Well, I awoke this morning to discover that one of the torsion springs on my garage door had given up the ghost sometime during the night, and as much as I fancy myself to be a "do-it-myselfer", this is one repair I don't think I want to attempt. Has anybody else had to have one of these replaced? Would should I expect to to be a fair and reasonable charge for this?
Good luck on that. I don't know how much they cost to have replaced/repaired. However, I do recall co-workers once stating that there are insurance/legal issues involved in trying to repair one yourself.... too much energy stored in one of those to attempt on your own.
Legal issues aside, I read up on doing it myself and it's not something I am even remotely interested in taking a stab at.
Does anybody have an opinion on this? I need to start calling some places, and I have no idea what a good price is for this service.
I don't know what it costs because I've never had to replace one (yet). However, when I'm in this kind of situation, here's what I do: Call at least three places that can fix it and tell them I'm comparing prices for the repair. I ask them when they could be there, how much it will cost and how long it will take. Three guesses is usually enough for me to figure out where the median price is. Along the way, sometimes I'll find someone that I resonate with or that just feels right. About half the time, I'll find someone with a much lower or higher price than the other two I've called - then I call a couple more. The end result is, you're gonna pay whatever it takes to get it fixed. Let the repair guys represent themselves to you and see how you feel. Oh, and stay away from anyone that tries to give you a hard sell ("what's it gonna take to get you to walk off this lot with a garage door spring TODAY???") :happy102 Cheers, Tom
Thanks Tom. I actually already did what you suggested, and $165 to replace both springs seems to be the going rate, and fortunately, they are available to do the work today. It wasn't easy, but I was able to resist the guy pushing the anti-corrosion clear coat for an additional $50.
That price seems reasonable. I've actually done these myself, but it is work that deserves an eye for safety.
Sounds like a good deal, Rick. Makes sense they'd have to be replaced in pairs. Are you serious about the clear coat? Now, that's funny...
I actually went through this myself a couple years ago. There are two types of garage door springs: single and double. Mine is double so I replaced them both. Cost me around 200 bucks if memory serves so 165 sounds right. As an aside and just to really rain on my parade, about 10 months after having them replaced the whole darn garage door split and broke. Replacing the whole assembly of course included new springs. Cost me another grand +. I may as well have done it all the first time. :angry032 Frickin' Murphy's Law!
Wow, am I ever in the wrong line of business! It only took this guy about 10-15 minutes to replace the springs! He spent more time explaining the technical aspects of spring diameter and lifting power per inch than doing actual work! :happy102 However, what he told me, and I read this on the internet also, is that I could do it myself, but the retail cost for one spring is about $65-$70 dollars -- which means I would only save about $25-$35. Not worth it for the potential disaster that could occur when unwinding the old spring and rewinding the new.
My garage door had two springs, one on either side of the door. They were easy to replace when you had the door positioned so there was no tension on them (I just can't hemember if that was when the door was up or down).
If it's in the up position, then how would you reach anything with the door in the way? Either way, you still have to wind the new springs into place, and that's when problems could occur. So you did your own? What did you pay for the springs, if you don't mind me asking?
I don't recall what I paid. It was years ago. The springs just hooked and unhooked when the tension was off them. They attached off to the sides by the guide rails, so the door was never in the way of the springs.
Okay, that's a different door type that uses extension springs which are easier to install. Mine is a roll up sectional with torsion springs. A completely different animal.
Yep, I wouldn't try to take that off OR wind up a new one. Good way to loose a limb... Glad is all worked out okay, Rick. Just hope it doesn't start a spring AD.
My step brother does that kinda of work. He hired a friend to help him and he did not listen to the safety rules. ended up getting killed when a pipe wrench he was using for something swung around and hit him in the head. Danny says never try to do it with out right tools. Just my late 2 cents.
