How to Price Garage Door Jobs: Guide for Contractors [2025]

1. Choose Your Pricing Structure

Before creating your estimate, deciding how you want to charge for your new garage door jobs is critical. 

Flat rate and time-and-materials (T&M) pricing are the two most common models. Each has its strengths and weaknesses, depending on what your customers expect and how predictable your jobs usually are.

Let’s break down these pricing models. 

Flat rate pricing

Flat rate pricing is the most straightforward pricing model. 

Basically, you charge a fixed price for your garage door services, regardless of how long the job takes or what minor inconvenience comes up during the project. It’s commonly used for jobs where the scope is clearly defined, such as routine garage door repairs or installations. 

Its biggest benefit is that it offers predictability and professionalism. Clients know exactly what they’re paying for, so they’re not surprised when they see the final invoice. 

There’s also no need to track every hour or material used. 

Solutions like ServiceTitan’s Dynamic Pricing let contractors adjust flat-rate pricing automatically based on factors like after-hours work, add-ons, or discounts. 

This adds flexibility to your garage door company without sacrificing clarity, and you stay profitable while maintaining a consistent customer experience. 

Time and materials pricing

T&M pricing is a structure where you charge customers based on the time spent on the project and the cost of materials used. 

This model is extremely flexible, allowing you to price jobs where unforeseen issues may arise and the scope of the job increases. For example, you can discover damaged tracks during what is supposed to be a basic garage door opener replacement. 

T&M is a good fit for complex or custom jobs where offering an accurate estimate upfront is difficult. While a standard professional installation is better suited for flat-rate pricing, a full double door installation that needs structural adjustments may warrant T&M. 

The only downside is that it leads to customer uncertainty, especially if the total cost exceeds expectations. In this case, transparent communication and itemized estimates reduce potential friction and disputes. 

Ultimately, choosing the correct pricing structure depends on the size of your business and the services you offer. 

Now, let’s look at the average costs for professional garage door services. 

2. Understand Your Operating Costs

Another factor that influences the pricing of garage door jobs is operating costs. These include both fixed and variable expenses like insurance, admin staff, office rent, vehicle maintenance, fuel, tools, licensing, and software. 

Here’s what you should keep in mind about operating costs: 

Factor in overhead and business expenses

It’s essential to factor overhead and business expenses into the overall cost of a garage door job. While they’re often overlooked, accounting for training programs, insurance, and business software costs is essential to staying profitable. 

Identify all relevant costs associated with each job, then calculate the per-job share of these expenses. Start by totaling your monthly overhead costs, then divide that number by the average number of jobs you complete in a month. 

Let’s say you run a small garage door service company with the following monthly outlay:  

• Office rent: $1,500

• Admin staff salary: $3,000

• Software subscriptions: $250

• Training and certification: $200

The total overhead is $4,950. Divide that by the 60 jobs your team completes per month and you’re left with the sum of $82.50. That amount should be factored into your garage door job pricing to cover your overhead. 

Monitor your profitability regularly

Track how each job performs financially and set clear margin targets, such as aiming for a 30% to 50% gross margin. Regularly monitoring jobs gives you a clearer picture of where you’re making money (and what doesn’t work) and ensures your business stays on track and grows sustainably. 

This is where tools like ServiceTitan’s Job Costing Reporting come in handy. It provides businesses with real-time insights into the profitability of each job by tracking all associated costs, including materials, overhead, and labor. 

Constantly reviewing these reports will help you adjust pricing accordingly and spot which jobs are more profitable, especially if costs evolve over time (e.g., material costs increase). 

Up next: understanding the scope of a job. 

3. Understand the Scope of the Job

Every job is different. 

A standard torsion spring replacement is simpler and takes less time than a complete door replacement with a framing rebuild, which is significantly more complex. 

In addition, jobs don’t always go as expected. 

For instance, you send technicians to a homeowner for regular garage door maintenance, but after assessing the job site, they realize it’s more than that. Or what was supposed to be a basic opener installation turns out to be more complex, as the technicians need to navigate outdated wiring and remove an old garage door. This requires more time and more expensive garage door materials than were first estimated. 

Understanding the scope of the job helps to ensure you price services accurately. Failing to account for weather conditions or the type of garage door can cut your margin and lead to customer frustration, especially if the final cost is higher than predicted. 

ServiceTitan’s Estimates functionality allows technicians to build clear, multi-option (good-better-best) quotes on-site in minutes, directly on their mobile devices, based on the job’s scope and requirements. 

This improves pricing accuracy, increases close rates, and builds trust by giving clients transparent options that align with their budget and needs. It’s also easier for them to choose the right solution on the spot. 

4. Understand What Materials Are Needed

Material costs depend significantly on the type of work being performed. 

For instance, a standard chain-drive opener that offers essential functionality like opening and closing a single door is more budget-friendly. However, premium belt-drive openers with keypads cost $400–$700. 

In short, knowing what’s required for each job is essential to pricing accurately. Generally, the most common materials a contractor needs are springs, rollers, tracks, openers, and mounting hardware.

A word of advice: always account for fluctuating material costs and potential supply chain delays. You can do so with ServiceTitan’s Inventory Management tool. 

It helps contractors avoid these headaches by tracking warehouse inventory levels in real time and automating purchase orders when materials run low, so your trucks are properly stocked for every job. 

As a result, you can quote jobs with greater precision by having a clear view of what’s in stock and what each part costs, thereby reducing material shortages and avoiding costly delays.

