Garage door opener in Ottawa: repair it, or put in a new one
Tell us what the opener does when you press the button, its brand and model, and how old it is. One independent Ottawa garage door company gets the service tag and calls you to price the work.
In short
- 01Opener repairs run $49–$299 on a Canada-wide HomeStars guide: sensor fixes $50–$75, remote problems $50–$100, motor work $100–$200.
- 02A new opener, unit and installation, runs $250–$600 on one HomeStars guide and $400–$900 on another; belt drives sit at the higher end and run quieter than chains.
- 03Openers made before 1993 lack the photo-eye sensors now required, HomeStars notes, and should be replaced whatever their power.
- 04A new motor wears out faster on a door that binds or sags. HomeStars advises getting the door itself serviced first.
Typical ranges
Source HomeStars, How Much Does Garage Door Repair Cost?, Canada-wide, updated 21.08.2026, seen 29.10.2026. HomeStars, Garage Door Opener Installation, updated 21.08.2026, seen 29.10.2026. HomeStars, Garage Door Installation Cost in Canada, updated 21.08.2026, seen 29.10.2026. HomeStars, Garage Door Replacement Cost in Canada, updated 21.08.2026, seen 29.10.2026. Contracts: Ontario, guide for home renovation businesses, seen 29.10.2026.
What to ask before you book
- Q1Is my opener worth repairing, and are parts still made for this model?
- Q2Which drive do you suggest for my garage: chain, belt or wall-mount, and why?
- Q3Can the opener you quote lift my door if it is insulated or a double?
- Q4Does the price include the safety sensors, the wall button, two remotes and taking away the old unit?
- Q5Will you test the auto-reverse and the force settings before you leave?
Before the visit
- The brand, model and a photo of the label on the motor unit
- What happens when you press the button: hums, clicks, starts and stops, reverses, nothing
- Whether the lights on the two sensors near the floor are on, and if either one blinks
- Ceiling height, and whether a room sits above the garage
- Where the nearest outlet is to the motor unit
- How many remotes and keypads you use, and if phone control is on your list
Describe what the opener does
The quickest diagnosis starts with one sentence about the button. “Light comes on, motor hums, door stays closed.” “Door closes to the floor, then goes back up.” “Wall button works, remotes stopped.” “Nothing at all, no light, no sound.”
Then add the brand and model from the label on the motor unit, and roughly how old it is. That tells the company whether parts are still made and whether a repair makes sense.
The door comes first
A HomeStars guide on openers makes a point worth repeating: a new opener does nothing for a door that binds, sags or will not stay open on its own. The motor just wears out faster carrying weight the springs should hold. So ask the company to look at the springs, cables, rollers and the door’s balance before it quotes a new opener. If a spring is broken, see garage door springs first.
Chain, belt or wall-mount
- Chain drive. Lowest price and the loudest. Noise matters less in a detached garage.
- Belt drive. A rubber or fibreglass belt in place of the chain. Quieter, slightly higher price, a good fit for an attached garage.
- Screw drive. A threaded steel rod moves the trolley. Fewer moving parts than a chain, moderate noise.
- Direct drive. Quiet and smooth, priced above chain and belt units.
- Wall-mount (jackshaft). Bolted beside the door, driving the torsion bar. Suits low or sloped ceilings.
Extras such as Wi-Fi control, battery backup for power outages, keypads and cameras add to the unit price. Most openers need an outlet near the motor unit. If there is none within reach, an electrician adds one, which a Canada-wide guide prices at $150–$400.
What the quote should list
The unit by brand and model, the drive type and power, the rail, two photo-eye sensors, the wall button, the number of remotes, any keypad or Wi-Fi module, removal of the old unit, labour and HST. Ask the installer to test the auto-reverse and the force settings in front of you. Ontario requires a written agreement for home repair work over $50.
Who you are dealing with
Ottawa Garage Door Desk is a request service. We pass your service tag to one independent local garage door company. That company calls you, prices the opener work and does it.
Questions
01The door goes down, then goes back up. What is wrong?
The photo-eye sensors near the floor stop the door when something blocks its path, and HomeStars notes that misaligned or damaged sensors can keep a door from working correctly. Say in the service tag if a sensor light blinks. A Canada-wide guide lists sensor repairs at $50–$75.
02The opener hums but the door stays put.
HomeStars lists worn gears among common motor problems, and a motor that runs while the door stays put among the signs of a failing opener. HomeStars also says an off-track or unbalanced door, or worn springs, should be sorted out before anyone touches the opener. Look up at the spring above the door before you press the button again. If you see a gap in it, unplug the opener and say so in the service tag.
03Repair or replace the opener?
HomeStars lists signs that point to a new opener: the motor runs and the door stays put, a burning smell, a logic board that loses its programming, or parts no longer made for the model. Units built before 1993 lack the photo-eye sensors now required and should be replaced.
04Which kind of opener suits my garage?
Chain drives cost least and are the loudest. Belt drives are quieter and a good fit for attached garages; chain noise matters most under or beside living space. A wall-mount (jackshaft) unit sits beside the door and turns the torsion bar directly, which helps with low or sloped ceilings and frees the ceiling for storage.
05Can I keep my opener when I replace the door?
Often. HomeStars says an opener under about ten years old, with the power the new door needs, can usually be remounted and its travel and force settings reset. Insulated doors weigh more, and an older half-horsepower unit may struggle with one. Ask the company to check it in the door quote.