Short answer: We measure your opening, headroom and side room, go over styles and insulation options with you, and give you a written quote. On install day we remove the old door and hardware, install the new door with new springs, cables and track, balance it, and connect it to a California-compliant opener. The old door gets hauled away.
When it's time for a new door
- Two or more sections are dented, cracked or rotted
- Your door model is discontinued, so replacement panels don't exist
- It's a one-piece tilt-up or heavy old wood door that's hard to keep safe
- You're spending money on repairs every year
- The garage is a gym, office or workshop, and it's freezing in winter and an oven in summer
- You're getting ready to sell. A garage door is one of the best-returning exterior updates you can make.
If only one panel is damaged and the model is still made, look at panel replacement first. It's usually the cheaper fix.
Door styles we install
Traditional raised panel. Classic, affordable steel. It fits most ranch homes and tract neighborhoods from Fremont to Concord.
Carriage house. Looks like old swing-out barn doors but opens like a normal overhead door. Popular on Craftsman and Tudor homes in Berkeley, Oakland's Rockridge and the older parts of San Mateo.
Wood-look steel. A steel door with a realistic woodgrain finish. You get the warm look without the sanding and re-staining that real wood needs, especially in coastal fog.
Modern flush and full-view glass. Smooth flush panels or aluminum frames with frosted or tinted glass. Very common on new builds and remodels in Palo Alto, Los Altos and around the city.
Real wood. Still the right choice on some historic homes. It's beautiful, but it's heavy and needs regular upkeep. We'll be straight with you about the maintenance.
Insulation: does it matter in the Bay Area?
It depends on where you live and how you use the garage.
| Construction | Typical insulation | Good fit for |
|---|---|---|
| Single-layer steel | None | Detached garages and mild coastal areas, on a budget |
| Steel with polystyrene | Moderate (roughly R-6 to R-9) | Most attached garages |
| Steel with polyurethane | High (roughly R-12 to R-18) | Garage gyms or offices, bedrooms over the garage, hot inland areas |
In Walnut Creek, Pleasanton, Livermore or San Jose, where summer afternoons get hot, an insulated door makes a noticeable difference. In the Sunset, insulation helps more with noise and keeping the damp out. Insulated doors are also stiffer and quieter, wherever you live.
Measuring matters more than people think
Before we quote a door, we measure:
- Width and height of the finished opening. Common sizes are 8, 9, 16 and 18 feet wide by 7 or 8 feet tall.
- Headroom, the space above the opening. Standard torsion hardware needs about a foot. Low-headroom hardware can work with much less.
- Side room on each side, for the track and springs
- Backroom, how deep the garage is, for the track and opener
Eichlers and older SF garages are where these measurements matter most. Order a standard door for an Eichler without checking headroom and it simply won't fit. We spec low-headroom track and wall-mount openers where they're needed.
What installation day looks like
- Protect the floor and driveway, then remove the old door, springs and track
- Check the jambs and header. If the wood is rotted, we'll show you before going further.
- Install the new sections, track, springs and cables
- Balance the door and install new weatherstripping and bottom seal
- Connect the opener (it must have a battery backup under California law), then set limits and test the safety reverse
- Haul away the old door and clean up
Permits, HOAs and lead times
Some Bay Area cities want a permit when the opening itself changes, or for certain work on historic homes. Most straight swaps don't need one, but we'll check with your city. If you're in an HOA, get your door style and color approved before ordering. Lead times depend on the manufacturer and the door you choose, so we'll give you a delivery estimate when we place the order.
Brands we install
Clopay, Amarr, Wayne Dalton, C.H.I., Raynor and Martin, among others. Ask about specific collections and we'll bring samples and brochures to the estimate.
New garage door questions
How long does it take to install a new garage door?
A standard single or double door is usually installed in one day. Custom doors, low-headroom setups or jamb repairs can add time, and we'll tell you upfront.
Can you match my neighbors' doors or my HOA's style?
Usually, yes. Send us a photo or the HOA guidelines and we'll find a door that matches or meets the requirements.
Do I need a new opener with a new door?
Only if your current opener doesn't have a battery backup. California law doesn't allow connecting a new door to one that doesn't. Openers installed after mid-2019 typically comply.
Is a steel or wood garage door better for the Bay Area?
For most homes, insulated steel is the practical choice. It's lighter, cheaper to maintain, and handles fog and sun well. Wood-look steel gets you the appearance of wood without the upkeep. Real wood makes sense on some historic or high-end homes if you're fine maintaining it.
