New Garage Door Installation in the GTA: What the Day Looks Like

Most new garage door installations in the GTA are done in a single visit. The crew removes the old door, springs and tracks, installs the new door, sets the springs to its weight, connects the opener, tests everything and takes the old door away. Below is what happens before that day, during it, and after it, so nothing surprises you.

Before anything is ordered: the measurements that matter

A garage door is not bought by width and height alone. Before a door is ordered we measure five things: the width and height of the opening, the headroom between the top of the opening and the ceiling, the side room on each side for the tracks and springs, and the backroom from the opening to the back wall. Headroom decides which spring and track system fits. A low ceiling, a beam or a duct in the wrong place can all change the hardware, which is why a proper measurement comes before a final quote.

If you want a rough idea first, text us one photo of the door from outside and one from inside the garage showing the springs and ceiling. That tells us most of what we need.

Choosing the door

The choices that make the biggest difference day to day are insulation, construction and looks. An insulated door is quieter, stiffer and keeps an attached garage noticeably warmer in January. We compare the options in insulated vs uninsulated garage doors. Beyond that you are choosing a panel style, a colour, and whether you want windows in the top section. Matching the style and colour to your front door and trim does more for the front of a house than almost any other single change.

Once you have chosen, the door is ordered to size. Lead time depends on the manufacturer, the model and the season, and you get a date when the order is placed.

Do you need a permit?

Replacing a garage door with a new one of the same size is a like-for-like replacement and usually does not need a building permit. Making the opening wider or taller is different: that changes the header, which is structural, and it normally needs a permit and sometimes an engineer. If you live in a townhouse or condo complex, check with the condominium corporation before ordering, because many have rules on style and colour.

Getting the garage ready

• Park the cars outside the night before.

• Clear about three feet of floor space inside the door, and move anything stored along the walls where the tracks run.

• Take down anything hanging from the ceiling near the opener.

• Make sure there is a working outlet near the opener, and that someone can let the crew in if you will not be home.

The install day, step by step

The crew protects the driveway and garage floor, then disconnects the opener. The old springs are under heavy tension, so they are unwound with proper winding bars before anything else is touched. That is the most dangerous part of the job and the main reason this is not a DIY project.

The old door comes down section by section, followed by the tracks and spring hardware. With the opening bare, we check the wood jambs and header. On older GTA homes the bottom of the jambs is often soft from years of water and road salt, and this is the time to deal with it, not after the new door is hung on them.

The new door goes in from the bottom up. The bottom section goes in first with its new floor seal, then each section is stacked and hinged, and the tracks are fitted and fastened. Then the spring system goes up: the shaft, drums, cables and torsion springs, matched to the weight of this door.

Balancing and testing

A door is only right when it is balanced. With the opener disconnected, a balanced door lifted by hand to halfway should stay there, without falling or rising. The springs are adjusted until it does. A badly balanced door strains the opener and wears out cables and rollers early.

Then the opener is reconnected, the travel limits and force are set, and the safety reversal is tested with an object on the floor under the door. The sensors are aligned, the remotes and keypad are programmed, and the perimeter weatherstripping goes on so the door seals against the frame.

How long it takes

A standard single or double door replacement is normally finished the same day. Jamb repairs, a new opener, or a larger custom door can add time, and we tell you that when we quote, so you know whether to plan for a full day.

Can it be done in winter?

Yes. Garage doors are installed all year in Ontario. The opening is only fully open for part of the visit, and the crew works in an order that keeps that time short. Cold weather does affect seals and lubricants, so the final adjustments are made for the conditions on the day.

After the install

Before the crew leaves, you are shown how to use the manual release, how the remotes and keypad work, and what the warranty covers. The old door and hardware leave with us. From there, the door needs very little: a look over and a light lubrication of the moving parts once or twice a year, as set out in our garage door maintenance checklist. If you are still deciding whether your current door needs replacing at all, read repair or replace your garage door first.

Book a measurement

Modern Empire Doors has installed and repaired garage doors across the GTA since 2018, from our base at 138 Yorkland St in Richmond Hill. We are 4.9 stars on Google, and we answer the phone 24/7. Call or text 647-323-1826, send a photo of your door from inside and outside, and we will tell you what fits your opening.