your HOA primer or rule book before undertaking your garage door replacement project. Otherwise, you may waste money on the wrong garage door.

Potential Add-Ons To Your Garage Door Replacement Cost

It would be prudent to have a working budget for your garage door replacement project. For the best outcomes, consider adding 10 or 20% to your working budget to provide you with a buffer if anything unexpected crops up.

Besides, you do not need to use everything in your budget. Whatever gets leftover, you can save it or invest it elsewhere. Some common additions that may crop up include the following:

Removal and disposal of the door ($25 to $100) because some garage door repair and installation quotes do not include this.
Location affects the price, so where you live can jack up the average garage door replacement costs.
Resizing the door opening can set you back from $500 to 5 grand because this will affect the home’s structural aspects that hold up the walls and brace your ceiling.
Expect to fork out $50 to $350 for hardware replacement like springs, hinges, or bolts.
If you want embellishments like a garage window or insulation, you may need to add more money.

The Different Doors Styles and How It Impacts Pricing

The various garage door styles and materials will impact the pricing. Your corresponding door style will determine what kind of tracks and mechanisms you need. Here are the most common examples of garage door styles:

Tilt-Up: Another term for this is a swing-up garage door. One garage door is a solid piece that tilts up or swings up from the floor to the ceiling.
Swing Out: As the name implies, these doors open outward. It can be one-piece or two pieces, depending on your preference. It acts as a gate.
Sectional: Some refer to these doors as roll-up, and they are the most favorite style so far. They open from the bottom and roll up along the track on the ceiling. Apart from tracks, it comes with motors and remote control to lift the door’s weight.
Sliding: This slides from left to right or vice-versa, depending on your choice. It slides along a track to maintain its movement.

Amount of Hardware

The amount of tracking mechanism and other bolts you need to finish the project will impact the price. Besides, the garage door materials will also play a big factor in the price tag. For example, custom-made doors made from hardwoods like redwood, cedar, mahogany, or hemlock command a high price.

Fully Loaded Trimmings

Besides that, a fully loaded door with garage windows, trims, shatterproof glass, trimmings, and multiple hues can easily clock in at ten grand. Meanwhile, you will also find more expensive garage door styles like French doors, carriage doors, and walk-through doors. In contrast, sectionals and tilt-up styles are the least expensive of the bunch.

Material Nuances

If you want something easy on the pocket, a wood composite door that you can paint like vinyl can effectively resist denting. Best of all, it is a versatile material that looks great on most homes. Wood composite doors can cost $950 for one 16 x 7-foot door.

Another alternative material that is easy on the pocket is steel. This is a steal (pun intended) for as little as $600 for the same door size above. Steel doors are the cheapest garage door material in the market. However, they dent easily and do not offer insulation. So, when the temp outside is cold, you can expect it to be the same in your garage. Additionally, this can also corrode if you end up scratching the surface.

Door Layers

On top of that, garage doors can be single-layer, or you can opt for multiple layers with insulation inside. Understandably, single-layer doors clock in as the cheapest in the market. However, they are also the least durable. On top of that, they offer the least insulation, so if you live in a temperate zone, this can pose issues.

In contrast, double and triple-layer doors are pricier to buy and install. But this is the case of getting what you paid for because they will also last longer. On top of that, they provide the best insulation, so you will not feel too cold at the peak of winter. But, again, this is a variable you ought to consider if you live somewhere with a freezing climate.

Noteworthy, insulation is another factor to consider if your garage is attached to your home. Since the garage can use a part of your home wall, it can impact the amount of heat in your San Diego, CA, house by the type of door you have. A good quality door that has great insulation can help reduce energy costs and save you tons of money in the long haul.

The Typical Lifespan of Garage Doors

You may be wondering how often you should replace your garage door. Most garage door specialists will agree that a garage door can last thirty years or more, no matter the price. The key is proper maintenance.

If you perform an annual inspection from a professional garage door company and perform DIY maintenance on your doors quarterly, your garage door can look good as new for many years. However, if you do not perform maintenance on the door and its part, it will deteriorate faster due to normal wear and tear.

Typically, specially crafted garage doors with a high R-value for insulation, pinch resistance for children and tamper resistance to prevent break-ins are more durable. Thus, you can expect these custom doors to last longer. When it comes to garage doors, you get what you pay for.

Effective Maintenance Tips to Extend the Life of Your Garage Door

Since your garage door is the largest moving part of your home, it deserves a lot of TLC. Besides, you use this multiple times a day throughout the whole year. As such, you need your garage door to operate smoothly.

If it malfunctions, you may be stuck running through the rain to open your front door. The worst-case scenario is a faulty garage door will open your home to trespassers. Thus, stay vigilant with door maintenance to extend the longevity of your investment. Here are top tips to help you out:

Look and Listen to Warning Signs

Pay attention and observe your garage door every time. Does it open and close well, or does it look jerking and off-track? Listen to weird noises like grinding, straining, or scraping. If you hear and see anything different, your door mechanism may be at fault. Call for an inspection right away.

Pay Attention to Hardware

Since your garage door moves up and down thousands of times in a year, you can expect hardware wear and tear. In addition, the movement and vibration will naturally loosen up brackets, screws, and bolts. You can tighten this up easily on your own.

Assess Door Balance

If your door is not balanced, you will strain the system. Besides, your opener may not even work. In this case, the torsion or tension springs may be the problem. Call a professional to address this issue.

Replace Rollers

If you want to keep premature garage door replacement at bay, pay attention to your rollers. Steel or nylon rollers need bi-annual checks. Moreover, they need routine maintenance to lessen friction. In general, replace rollers every seven years. Since you open and close garage doors countless times, replace worn, cracked, and chip rollers ASAP.

Take Care of Weatherstripping

Your garage door has a weather strip seal at the bottom. The moment you notice that it looks brittle or begins to crack, replace it to prevent the elements and pests out. You can readily do the weatherstripping replacement by purchasing a kit in the hardware.

Lubricate Parts

You need to oil moving garage parts with white lithium grease. All it takes is a few minutes to get this done. In return, you minimize friction and assure better operation. In addition, something as simple as oiling the mechanisms will extend the lifespan of your garage door and deter replacements.

Check Tracks and Cables

Always check the tracks of your garage door to assure that they are free from debris. In the same token, check the cables for any signs of wear. However, any work on both tracks and cables is best left to the garage door pros. If you attempt to tinker with them on your own, it can result in an accidental injury.

Finding a Garage Door Specialist, You Trust

Maintaining your garage door will ensure that you can use it seamlessly for years and decades. Besides, getting it professionally inspected once a year will optimize your garage door’s performance and extend its longevity because you address normal wear and tear. Should any issues crop up, you can nip the problem in the bud and deter escalation.

On top of that, staying proactive with maintenance assures your safety. It means your garage door will not suddenly malfunction and pinch a car or living being. Most garage doors come with safety features and observing proper garage door care ensures that the mechanism works without glitches.

Do not forget to examine your garage door itself. For example, you must check it for scratches and peeling paint if you have a wooden door. It can expose the raw wood and result in warping. Similarly, steel doors may have rusty areas that need sanding, priming, and repainting to prevent further deterioration.

If your garage door looks worse for wear, garage door replacement is the only option. Your garage makes up one-third of your home’s exterior, so you need to maintain its appearance. If you need help, call our team at Coastal Garage Doors. We can schedule a service call and provide insight on your garage door replacement.

Some of the locations in and around San Diego County we serve includes: Encinitas, Alpine, Chula Vista, Escondido, Oceanside, Pacific Beach, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Carlsbad, and more.