Garage Door Repair in Santa Monica, CA
Springs, cables, openers and new doors for Santa Monica houses, condos and apartment garages, from Ocean Park to Montana Avenue. Tell us what the door does and we book the soonest visit.
- Spring and cable repair
- Opener repair and installation
- Shared and apartment garage doors
- New garage doors
Garage door repair in Santa Monica from Emil Garage Doors covers broken springs, snapped cables, worn rollers, openers, remotes and sensors, plus new door installation. We serve Santa Monica from Ocean Park in the south to Montana Avenue in the north, and from the bluffs above the beach to the Santa Monica Airport. Searching for garage door repair near me in Santa Monica, ZIP 90401 to 90405? Call (213) 340-4232 and we book the soonest visit. See also garage door repair near me.
What customers say
Real reviews from our Google listing, copied as the customers wrote them.
"Our garage door broke this morning, which was less than ideal. We were certain that it would cost a fortune to get it repaired on a Sunday, assuming it could even happen, but we knew we had to try. I called several companies and only two returned my call. One said that while they could send someone out, it would cost considerably more than if we could wait until Monday. While I appreciated the honesty, again, I wanted it fixed today. The other was Emil Garage Doors. When I had called they said they would call back. I did get a call back from Emil, less than an hour later. Anyway, on to the service. He let me know that it would cost the same to come today or tomorrow, it didn't matter. WOW and WOW again! He said that he could head here in about an hour. Additionally, when I asked him the cost of the various things it could be, what he quoted me were prices that were what the other place wanted to charge me after the service call fee and the hiked up hourly rate for the Sunday call! Upon arrival, he looked at the door, told us a few things that he noticed, and in no way did he ever try to "up-sell" us something we didn't need. He told us our opener was what they use, and top of the line. He replaced the gear drive (maybe that's the name:)) and upgraded our rollers (that was a suggestion, but, one we totally understood and he in no way said we "needed" to). I think he was in and out in 45 minutes at most and our garage door is quieter than before by a TON (thank you rollers) and, more importantly, it works and nobody had to miss work on Monday to make it happen. Thank you so much...I can't recommend your company enough. "Pamela · Google review
Emil is delightful, knowledgeable, professional, and capable. He promised to make the process easy and he did. From our first contact Thursday mid-day through completion of the project Saturday at Noon, everything was 100% perfect, and we are extremely happy. We are amazed when we look outside and see our beautiful new door, so soon after searching on google. Emil and his company deserve 100 stars but we are limited to only 5Dawn · Google review
It went very well, with the job being completed in three days. We waited few months for the supply chain to kick in ( Covid related delays ) and finally deliver the products. It was so worth the wait. Great installers, Emil and his team are professional and friendly, too, and patient in answering questions.Rachel · Google review
We interviewed several popular companies and we found that their quality, price, and level of professionalism is unmatched!Cory · Google review
Great tech. Responsive and really cared for our garage door. It’s very rare these days that someone care that much ! Thank you 😊Angela · Google review
Great. Arrived early in the morning with a team of 3 people. They worked steady and finished as it. got. Overall they did everything in a professional manner.Dj · Google review
5-Star Rated on Google · Read all our reviews on Google · All customer reviews
A city of apartments, condos and shared garages, with bungalows between them
According to the Census Bureau's 2020-2024 estimates, the median home in Santa Monica was built in 1968. Only about 28 percent of occupied homes are owner-occupied, about 19 percent of all homes are detached single-family houses, and about two thirds are in buildings of five or more units. That makes Santa Monica unlike most cities we serve: a large share of its garage doors sit in apartment and condo buildings, shared garages and small multi-unit lots, not on private houses.
The single-family streets vary a lot by neighborhood. Wikipedia describes Craftsman and Victorian houses in Ocean Park, small California bungalows and 1960s four- and five-unit buildings in Midtown, mostly one-story houses from the 1940s in Sunset Park, and larger houses on bigger lots north of Montana Avenue. A door on a 1940s bungalow and a door on a 1960s apartment garage wear out in different ways.
If the door belongs to a building, tell us whether you are the owner, a tenant or the manager when you call, and who can approve the work. We check the whole door either way, because a worn cable or roller often sits next to the part that failed.
- Shared and multi-unit garage doors
- Older bungalow doors in Ocean Park and Sunset Park
- Opener replacement with battery backup
Garage doors we service in and near Santa Monica
Home styles from the neighborhood and the communities next door. Click a photo to enlarge.
