The Short Answer
Replacing a broken garage door spring typically runs $150 to $350 for a single torsion spring, parts and labor included, and $250 to $450 if both springs are replaced at once (which is usually the right call, even if only one snapped). Extension spring jobs can sometimes come in lower, closer to $100 to $200 per pair, but heavier doors or high-cycle springs push either type toward the top of these ranges. These are national ranges, not a quote — your actual price depends on the specifics below.
What Actually Drives the Price Up or Down
Spring Type: Torsion vs. Extension
Torsion springs sit on a shaft above the door and are the standard on most garage doors installed in the last few decades. Extension springs stretch along the horizontal tracks and are more common on older setups. Torsion systems are generally safer and last longer, but they also require more specialized tools and knowledge to replace correctly, which can show up in labor cost.
Door Size and Weight
A single-car door is lighter and needs less spring tension than a double-wide door, and heavier materials (insulated steel, solid wood) need stronger springs to lift them. If your garage holds a heavier, older wood-paneled door, expect to land toward the higher end of the range.
One Spring or Two
If your door has two torsion springs and one breaks, the other is usually close behind — they wear out on roughly the same schedule. Replacing both at the same visit costs more up front but saves a second service call (and a second trip fee) a few months later.
Spring Quality and Cycle Rating
Springs are rated by cycle life — how many times they can open and close before wearing out. Standard springs are often rated around 10,000 cycles; high-cycle springs can run 20,000 to 25,000+. Upgrading costs more per spring but means fewer replacements over the life of the door, especially useful if the door gets heavy daily use.
Condition of Cables, Drums, and Hardware
A snapped spring often reveals wear elsewhere — frayed cables, worn drums, or rusted mounting hardware. Humid summers followed by icy winters are rough on exposed metal hardware, and homes with older garage door systems are more likely to need these extras replaced alongside the spring. A fair quote will flag this before the work starts, not after.
Timing and Access
Emergency or same-day service, especially after-hours or during a cold snap when metal springs are more prone to snapping, can carry a premium over a scheduled daytime appointment.
What a Proper Quote Should Include
- The spring type and cycle rating being installed
- Whether one or both springs are being replaced, and why
- Inspection notes on cables, drums, and safety cables
- Any hardware replacement needed, itemized separately
- Labor cost and whether a trip or service fee applies
- A warranty on both parts and labor, in writing
If a quote is just one lump number with no breakdown, ask for the detail. You want to know what you're paying for before a technician starts pulling the old spring off the shaft.
When to Call Middletown Garage & Gate
If your door won't open, makes a loud bang followed by silence, or the spring is visibly separated, that's a job for our Spring Replacement service — we'll inspect both springs, the cables, and drums before quoting so there are no surprises mid-job. If your door is still working but you've noticed slow response, extra noise, or it's been several years since anything was checked, our Preventive Maintenance visits catch spring wear, hardware rust, and cable fraying before they turn into a weekend breakdown — which matters here given how hard our humid summers and icy winters are on exposed metal.
Give Middletown Garage & Gate a call for an honest, itemized quote on spring replacement in Middletown, DE and the surrounding area. We'll tell you exactly what your door needs and what it doesn't.