Garage Door Replacement in the Rio Grande Valley

When a door is badly damaged, keeps breaking or is simply worn out, a new garage door can cost less in the long run than another round of repairs. A local garage door pro can measure the opening, explain your options and give you a price.

When to replace instead of repair

• Several panels are dented, cracked or rusted through, or replacement panels aren't made anymore.
• The door needs repairs again and again.
• More than one major part is failing at the same time.
• The door is warped and won't seal or run straight.
• You want a door made to handle stronger wind, for hurricane season or for your insurance.

If it's just a spring, a cable or the opener, a repair usually makes more sense. See repair or replace.

A new door in Cameron County: the windstorm rules

Brownsville, Harlingen and the rest of Cameron County are inside the Texas windstorm area served by the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA). Here's what that means for a new garage door:

• TWIA coverage needs a certificate. To be insured by TWIA, improvements to a home in this area need a windstorm Certificate of Compliance from the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI), and garage doors are on the list of items that count.
• Replacing a garage door isn't on TDI's list of repairs that skip the inspection. TDI says most new construction, roof replacements and major repairs must be inspected before you can get TWIA coverage.
• Garage doors are tested for wind, and TDI publishes a list of products evaluated for the program.

If you have TWIA coverage, or may want it, talk to your insurance agent and the provider before the door is installed, and ask how the windstorm inspection will be handled. Questions about a specific job can go to TDI's windstorm program at 800-248-6032. More in garage doors and hurricanes in Cameron County.

Your provider can also tell you if your city needs a permit for the job.

Choosing a new door

Ask the provider about:

• Size. Single-car doors are usually 8 to 12 feet wide; a two-car opening can take one wide door or two single doors.
• Material and insulation. Ask about steel, wood and other options, and whether an insulated door makes sense for your garage in the Valley's heat.
• Wind rating. Ask whether the door is one TDI has evaluated, and what that means for your inspection.
• The opener. Ask if your current opener will work with the new door, or if a new one is included.
• Removal of the old door. Make sure it's in the quote.

What happens on a replacement job

1. The measure. The provider measures the opening and checks the framing, the opener and the power.
2. The quote. You get a written price for the door, installation, removal of the old door and any opener work.
3. The install. The old door comes out and the new door, tracks and springs go in.
4. The test. The door is balanced, the opener is set up and the safety reverse is checked.

How much does a new garage door cost?

Prices range widely. National cost surveys put an installed door for a one-car garage (8 to 12 feet wide) at about $500 to $2,500, and a single door for a two-car garage (12 to 18 feet) at about $800 to $4,000. Custom and specialty doors can cost much more. Removing the old door and a new opener may be extra. The provider will confirm the price before any work.

Before you hire

• Get at least three written estimates. That's the Texas Department of Insurance's advice for garage door work.
• Ask for proof of insurance, and check it.
• Ask about the windstorm inspection if you're in TWIA's area.
• Be careful with door-to-door sellers, especially after a storm.
• Get the warranty in writing for the door, the springs and the installation.

New garage doors across the Valley

Local providers serve homes in:

• Brownsville, Olmito and Rancho Viejo
• Harlingen, San Benito and Combes

Garage door replacement FAQ

Is it cheaper to repair or replace a garage door?

Repair is usually cheaper. Replacement wins when the door is badly damaged, needs repairs often or has several failing parts. See repair or replace.

How long does a garage door last?

Cost surveys say most garage doors last 15 to 30 years, and steel doors about 15 to 20. Use, care and the weather all play a part.

Do I need a windstorm-rated garage door in Brownsville or Harlingen?

If you want TWIA coverage, a new garage door is part of the windstorm inspection. Ask your agent and the provider before the job, or call TDI's windstorm program.

Thinking about a new garage door?

Call and talk to a local garage door pro.