What your garage door is telling you in Santa Monica
A starting point. We confirm the cause on site.
| The door does this | Common cause | What we do |
|---|---|---|
| The door is heavy and will not stay up | A spring has lost tension or broken | Replace the springs as a set and rebalance the door |
| The door jumped off its track | A bent track or a broken roller | Straighten or replace the track, replace rollers, reset the door |
| The opener runs but nothing moves | A stripped gear, broken spring or a disconnected door | Test the opener, repair or replace the failed part |
| The door closes crooked | A stretched or slipped cable | Replace the cable and level the door |
| The remote works only close to the door | A weak battery, receiver or antenna | Replace the battery and test the receiver |
Do not run a door that is crooked or heavy.
What Santa Monica weather does to a garage door
Santa Monica has a coastal Mediterranean climate. Wikipedia reports that morning fog is common from May into early August, the rainy season runs from roughly late October to late March, and rainfall averages about 12 inches a year. Normals for the Santa Monica Pier station show mean daily highs of only about 66 to 70 degrees from June through October. Inland parts of the city run warmer, but we did not verify inland figures. Fog and ocean air can keep tracks and hinges damp, so dust and old grease cake onto them.
Wind and fire reach Santa Monica too. Wikipedia says Santa Ana winds are most common in winter and, from September to November, sometimes blow hot, smoggy air toward the beaches. During the January 2025 Palisades Fire the city ordered evacuations above San Vicente Boulevard on January 7 and warned residents north of Montana Avenue, and it lifted the evacuation warning on January 18. When the power or the neighborhood is disrupted, a manual release and a working battery backup decide whether you can get the car out.
Every few months, wipe the tracks with a dry cloth, oil the rollers and hinges lightly and check that the two sensors near the floor still face each other.
- Wipe tracks and hinges clean of damp grit
- Test the battery backup twice a year
- Check the sensors after windy weather
Santa Monica areas we serve
Areas are described using Wikipedia's Santa Monica neighborhood list. Call if yours is not listed.
| Part of Santa Monica | What is there | What we often see on garage doors |
|---|---|---|
| Ocean Park, in the south | Early 20th-century Craftsman and Victorian houses, apartments, mid-century complexes and newer high-end homes | Older house doors beside apartment garages |
| Midtown (ZIP 90404) | Small California bungalows and 1960s four- and five-unit buildings | Small garages and shared multi-unit doors |
| Sunset Park, next to the airport | Mostly one-story houses built in the 1940s, many of them remodeled | Older doors on remodeled houses |
| North of Montana Avenue | Larger single-family homes on lots of about 7,500 square feet | Doors on larger houses |
Midtown uses ZIP 90404. Santa Monica street ZIP codes run from 90401 to 90405.
Services in this city
Broken spring?
We replace torsion and extension springs as a set and rebalance the door.
Learn moreDoor off track or crooked?
Track, roller and cable repair, with the door leveled and tested.
Learn moreOpener not working?
Repair or replace chain, belt and wall-mount openers, with battery backup.
Learn moreDoor won't open or close?
General garage door repair for the failed part and what wore with it.
Learn moreTime for a new door?
Steel, glass, wood-look and carriage-house doors, installed.
Learn moreGate stuck?
Swing and sliding gate repair, operators and keypads.
Learn morePrices in Santa Monica
| Service | Price | What affects it |
|---|---|---|
| 12-point safety inspection | $89 | Springs, cables, rollers, tracks, sensors and opener checked |
| Torsion spring pair, standard two-car door (10,000 cycle) | $250 to $450 | Door weight and size |
| Heavy-duty torsion springs (25,000+ cycle, heavy, wood or oversized doors) | $350 to $900 | Door weight, spring wire size and cycle rating |
| Lift cable replacement, pair | $175 to $350 | Door weight and cable length |
| Belt-drive opener with battery backup, installed | $550 to $900 | Horsepower, smart features, door size |
| Wall-mount (jackshaft) opener, installed | $900 to $1,400 | Door size, headroom and wiring |
| Insulated steel garage door, 16x7, installed | $1,800 to $3,600 | Short or long panel, windows and color |
| Full-view aluminum and glass door, 16x7, installed | $4,500 to $9,000 | Glass type and frame color |
Prices reviewed November 2026. Final price is confirmed after we see the problem.
