Hailstorm dimpled the top section. Someone backed into the bottom panel. A spring failure cracked the strut and rippled the middle. Most of the time we can swap a single section instead of replacing the whole door, which keeps the cost down and the timeline short. We pull color and style matches from Clopay, Wayne Dalton, Amarr, and Haas, the four brands that cover roughly 90 percent of Madison-area doors. Stock turnaround is usually 5 to 10 business days.
Panel & Section Replacement pricing: Single-panel replacements usually land between $320 and $620 installed for standard insulated steel. The double-bottom section on a 16-foot door, which is the most commonly damaged piece, runs $480 to $880 depending on style and gauge. Color-match and exact-style sourcing can push higher on premium lines. We quote firm numbers after we see the door.
First visit is measurement and matching. We pull the model number off the door (usually on a label inside the top section or on the back of one of the panels), photograph the existing color and surface texture, and check the panel style, raised, recessed, flush, or carriage. From there we order through the regional distributor, where 80 percent of the common Madison-area styles are in stock. Wait time is usually 5 to 10 business days, sometimes longer for the Amarr Designer Choice line or for legacy colors. When the panel arrives we schedule the install, which takes 90 minutes to three hours depending on whether it's the bottom section (more involved because of the cable drums) or an interior section. We re-balance the door at the end and run it through five cycles to confirm everything moves cleanly.
Yes, in most cases. Sectional garage doors are built in horizontal panels (usually four or five per door), and each panel can be unbolted from the hinges above and below it and swapped out independently. Single panel replacement runs $320 to $620 depending on whether it's a top section, middle section, or a bottom section with the weather seal. The bottom is the most common and usually the cheapest of the three. We do the swap on site in about two hours and the door is back in service the same day.
Rule of thumb: if one or two panels are damaged but the tracks, springs, and opener are fine, fix it. If three or more panels are damaged, or if the impact bent the vertical tracks or twisted the torsion shaft, a new door is often the better call. A 16-foot double bottom panel replacement runs $480 to $880. A full new 16-foot insulated steel door installed runs $1,400 to $2,400. We do a no-charge assessment on impact damage and tell you honestly which way the math works out.
Often yes, depending on cause. Hail damage is usually covered under your homeowner's comp policy. Backed-into-the-door damage falls under your auto comp or collision. A falling branch or storm debris is homeowner's. Normal wear and rust-through is not covered. Check your deductible first; a single panel at $320 to $620 may sit below your deductible, in which case paying out of pocket is cheaper than filing. We write itemized invoices with cause-of-damage notes that adjusters accept, and we can email documentation directly to them.
Single panel swap runs about 90 minutes to two hours on site. We unbolt the hinges above and below the damaged section, lower the door in stages to get the bad panel out, lift the new panel in, re-bolt the hinges, and cycle the door 10 to 15 times to confirm everything is aligned and the seal seats properly. Double bottom panel on a 16-footer takes two to three hours because the section is heavier and needs two people to maneuver. Same-day completion if we have the panel on the truck or in our Madison-area warehouse.
Factory-fresh panels are color-perfect when they arrive, but your existing door has years of UV exposure that's shifted the color slightly. The new panel will look right but a careful eye will spot it for the first six to twelve months until it weathers in. Bottom panels weather the slowest because they're shaded. Top panels show the difference the most because they get the most sun. We never recommend UV-aging sprays; they don't match and they void the panel warranty. If exact match matters more than cost, a full door is the only way to guarantee it.
Happens often, especially with doors more than 12 years old. We have three options. First, we check our warehouse and our Milwaukee distributor for new-old-stock matching the discontinued line, which works maybe 40 percent of the time. Second, we look at current panels from the same manufacturer that closely match the embossing pattern and color; not perfect but often close enough. Third, if the door is past 15 years and panels are unavailable, full replacement at $1,400 to $2,400 for a 16-foot insulated steel becomes the practical answer. We walk through all three on site.
