Garage Door Spring Replacement Cost in 2026
Updated August 11, 2026 · 7 min read · Researched in-house by GarageDoorProHQ
Part of our guide to Garage Door Repair Cost in 2026.
Replacing one torsion spring costs $180–$350 installed in 2026; the pair costs $250–$550. Extension springs are cheaper at $120–$300 a pair. High-cycle springs add $40–$80 to a pair and last two to three times as long. The spring is a $40–$90 part — most of the bill is skilled, hazardous labour.
| Job | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Extension springs, pair | $120 – $300 |
| Torsion spring, one | $180 – $350 |
| Torsion spring, pair | $250 – $550 |
| High-cycle torsion pair (25,000 cycle) | $300 – $630 |
| Torsion pair, double-width door | $350 – $600 |
| Spring pair plus cables and rollers | $380 – $800 |
Torsion or extension: which springs you have
Look above the door. A single steel bar running horizontally above the opening, with one or two springs wound around it, is a torsion system — that is what most doors fitted in the last thirty years use. Long springs running parallel to the horizontal tracks on each side, stretching as the door closes, are extension springs, common on older and lighter single doors.
Torsion springs cost more to replace but last longer, balance the door better and fail less dramatically. Extension springs run $120–$300 for the pair. If yours are extension springs without safety cables threaded through them, ask for those to be added — they cost very little and they stop a snapping spring becoming a projectile.
- Torsion springs on a shaft above the opening
- Extension springs alongside the horizontal tracks
- Safety cable threaded through the spring — ask for these if yours lack them
Why the pair costs barely more than one
The labour and the call-out are the bulk of the invoice, and both are already paid for once the technician is on the ladder. The second spring is mostly the part cost, which is why one spring at $180–$350 becomes a pair at $250–$550 rather than double.
The reason to do it is not the discount, it is the cycle count. Both springs were fitted on the same day and have done the same number of openings, so when one goes the other is typically within months of the same fate. Replacing one means booking the same job twice inside a year and paying the call-out twice.
Cycle rating is the number that actually matters
Springs are rated in cycles — one full open and close. A standard spring is rated at 10,000 cycles, which on a door opened four times a day works out at roughly seven years. Open it eight times a day and the same spring is a three-and-a-half year part.
High-cycle springs rated 25,000 cycles or more use thicker wire on a larger diameter and add roughly $40–$80 to a fitted pair. On any door that gets heavy daily use, that is the best-value upgrade in this trade: two to three times the life for well under a third more money. Ask for the rating in writing, because a 10,000 and a 25,000-cycle spring are not distinguishable to a homeowner once they are up.
What else should be replaced at the same time
Lift cables wear in step with springs and cost $130–$250 as a pair on their own. Doing them alongside the springs, while the door is already being balanced, is normally cheaper than the two jobs separately — bundled with rollers it runs $380–$800.
A good technician will also check the door is balanced before leaving: disconnected from the opener, a correctly sprung door should stay put when stopped halfway. If it slams down or shoots up, the spring tension is wrong, and that transfers the load onto the opener you are next going to be paying to replace.
Signs a spring is about to go
A visible gap of two or three inches in one of the springs above the door means it has already snapped — that is the single unambiguous sign. Before that point, look for a door that lifts unevenly or sags on one side, feels much heavier by hand than it used to, opens jerkily, or makes the opener strain and stall partway.
A door that will not lift at all, or lifts a few inches and stops, is the classic broken-spring presentation. Do not keep pressing the opener button: with the springs gone, the opener is trying to lift the door’s full weight alone, and that is how a $250 spring job becomes a $250 spring job plus a $500 opener.
Terms used on this page
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to replace a garage door spring?
One torsion spring costs $180–$350 fitted in 2026, and the pair costs $250–$550. Extension springs are cheaper at $120–$300 for the pair. A double-width door sits at the top of those ranges.
How long do garage door springs last?
A standard 10,000-cycle spring lasts about seven to ten years at four openings a day, or nearer three to five at eight a day. High-cycle springs rated 25,000 cycles last two to three times as long for $40–$80 more on a fitted pair.
Can I replace a garage door spring myself?
You should not. A wound torsion spring stores enough energy to cause serious injury or death if released incorrectly, and the winding bars have to be handled in a specific sequence. The saving is roughly $100–$250 of labour against that risk.
How do I know if my garage door spring is broken?
A two to three inch gap in the coil above the door means it has snapped. Before that, look for a door that feels much heavier than usual, lifts unevenly or sags on one side, or an opener that strains and stalls partway up.
Do I need to replace both garage door springs?
It is strongly advised. Both springs have completed the same number of cycles, so the second is usually close behind the first. The pair costs $250–$550 against $180–$350 for one, and it avoids a second call-out fee within the year.
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Figures are national 2026 estimates researched in-house and are not quotes. Local labour rates, door size and access all move the price. GarageDoorProHQ does not endorse, recommend, certify or guarantee any contractor — see our editorial guidelines.