Battery backup, permits and design rules in Santa Monica
Battery backup. California Health and Safety Code section 19892 says residential garage door openers sold or installed in the state need a battery backup, and a replacement garage door cannot be connected to an older residential opener that lacks one. See opener installation.
HOAs and style rules. If you live in a planned community or a historic overlay, check style and color rules before you choose a new door. See new garage doors for styles.
City permits. Santa Monica is its own city, so permit questions go to the City of Santa Monica, not to Los Angeles. Its Permit Services Center is at 1685 Main Street (south entrance, off Olympic Drive), open Monday to Thursday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. by appointment, and applications are uploaded to the city's Electronic Plan Review System before a visit (see the city's page). The city's general line is 311. A Building and Safety number, (310) 458-8355, appears only on third-party permit sites, so confirm it first. We could not confirm whether a garage door replacement needs a permit; ask the city before you order.
Historic districts and fire zones. The Santa Monica Lookout reported that the City Council designated five historic districts between 2015 and 2019, including the 11th Street Bungalow district and the Fourth Street Corner district. Patch reported in March 2025 that more Santa Monica properties, mostly in the northern part of the city, fall in the very high fire hazard zones under new CAL FIRE maps. We could not confirm whether either affects exterior garage door changes, so check your address with the city before you choose a new door.
How we repair a garage door
Describe the problem
Tell us the neighborhood, what you hear and what the door does.
Inspect before we quote
We look over the springs, cables, track, rollers and opener.
Price before work
You get the price and your options before we begin.
Balance and safety test
We balance the door and test the safety reverse before we leave.
Also serving near Santa Monica
Santa Monica sits on Santa Monica Bay and is surrounded on its land sides by the City of Los Angeles, with Pacific Palisades to the north, Venice to the south and West Los Angeles and Brentwood to the east. The cities and neighborhoods below are our closest pages.
Santa Monica garage door repair: questions we hear
Is there garage door repair near me in Santa Monica?
Yes. Emil Garage Doors repairs garage doors in Santa Monica (ZIP 90401 to 90405) and the neighborhoods next door. Call (213) 340-4232, tell us your street or neighborhood and what the door does, and we book the soonest visit. See garage door repair near me.
What is the average price to repair a garage door in Santa Monica?
Typical prices: a 12-point safety inspection is $89, a torsion spring pair for a standard two-car door is $250 to $450 (heavy-duty springs $350 to $900), a cable pair is $175 to $350, and a belt-drive opener installed with battery backup is $550 to $900. The final price is confirmed after we see the door.
What is the most common garage door repair in Santa Monica?
Broken torsion springs are among the most common garage door repairs, because springs wear out after a set number of open-and-close cycles. Cables, rollers, safety sensors and off-track doors follow. See garage door spring repair.
How much is a service call for a garage door?
Our 12-point safety inspection is $89. It covers the springs, cables, rollers, tracks, sensors and opener, and we explain what we find before any repair starts.
Is it cheaper to repair or replace a garage door?
A repair is usually cheaper when the door itself is sound and only a spring, cable, roller or sensor failed. Replacement makes sense when panels are bent or rotted, the door is very old or the opening needs a different size. We tell you which one fits before we start.
Which ZIP codes do you serve in Santa Monica?
Santa Monica street addresses use ZIP codes 90401, 90402, 90403, 90404 and 90405. ZIP 90402 also includes Santa Monica Canyon, which Wikipedia places outside the city limits, and 90406 to 90411 are PO box codes. Call us if you are not sure we reach your address.
Does a garage door replacement in Santa Monica need a permit?
We could not confirm a garage-door-specific permit rule for Santa Monica. Ask the city's Permit Services Center whether your door or opener work needs a permit before you order.
Who approves garage door work in a Santa Monica apartment or condo building?
According to the Census Bureau, about two thirds of Santa Monica homes are in buildings of five or more units, so the garage door is often shared. Ask your owner, manager or HOA who can approve the work, then give us the building address, what the door does and who to contact when you call.
Can a handyman fix a garage door?
A handyman can often handle a simple job such as a sensor or a roller. Springs and cables are under high tension and need a trained technician, so call us for those.
Does California require a battery backup on a garage door opener?
Yes. California Health and Safety Code section 19892 says residential openers sold or installed in the state need a battery backup, and a replacement garage door cannot be connected to an older residential opener that lacks one.
Do you also repair gates in Santa Monica?
Yes. See gate repair and electric gate repair.
Garage door acting up in Santa Monica?
Call now or send your details. We book the soonest visit for your neighborhood.