A Minnesota man got a quote for an $800–$850 garage door opener installation in his town. Then he checked in-store and realized that there were Genie and Chamberlain openers available for $200.
The TikTok account for Minnesota Value Motors, an “affordable, no pressure” family car dealer, posted a video discussing a recent quote they received from “garage door guys.” The quote was $800, which was baffling for the TikToker, especially considering the fact that most car door openers are significantly cheaper to purchase at a home improvement store. The TikToker’s video ended up reaching a wide audience, with the post receiving 91,000 views as of this writing.
The TikToker asked, “ Can someone tell me why garage door guys quote me [$800], $850 bucks for a garage door opener? … Now, I get it, quality, but you’re telling me that they’re two and a half times better than these things?”
Commenters quickly sought to answer that question.
What Are the Labor Costs for Garage Door Services?
While a number of commenters justified the price, very few provided real math to prove that a garage door opening installation should cost around $800–$850.
One commenter, though, gave a rough price estimate. They said, “$300 + 10% markup + 2-3 hours of labor at $150 – $200 an hour.” Based on that TikToker’s account, a garage technician’s services should cost anywhere from around $600 to $900, right around the estimates Minnesota Value Motors received. That also matches at least some estimates of flat fees for installation, especially for complicated installations.
Home Depot quotes installation costs at $138. The home improvement store estimated that the actual garage door opener can cost anywhere from $159 to $499, which makes the higher-end estimate of the combined total around $637.
Other garage door companies estimated that the average job costs $50 to $100 an hour, not $150 to $200. On average, technicians make $24.10 across the United States. While many businesses can and do charge around five to eight times more than their labor costs, these specific technician services charge less, even in expensive states.
It’s worth clarifying that the TikToker who owns Minnesota Value Motors said that a garage door technician quoted him $800 to $850 and implied it was purely for the opener without considering labor costs. Eight hundred dollars for just the part would likely be a significant upcharge. Purchasing a $300 garage door opener for $800, for instance, would be around a 167% increase in price. It’s not uncommon, though, for technicians to charge premiums for professional-grade products that they have access to.
What’s the Difference Between a Professional Garage Door Opener and One From the Store?
Minnesota Value Motors’ TikTok owner wondered in his video whether or not there was a difference between regular garage door openers and professionally installed ones. Luckily, a few professionals shared that there was.
A viewer claimed they professionally install garage door openers and said, “Garage door guy here. The only difference with the stuff you find in the store and the stuff most garage door guys sell is the rail. The rail that comes in the box is a piece together and the ‘professional grade’ has a solid rail. the labor can vary but the residential market in Minnesota is so competitive that most companies only make $150 off the install.”
Most boxed, DIY installations do include a rail, but they apparently vary depending on whether or not a person is purchasing a residential or commercially available product.
Should You Opt For DIY Installation or Pay a Technician?
A few commenters had problems with Minnesota Value Motors’ central, implicit argument—buying a service from a technician may not be worth it because of the upcharges. For one, many people were fine with paying a premium for garage door technicians and parts.
Most commenters thought that the TikToker’s $800 to $850 price estimate included installation costs, which made the job seem significantly more reasonable. “Installation costs, my friend,” one viewer said. “If you have the tools and knowledge, do it yourself. If not, that will be $800, parts and labor.”
Minnesota Value Motors argued with a few viewers, saying that up-charging for parts isn’t necessarily fair. “Upcharging parts is crazy … charge for labor not for a part you need to do the job,” the TikToker said.
Additional context and information about the specific garage size, labor requirements, and the technician’s expertise and preferred brands may illuminate exactly why they’d charge $800 for a garage opener. It’s clear, though, that there’s a line between people who are and are not willing to spend that price on garage door installations.
AllHipHop reached out to Minnesota Value Motors via phone message and email, but they did not immediately respond. We’ll let you know if we receive more information.
@mnvaluemotors ♬ original sound – Minnesota Value Motors