Key facts in 20 seconds
- My 2026 price: $150–$350 for a standard single door, and double or heavy two-car doors run up to $200 more. That is for both springs on a two-spring door, wound and balanced.
- Spring special: code SPRINGS waives the service call and includes new cables with a spring replacement. Cables alone are $200–$300, so that matters.
- What moves the price: door weight and width, one spring or two, standard or high-cycle springs, rusted cables and bearings that should be done at the same time, and whether the company is honest about the total.
- The $89 phone quote is a service-call fee. The repair price is what matters, and it should be in writing on the driveway before anyone touches the door.
- Replace springs in pairs. The spring is cheap; the skill is sizing it to the real weight of the door and winding it safely. Opener problems instead? See opener repair and replacement cost.
The most common call I get between November and February is a loud bang in the garage followed by a door that will not lift. That is a broken torsion spring, and the first thing people ask is what it costs. Here is the straight answer for Minneapolis, St. Paul and the suburbs in 2026, what changes the number, and how to avoid the bill that is three times what you were quoted.
What a spring replacement costs in the Twin Cities (2026)
| Job | Typical installed price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Spring replacement, standard single door | $150–$350 | Both springs on a two-spring door, winding and balancing included. |
| Double or heavy two-car door | up to $200 more | 16-foot insulated doors need bigger springs; the real weight sets the size. |
| Extension springs (old single-stall doors) | same range | Always with safety cables. Often converted to torsion if headroom allows. |
| High-cycle springs (25,000 cycles) upgrade | modest add-on | Worth it for busy households and doors under bedrooms. |
| Cables | $200–$300 alone; FREE with springs (code SPRINGS) | Road salt rusts the bottom of the cables; that is why they snap. |
| Off-track door (springs or cables let go, door jammed) | from $450 | New cables included. Leave the door where it is; keep kids and cars clear. |
| Oversize or wood door (18 ft, 10 ft tall, custom) | quoted on site | Heavier springs, sometimes two pairs; needs the real door weight. |
Those are my prices, the same ones in the cost calculator and the full repair price list on this site. The exact number depends on your door, which is why I give it on the driveway, in writing, after I have looked at the door and before I start.
What changes the price
- Door weight and width. A 16-foot insulated steel door weighs 180–320 pounds and needs bigger springs than a 9-foot uninsulated one. Springs are sized by the real weight, not by what the builder’s sheet said; a wrong size is why so many doors never balanced and why openers die early. See how much garage doors weigh.
- One spring or two. A two-spring door gets both replaced. Why both, explained here.
- Standard or high-cycle. 10,000-cycle springs are the default; 25,000-cycle springs are a modest add-on and last two to three times as long. More on high-cycle springs.
- What else is worn. If the cables are frayed or the bottom brackets rusted on a wet slab, do them in the same visit; with code SPRINGS the cables come free with the spring job, and coming back for them later costs $200–$300. Same for end bearings and a center bearing that has seized.
- Time of day. I do not charge extra for nights, weekends or holidays. Some companies do, and some add a ‘winter’ or ’emergency’ surcharge in January. Ask.
The $89 trap, and how to avoid it
A low advertised price is almost always a service-call fee that gets you a truck in the driveway and nothing else. The repair is then built up on the clipboard: per spring, per cable, ‘balancing’, ‘lubrication’, a ‘lifetime warranty’ spring at three times the price, sometimes a new opener you did not need. The homeowner is standing in a cold garage with a car stuck inside and says yes. The fix is simple: before anyone starts, ask for the total installed price for the springs, cables and the visit, written down. If the number on the driveway is not the number on the phone, send them away. Here are the questions I would ask any company.
Why the spring is cheap and the job is not
A torsion spring costs a technician $30 to $70. What you pay for is the rest: measuring the door’s real weight, choosing the right wire size, inside diameter and length so the door balances, winding the spring under several hundred pounds of tension with winding bars, setting the cable drums so the door lifts level, and checking the opener’s force limits afterward so it is not doing the spring’s job. Done right, the door lifts with one hand and stays wherever you leave it. Done wrong, you get a door that slams, an opener that strips its gear, or a trip to the ER. Torsion vs extension springs and how springs are sized if you want the engineering.
Repair the spring or replace the door?
Almost always repair. A sound door with new springs sized to its weight, new cables and sealed rollers has years left in it, whether it is a 1960s single stall in Richfield or a 2004 builder door in Woodbury. Replace when a bottom section is rusted through at the slab, a panel is dented through, or you want a quiet insulated door over a bedroom; then the spring money goes toward the new door instead. What a new door costs.
What to do right now if your spring just broke
- Do not run the opener again. It will strip its gear or bend the top section trying to lift the full weight.
- Do not pull the red cord and lift by hand unless you have help; a 16-foot door with a broken spring weighs as much as two adults.
- Leave the car. A technician with springs on the truck has the door open in under an hour.
- Call (763) 265-7671. I carry springs for standard doors and quote the full price in writing before I start. Spring repair service page.
Garage door spring cost – FAQ
How much does it cost to replace a garage door spring in Minnesota?
My price: $150 to $350 for a standard single door, and double or heavy two-car doors run up to $200 more. That covers both springs on a two-spring door, the winding and the balancing. With my spring special (code SPRINGS) the service call is waived and new cables are included. Oversize and wood doors are quoted on site. I write the exact price on the driveway before I touch the door.
Why was I quoted $89 on the phone and $900 on the driveway?
Because the $89 was a service-call fee, not a repair price. Some companies advertise a low number, then add ‘per spring’, ‘per cable’, ‘balancing’, ‘lubrication’ and a ‘lifetime’ spring at several times the real cost. Ask for the total installed price for the springs, cables and the visit, in writing, before anyone starts.
Should I replace one spring or both?
Both, on a two-spring door. They were installed together, have the same cycles on them, and the second one usually breaks within months. Replacing the pair costs a little more than one spring and saves you a second service call. The exception is a very recent single replacement with a receipt.
Can I replace a garage door spring myself to save money?
Extension springs on an old single-stall door are within reach of a careful DIYer with safety cables. Torsion springs are not: they are wound under hundreds of pounds of tension with winding bars, and the injuries are serious. The spring itself is cheap; what you pay a technician for is the winding, the sizing to the real weight of the door, and the balance.
How long will the new springs last?
Standard springs are rated for about 10,000 cycles, which is 7 to 10 years for a typical household. High-cycle springs (25,000 cycles) are a modest add-on and last two to three times as long. A door that is opened ten or more times a day should have them.
