Prices and costs
How much does it cost to automate a garage door?
Automating an existing manual garage door in the UK, retrofitting an operator onto a single retractable-gear or sectional door, typically costs £400–£650 inc. VAT. It is not usually viable on canopy-gear up-and-over doors, where springs sit only on the head of the frame. A new electric door instead starts around £1,500.
When retrofit makes sense vs a new door
Retrofit automation only makes financial sense when the existing door and frame are in good condition and use retractable gear or a sectional track. If the door is a canopy-gear up-and-over, worn, or an awkward fit, replacing it with a new electric door from around £1,500 is usually more reliable than forcing an operator onto unsuitable gear.
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Manual-to-electric retrofit (single door) | £400–£650 |
Inc. VAT and fitting. Assumes a sound existing retractable-gear or sectional door on a suitable frame.
Questions people ask
- Why can't canopy-gear doors be automated cheaply?
- UK canopy gear mounts its springs only on the head of the frame, which gives poor, uneven leverage for an operator to push against, so canopy-gear up-and-over doors are generally poor candidates for retrofit automation compared with retractable-gear doors.
- Does automation retrofit include a safety inspection?
- A proper UK retrofit installation to BS EN 12453 includes fitting and testing force limitation and safety photocells as part of the £400–£650 job, since a power-operated door must meet this standard once automated.
- Is it cheaper to automate or buy a new electric door?
- Automating a sound existing retractable-gear or sectional door at £400–£650 is usually cheaper than a new electric door from £1,500, but only if the existing door, frame and track are in good working condition.
UK standards and regulations referenced
- BS EN 12453:2017+A1:2021
Related
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