Repair or replace your garage door? The straight numbers

Your garage door is playing up. Maybe it grinds. Maybe it stops halfway. Maybe a cable has come off and the door is hanging crooked.

The first question is always the same. Is this a repair, or am I up for a new door?

Most of the time, it’s a repair. We’ll say that up front, because plenty of people start pricing new doors before anyone has looked at the old one.

Here’s what things actually cost across Christchurch and Auckland, what is worth fixing, and when we’ll tell you it’s time to move on.

Garage door repair or replace? NZ prices at a glance

Two numbers to start with.

The service price includes the fuel charge, so there is nothing tacked on at the end. Any parts your door needs are quoted on top.

That gap between the two numbers is the whole point of this post. If your door is basically sound, fixing it almost always works out cheaper than replacing it.

Repairs that are almost always worth doing

These are the jobs we do every week. On a door that’s otherwise in good nick, they are worth fixing.

• They carry the weight of the door and they wear out. When one goes, the door feels heavy or won’t lift. It’s a standard job for us. Don’t have a go yourself. Springs are under serious tension and can cause real injuries.
• Cables off the drum. A knock, or a cable that has gone slack, and it jumps off. We refit it or replace it.
• Worn rollers make a door loud and rough. They are a cheap part that makes a big difference.
• Opener faults. Often it’s a sensor, a setting or a worn part, not a dead motor.
• Lost, broken or just tired. We replace them or re-code them.

Backed into one panel?

It happens. If one panel on a sectional door is dented, we can often swap that panel on its own. No new door needed. The catch is matching, which is the next section.

When repair stops making sense

Here’s where we’ll be straight with you the other way.

• You keep calling us back. Repeat call-outs on the same door add up. At some point you’re paying for a new door in instalments, without getting one.
• The door has been knocked out of line. A solid hit can bend the tracks, damage the rollers and strain the cables all at once. Fixing one part on a door that’s out of line just moves the problem somewhere else.
• The panels can’t be matched. On older doors, the profile or colour may not be made anymore. A new panel will stick out. You can live with a patchwork door, but most people don’t want to.

Our tip: keep a note of every call-out. If it’s the third one this year, ask us for both prices. We’ll give you the repair cost and the replacement cost side by side, and you can decide.

What moves the price of a new door

$1,900 to $10,000 is a wide range. That’s because every door is made to fit your opening. These are the things that move the price.

• Single or double, standard or oversized.
• Sectional, tilt or roller door.
• Insulated panels cost more up front. They keep the garage warmer through a Canterbury frost and cooler in a muggy Auckland summer.
• Smooth colours, woodgrain texture, or a timber look with Timbertec. Textured finishes are available on sectional doors only.
• Adding a motor and safety beams.
• Custom colour. Want a powder coat colour outside the standard range? That adds around $529 to $1,035 incl GST.

The middle options most people don’t know about

You don’t always have to choose between a quick fix and a whole new door. There is room in the middle.

• Insulate the door you have. If your sectional door is sound but the garage is an icebox every winter, we can retrofit insulation to it. Single $495 incl, double $695 incl. Fits standard sectional doors. Larger doors cost an extra $150 incl.
• New opener, same door. Motor on its way out, door still fine? A Sprint Pro opener with safety beams is $960.50 incl GST, fitted to your existing door.
• Phone control. Want to open the door from your phone? Safety beams need to be fitted first. Beams on their own are $161 incl GST. Must have our Sprint SD100 Pro or STD100 Standard with a smart dongle.

How long does it take?

• Repairs: most are sorted within days.
• New doors: every door is made to measure for your opening, so allow 4 to 8 weeks from measure to install.

It’s spring now, so if you’re after a new door before the end of the year, now is the time to get measured.

Quick answers

How do I know if my garage door needs repair or replacement?

If the door is structurally sound and the problem is a part (spring, cable, roller, opener or remote), repair it. If it keeps breaking down, has been knocked out of line, or has damaged panels that can’t be matched, it’s time to look at a new door.

How much does garage door repair cost in Christchurch?

A garage door service starts from $166.50 incl GST in Christchurch, fuel included. Any parts are quoted on top. In Auckland, servicing starts from $201.50 incl GST.

Can I replace just one garage door panel?

Often, yes. On a sectional door, one damaged panel can usually be swapped on its own, as long as a matching panel is still available.

How much is a new garage door in NZ?

A new garage door, supplied and installed by Kinetic Access, usually costs between $1,900 and $10,000. Size, door type, insulation, finish and automation all affect the price.

Can I insulate my existing garage door?

Yes. Kinetic Access retrofits insulation to standard sectional garage doors in Christchurch and Auckland, so you don’t need a new door to get a warmer garage.

Get a straight answer

We’d rather fix your door than sell you one you don’t need. And if it’s time for a new one, we’ll tell you that too, with the numbers to back it up.

• Door playing up? Book a service from $166.50 in Christchurch or $201.50 in Auckland. We’ll tell you what is wrong and whether it’s worth fixing.
• Thinking about a new door? Book a free site measure anywhere in Christchurch or Auckland. We’ll measure up, talk through your options and give you a firm price.

Call us or book online at kineticaccess.co.nz