Get Quotes from Top Garage Door Contractors in Seattle, WA

Are You Licensed to Practice as a Garage Door Repair Contractor in Seattle?

Chapter 18.27 of the Revised Code of Washington makes it mandatory for all building and construction-related professionals who operate in Seattle to register with the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) before offering their services to interested parties in the city. Violations of this registration law are considered gross misdemeanor offenses, and garage door repair contractors found guilty of this can face criminal and civil penalties of up to $5,000, jail time of up to 12 months, or a combination of both.

Garage door repair contractors that wish to register with the L&I may do so as either General Contractors or Specialty Contractors:

• General Contractors: individuals that register under this contractor classification are authorized to perform most types of construction work and can also hire subcontractors in multiple specialties
• Specialty Contractors: individuals who register under this option are only authorized to work in their specialty. The L&I currently regulates 63 specialties that require registration, and these include an overhead/garage door category for contractors that install and repair garage doors

Registrants will be required to provide the following documentation to complete the registration process with the L&I:

• Proof of business registration with the Washington State Department of Revenue
• A completed Application for Contractor Registration Form
• Proof of surety bonding and general liability insurance
• A stipulated registration fee

These documents can be submitted in person at the L&I's Seattle Office located at:

Appointments can be scheduled with this office online or by calling (206) 515-2800, and it is advisable to do this before visiting the office to avoid long wait times. Alternatively, the required registration documents can be submitted to L&I via mail-in to:

Note that the completed application form must be notarized before being mailed to the department with the rest of the documents. Also, depending on the scope of work that the garage door repair contractor intends to perform, they may require separate licensing as electrical contractors with the L&I. Additional information on the registration process for garage door repair contractors that wish to operate in Seattle can be gotten by contacting the L&I via email. Inquiries can also be directed to this office via toll-free number 1-800-647-0982 or by calling (360) 902-5226 and selecting option two.

You can also confirm that your intended garage door repair contractor has been registered by the L&I and is, therefore, legally qualified to perform your required garage door work by using the department's Verify a Contractor platform.

How Much Do You Charge Compared to Other Garage Door Repair Contractors in the City?

Several factors affect the cost of garage door repair and maintenance in Seattle, such as:

• The nature of the damage to the garage door
• The severity of the damage to the garage door
• The size of the garage door
• The garage door material
• The style and design of the garage door
• The cost of components that require replacing
• The urgency of the job
• Labor and service charges
• Your location within the city
• Overhead door finishes
• The garage door contractor's experience and local reputation

You should always get and compare estimates from at least three garage door contractors when searching for garage door services in the city instead of just hiring the first contractor that you come across. Doing this gives you a fair assessment of the actual cost of your project and is also helpful in avoiding home improvement scams. Note that you should give each garage door repair contractor similar parameters for your required services when asking them to come up with estimates for the job. Also, never automatically hire the contractor with the lowest rates, and consider it a red flag if these rates are significantly and inexplicably lower than the others.

Garage door repair contractors in Seattle earn an annual average wage of $47,700. The list below compares the hourly average wages of these contractors with those of garage door repair contractors in other major Washington State cities as well as other locations across the country:

What Kind of Garage Door Services Do You Offer?

Garage door repair contractors in Seattle offer several kinds of garage services to interested residents of the city, and these services can be grouped into the following categories:

• New garage door installation and garage door replacement: these services involve installing new garage doors in residential buildings and commercial properties. The key difference between new garage door installations and replacements is that new installations are usually done in newly constructed buildings and remodeled buildings that did not previously have a garage. On the other hand, garage door replacements involve removing old or faulty garage doors and replacing them with newer, and usually better, models. Garage door installation and replacement costs can range from $250 - $4,000, with factors like the type, size, style, and design of the door and the labor intensity of the job affecting these costs. Some residents of the city try to cut down on these costs by reusing old components of their garage doors for replacements. However, you should always get the go-ahead from a professional garage door repair contractor before doing this.
• Garage door repairs: these types of services are intended to fix damages to garage doors, replace broken or faulty components of these doors, and ultimately ensure that they function smoothly and effectively. Note that in some cases, depending on the nature and scope of the problem, repairs may not be a viable option, and a full garage door replacement may be needed instead. Some common problems that professional garage door repair men in Seattle fix include:
  • Broken garage door springs
  • Faulty garage door tracks
  • Snapped/faulty garage door cables
  • Broken/faulty garage door rollers and hinges
  • Damaged garage door frames and panels
  • Unbalanced/misaligned garage doors
  • Stuck garage doors
  • Noisy garage doors
• Garage door maintenance: maintenance services are typically required to prevent unexpected garage door breakdowns due to normal wear and tear and also to keep these doors functioning correctly. Interested residents of Seattle who sign up for these types of services usually have the option of scheduling the frequency of their garage door maintenance around their individual needs. Note that while the specific nature and scope of maintenance services offered by garage door repair contractors in the city may vary, they usually include the following:
  • Garage door inspections and tune-ups
  • Spring balance assessments
  • Auto-reverse function testing
  • Safety sensor assessment and alignment
  • Hardware tightening
  • Moving parts lubrication
  • Garage door alignment balancing and adjusting
  • Garage door opener assessments
  • Garage door weatherstripping
  • Bottom seal and threshold seal assessments
  • Motor rail inspections and motor setting adjustments

Even though professional garage door repair contractors are generally equipped to offer one or more of the aforementioned services, you should always confirm your intended contractor's area of specialization and make sure that it aligns with your specific needs before hiring them. If you fail to do this, you run the risk of receiving subpar service and subsequently spending time and money seeking a more capable garage door repair contractor.