5. Define Your Labor Costs

Understanding your labor costs is another critical thing to know when pricing new garage door costs. 

Set your loaded labor rate

The loaded labor rate is the actual hourly cost of employing a technician for a garage door job, which includes more than just their base wage. 

You need to factor in additional expenses, such as: 

• Payroll taxes

• Workers’ compensation insurance

• Health benefits

• Paid time off

• Ongoing training and certifications

• Uniforms, tools, and vehicles 

For example, let’s say a technician earns $30/hour. Once you add all these indirect costs, the loaded rate may be around $45–$50 per hour. This is the number you should use when estimating garage door installation costs, not just the base wage. 

Underestimating labor costs can affect your bottom line, so determine an accurate rate with ServiceTitan’s Labor Rate Calculator. 

By knowing your bottom line and how much an employee costs the business, you can better streamline operations and maximize profitability. 

Estimate hours realistically

Instead of playing the guessing game about how long a job should take, set realistic time projections using historical data and past job logs. This way, you understand how long it actually takes, especially for common projects like opener installs or full door roll-ups. 

Be sure to include all time spent on the job, including: 

• Travel time to and from the site

• Setup and breakdown

• Loading materials and tools

• Paperwork and customer walk-throughs

• Potential callback and follow-up visits

For instance, a car garage door installation usually takes around two to six hours, but your team averages a total of eight hours due to travel, setup, and potential unforeseen bottlenecks. 

A tool like ServiceTitan Job Costing Reporting makes tracking and refining these estimates easier. With accurate forecasting, businesses can better quote garage door jobs with healthier margins and fewer surprises. 

6. Research Competitor Prices

To estimate garage jobs accurately, check what your rivals do and how they price their services. This means going through online listings and customer reviews or requesting quotes directly from them. 

The key thing to keep in mind is that companies don’t all provide the same level of service or warranty coverage. Sometimes, a lower price reflects limited experience, fewer included services, or minimal post-installation support. 

A word of advice: don’t set prices too low just to compete. If you do, you may come across as cheap, which hurts your margins and attracts purely short-term clients. 

Instead, set a pricing range that aligns with the value you provide, whether that’s certified technicians, premium products, or faster turnaround. It’s better to compete on quality, reliability, and long-term value than to become the cheapest option in your area. 

ServiceTitan’s Pricebook Pro gives contractors the tools they need to price competitively while protecting their profit margins. It helps businesses benchmark their services against the local market and set price ranges that reflect their company’s value. 

But it goes beyond numbers. Pricebook Pro also helps you professionally present your services by adding built-in descriptions, images, and upgrade options that clearly communicate the value of your work. This transparency not only enhances customer trust but also increases close rates and upsells. 

Next, let’s see what factors affect garage door costs. 

What Factors Affect Garage Door Costs & Pricing?

Estimating garage door replacement costs or working on insulated garage doors depends on several variables that can change from job to job. 

Understanding these variables will help businesses create more accurate, dynamic pricing strategies that reflect the true scope of the job. 

Here are the most common cost factors:

• Type and brand of garage door or opener: It’s all about the premium brands and specialty materials used in the door, such as faux wood, glass, etc. For example, steel garage doors are significantly more cost-effective than wood garage doors with fiberglass overlays, which come at a higher cost. A glass garage door is more expensive than both, especially if the client opts for tempered or tinted options. 

• Garage door size: A two-car garage door will typically cost more in labor, time, and materials than a standard single door, as it requires changing the structure to fit the new door. 

• Insulation and customization: Additional features like high R-value garage door insulation, windows, or custom finishes increase both material and installation costs. 

• Geographic region: The service area should be considered when estimating quotes. For urban areas, you might need permits to park your vehicle. Or you’ll pay more for fuel to travel from point A to B. 

• After-hours and emergency services: Adjust pricing to cover calls outside standard business hours or holidays in case of an emergency. 

• Membership plans and warranties: If you’re offering discounts to clients enrolled in service plans, ensure you include that in the total service cost, as it can affect your standard pricing. 

One last thing we want to discuss is tips and tricks for creating accurate garage door estimates.

How Can You Create Accurate Garage Door Estimates?

The secret to creating accurate estimates is using reliable data. Every quote should reflect real-time costs. This means you should work from up-to-date labor rates, material prices, and overhead expenses that help you build estimates that protect your profit margins. 

One idea is to use standardized templates to ensure consistency on all jobs. This ensures every customer receives easy-to-understand and transparent quotes, whether installing carriage house garage doors or sectional doors. 

Or, if you want to be clearer and more professional, then good-better-best options help clients understand what’s included at each level, making them feel more confident in their purchasing decision. As a result, you increase both trust and average ticket prices. 

The Estimates tool from ServiceTitan is ideal for creating multi-option proposals on-site using real-time cost data and your company’s pricing rules. 

The tool ensures every estimate is accurate, transparent, and aligned with your business model, helping you win more jobs while maintaining profitability. 

Over to You!

Say goodbye to guesswork and hello to a world of efficiency, accuracy, and profit. With the tips and tricks in this guide, you’re ready to price garage door jobs accurately. 

After considering all the factors mentioned in this article, such as material costs, door type, travel time, or the home’s value, you’re better prepared for unexpected hiccups and ensure every estimate is accurate and dynamic. 

ServiceTitan is an all-in-one software solution built for home service businesses. It helps contractors improve job profitability, accurately calculate labor rates, and deliver a great overall customer experience.