Replacing one damaged section of a garage door in the Houston area usually costs $650 to $850, installed. Two sections run about $1,000 to $1,100. Three or more come to about $1,100 to $1,200, which is close to the price of a whole new door, so at that point we'll usually price both for you.
Each horizontal panel of a garage door is called a section, which is the word you'll see on an invoice. These are rounded ranges from our own invoices for section replacements over the past 12 months. We left out jobs where a complete new door went in. The prices cover the new section and the labor to install it.
Panel replacement prices by number of sections
| What we replace | Typical installed price |
|---|---|
| 1 section | $650 to $850 |
| 2 sections | $1,000 to $1,100 |
| 3 or more sections | $1,100 to $1,200 |
| Whole new door, for comparison | $1,000 to $1,900 |
The first section carries most of the cost of the visit. Each one after that adds less, which is why three sections don't cost three times as much as one.
The whole-door range comes from our garage door replacement cost guide. A single-car steel door sits at the low end of it and a two-car carriage-house door near the top.
What moves the price up or down
The number of sections matters most. After that:
- Insulated sections cost more than plain steel ones.
- A wide two-car door sometimes needs a reinforcement strut on the new section.
- If worn springs cracked the section, they need replacing too, or the new section will crack the same way. Our spring replacement cost guide has those prices.
- Sections for older or discontinued doors can be hard to find, and sometimes they can't be matched at all.
Replace the panel or the whole door?
Replace the sections when one or two are damaged and the rest of the door is straight and solid. That was the situation on a Sugar Land door with cracked bottom sections. The top two sections were fine, so Steve replaced the bottom two, along with the springs that had caused the damage.
Replace the whole door when three or more sections are damaged, when it's rusted through, or when it bent coming off its track. A broken spring damaged all four sections of a door in Cypress, and a new door made more sense than rebuilding that one.
Our invoices back this up. Three or four new sections cost only a few hundred dollars less than a complete two-car door, and the new door comes with new tracks, springs and hardware. Its warranty is better too: 1 year on parts and labor for a new door, against 1 year on parts and 90 days on labor for a repair.
Matching a new panel to your door
We need the door's maker and model to order the right section. Most of the sections we replace are C.H.I., and we work on Clopay and Amarr doors as well.
New sections come in the factory color, but they may not match your old ones exactly. Years of Texas sun fade the paint on the original panels, so a new section can look a little different. If that bothers you, the door can be painted after the repair. If you have an HOA, check whether it has rules about how the door looks before you decide.
Will insurance cover a damaged panel?
Sometimes. If a car hit the door, the driver's auto policy or your homeowners policy may pay, depending on who was driving and what your policy covers. Storm damage may be covered too. Your insurer is the only one who can tell you what your policy pays.
Look at your deductible first. If it's $1,000 and the repair is $700, a claim gets you nothing. We give you a written quote before any work starts, and you can send it to your insurer.
How a panel replacement goes
We look at the door, work out which sections need replacing and give you a written price. The section has to match your door, so it usually isn't a same-day job. Ours are normally finished within a few days of the first call. Once the section is in, the tech runs the door up and down several times and adjusts the balance before leaving.
If a section is cracked, dented or letting daylight through, call (713) 324-8950 or book online. If the door is borderline, we'll price the repair and a new door so you can compare. You can also see what else we fix on our garage door repair page.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to replace one garage door panel?
About $650 to $850 installed for one section on a standard steel door, based on our recent jobs in the Houston area.
Can you replace just the bottom panel?
Yes. The bottom section is the one we replace most often, and it can be swapped on its own as long as a matching section is still made.
Is it cheaper to replace a panel or the whole door?
For one or two sections, yes, by a lot. One section costs roughly half of a new two-car door. Once three or four sections are damaged, the difference drops to a few hundred dollars, and a new door is usually the better buy.
Will the new panel match my door?
It will be the same make and factory color. Original panels that have faded in the sun can look slightly different, and the door can be painted afterward for an exact match.
Does homeowners insurance cover a damaged garage door panel?
It depends on what caused the damage and on your policy. Compare the repair price with your deductible before you file a claim.
How long does garage door panel replacement take?
The section is ordered to match your door, so it usually takes a few days from the first visit. The install itself is done in one visit.