Cost estimates for garage door services that are frequently requested by Seattle residents are shown below. Note that the actual cost of these services will vary depending on your location within the city, the precise services you need, and your preferred contractor's level of experience and local reputation:

Estimates for garage door installation based on type (materials only):

Estimates for garage door installation based on configuration (materials only):

Estimates for garage door installation based on size (materials only):

Estimates for garage door installation based on door material (materials only):

Estimates for garage door installation based on style (materials only):

Estimates for garage door opener installation based on type (unit only):

Estimates for garage door screen installation based on type (materials only):

Estimates for garage door installation and replacement labor (per hour):

Estimates for garage door repair based on door material:

Estimates for garage door repair or replacement based on faulty components:

Estimates for garage door repair based on type of problem:

Will You Get the Garage Door Installation Permits as Required per the Seattle Building Code?

Permits are typically required for construction and home improvement-related projects in Seattle, including garage door installations and repairs. However, permit exemptions may be made for miscellaneous work like limited in-kind repairs and replacements to deteriorated parts of a structure and minor repairs and alterations done within six months that do not cost more than $6,000. Note that these repairs and alterations must not reduce the building's egress, light, ventilation, or fire resistance, nor must they affect its envelope and load-bearing supports. Also, these permit exemptions do not extend to buildings located in environmentally critical areas.

Permits for construction and home-improvement projects in Seattle are issued by the city's Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI), and they can be obtained by submitting applications to the department online via the Seattle Services Portal. Note that the creation of a user account on this portal is required for this step. Applicants will also have to take the following steps before being issued permits by this department:

• Determine all applicable construction, zoning, and land use restrictions and requirements for the project via a GIS map and other property information resources provided by the department for this purpose.
• Prepare and submit all necessary site plans and relevant documentation.

Once the permit application and all relevant documentation have been submitted, reviewed, and approved by the SCDI, applicants must pay a stipulated fee and print the approved permits and plans for their projects. Note that all construction and home improvement projects in Seattle are subject to inspection by authorized officials of the SCDI to ensure that the work being done complies with the city's construction codes. This is regardless of whether or not a permit was issued for the project.

Additional information on the Seattle permit issuance process and requirements can be gotten by contacting the SDCI at:

Inquiries on this subject can also be directed to the SDCI's Applicant Service Center at (206) 684-8850 or online.

What Brands of Garage Doors Do You Work With?

Several manufacturers construct garage doors that are used in Seattle homes and properties, and it is always a good idea to utilize brands and models constructed by tried and trusted manufacturers for your garage door installations and replacements in the city. Some of these brands are:

These garage doors are typically constructed with materials like steel, wood, composite wood, aluminum, glass, fiberglass, and vinyl, and they are usually available in a range of styles, designs, and operating mechanisms, such as:

• Sectional garage doors
• Paneled garage doors
• Roller garage doors
• Tilt-up/Up-and-over canopy garage doors
• Tilt-up/Up-and-over retractable garage doors
• Side-sliding garage doors
• Side-hinged garage doors
• Carriage house double garage doors
• French-style garage doors
• Full-view garage doors

Note that you may need to purchase a garage door opener separately when installing new garage doors in your home or property. These openers are usually sold separately because they have different lifespans from garage doors. However, they are also customizable and come in four major types, namely:

• Screw drive openers
• Chain drive openers
• Belt drive openers
• Jackshaft openers

Examples of top garage door opener brands favored by residents of Seattle for their homes and properties are:

Finding out the brands of garage doors and garage door openers that a garage door contractor normally works with and making sure that these brands fit your unique needs is a good way to assess their suitability for your project. Note that you should also consider the following features when deciding on the particular brand, type, design, and style of garage door to use for these projects:

• Safety
• Security
• Cost
• Durability
• Ease of maintenance
• Ease of operation
• Aesthetic appeal
• Availability of replacement parts
• Insulation/energy-efficiency
• Motor strength

A benefit of retaining the services of experienced garage door contractors for your garage door projects is that they expertly assess your unique living situation and factor in the aforementioned features before making recommendations on the best garage door brands for the job.

Do You Carry the Necessary Insurance Policy for Garage Door Repair Contractors in Seattle?

Per state requirements, building and construction-related professionals in Seattle who register with the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries must comply with the following financial obligations:

• They must carry general liability insurance with minimum coverage of $200,000 for public liability and $50,000 for property damage or a combined single limit of $250,000
• They must maintain a surety bond of $12,000 for individuals who register as General Contractors and $6,000 for those who register as Specialty Contractors.

It is of utmost importance that you hire garage door repair contractors who are properly insured and bonded to handle your garage door projects, regardless of the scope of the work to be done. This insurance and bonding covers the costs of any property damages and on-the-job injuries that may occur during your project and also insulates you from any legal liabilities that may arise due to these events. Considering that approximately 460 on-the-job injuries were recorded amongst garage door repair contractors in 2020 alone, hiring an uninsured contractor is a risk that is not worth taking.

Therefore, always request proof of compliance with the state's mandatory insurance and bond requirements from your intended garage door repair contractor and authenticate this proof with the relevant organizations before they commence any work on your property. You can also reach out to the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries at (360) 902-5226 or toll-free number 1-800-647-0982 for additional information on these mandatory bond and insurance requirements.