Garage Door FAQ — Straight Answers for GTA Homeowners

These are the questions we actually get asked on the phone, answered plainly. If yours isn't here, call 647-323-1826 — we answer 24/7.

How much does a new garage door cost?

There is no honest single number, and anyone who gives you one over the phone is guessing. The price depends on the size of the opening, whether it is a single or double door, the material and insulation level, the window and hardware options, and whether the existing track, springs and opener can be reused or need replacing.

What we can do is give you a real number quickly. Send us a photo of the door from the outside and one from the inside — the inside shot shows us the tracks, springs and opener, which is where most of the cost difference actually lives.

What do you need from me to quote a job?

Two photos and your address. One of the door from the outside, one from inside the garage with the door closed so we can see the tracks, the springs above the opening, and the opener.

You can text both to 647-323-1826. That is usually enough to price the job without anyone coming out first.

My garage door won't open. What should I check first?

Before calling anyone, check three things. Is the opener getting power — has the plug been knocked out or the breaker tripped? Is the door locked, or has the manual release cord been pulled? And look at the springs above the opening: if one has a visible gap in the coil, it has snapped.

If a spring is broken, do not try to force the door open. Stop there and call us.

How do I know if it's a broken spring?

The clearest sign is a gap of a couple of inches in the middle of a coil that used to be continuous. Often people hear a loud bang from the garage — that is the spring letting go.

The other tell is weight. A balanced door should feel light enough to lift by hand once the opener is disconnected. If it feels like it weighs as much as it looks, the springs are not doing their job.

Garage door springs are under extreme tension and are the one part of the door that genuinely injures people. This is not a DIY repair.

How long does a new garage door take to install?

Most standard residential replacements are done in a single visit. Doors with more complicated framing, a change of size, or a new opener take longer.

We will tell you what to expect for your specific door when we quote it, rather than after we arrive.

Can you replace just one panel instead of the whole door?

Sometimes. It depends on whether the panel is still manufactured in a matching profile and colour, and on how old the door is. On a newer door from a current series it is often possible. On an older door, matching panels can be discontinued, and a patched door that does not match can look worse than the dent did.

Send us a photo and we will tell you honestly which situation you are in.

Should I get an insulated door?

If the garage is attached to the house, shares a wall with a heated room, or you use it as a workshop or gym, insulation is worth it. It also makes the door noticeably quieter and stiffer, which matters on a wide double door.

If it is a detached garage you only store things in, the extra spend is harder to justify.

How long should a garage door last?

The door itself will usually outlast the parts that move it. Springs, rollers, cables and openers wear out on a cycle count, not a calendar, so a door on a house where it opens eight times a day ages far faster than one that opens twice.

Keeping the rollers and hinges lubricated and getting the balance checked is what stretches the life of everything else.

Do you answer after hours?

Yes. We are open 24/7. A garage door that will not close is a security problem, not something that waits for Monday morning.

What areas do you serve?

Richmond Hill, Vaughan, Markham, Toronto, Aurora, Newmarket, York Region, Durham Region and the surrounding Ontario area.

Do you do front doors as well as garage doors?

Yes. Alongside garage doors and openers we install front doors, patio doors and windows.

What warranty comes with the doors?

Our doors are made in Canada and carry a lifetime warranty. Built for Canadian winters is not a slogan here — a door that seals properly in February is a different product from one that does not.

Still stuck?

Modern Empire Doors has served the GTA since 2018 out of 138 Yorkland St, Richmond Hill. Call or text 647-323-1826 any time — send the two photos and we will get you a real number.

• Call or text: 647-323-1826

• Open 24/7, including weekends

• Garage doors, openers, front doors, patio doors and windows