Carport to garage
$8,000 to $20,000
Adding three walls and the door to an existing carport roof. Cheapest of the three because the roof and slab are already there.
Job type / New build
New construction garage door installation cost
Cutting a fresh opening, sizing a header beam, weatherproofing, and finishing. The work is two to five days, the labour budget is two to three times a simple replacement.
Labour only
$500 to $1,500
Door + opener
$700 to $2,500
Total project
$1,500 to $5,000+
Section 01
Where the money goes
| Task | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Cut and frame the rough opening | $200 to $500 |
| Header beam (size and load rating dependent) | $100 to $300 |
| Door panel and hardware install | $200 to $500 |
| Opener install and electrical run | $150 to $400 |
| Drywall, trim, and exterior finish | $100 to $300 |
| Permit and inspection fees | $50 to $200 |
Section 02
Five-day timeline (typical retrofit)
- Day 1Site prep, layout, demolition of existing wall section
- Day 2Frame the rough opening, set the header beam, sister jack studs
- Day 3Run electrical for opener, drywall and tape (if interior is finished)
- Day 4Install tracks, hang the door, fit springs, mount opener
- Day 5Exterior trim, weatherstripping, final inspection, walk-through
Add one to two days if rain delays exterior work, if the inspector backlog is long, or if structural surprises appear once the wall is open.
Section 03
Conversion projects
Garage door added to existing wall
$2,500 to $6,000
Cutting an opening into a sound exterior wall. Includes framing, header, finishing, and the door.
New attached garage bay
$25,000 to $60,000
Foundation, framing, roof, finishes, plus the door. The garage door labour is a small share of the total.
Do I need an architect for a new garage door opening?
Usually no. A licensed contractor with a structural engineer on call can size the header beam from a load table for typical openings. You need an architect or engineer drawing only for second-floor garages, very wide openings (over 18 feet), or load-bearing walls in unusual configurations.
Can I add a garage door to an existing wall?
Yes, but the wall has to be load-bearing-friendly. The contractor cuts the opening, installs a temporary support, sets a header beam sized to the floor and roof load above, and then ties the new framing back to the existing wall. Expect $1,000 to $3,000 in framing and structural work alone, before the door.
What is a header beam and why is it expensive?
The header is the horizontal beam over the opening that carries the load that used to sit on the wall studs. For a 16x7 opening, it is typically a doubled or tripled engineered LVL beam with metal connectors at each end. Material is $80 to $250, and it is heavy enough to need two installers and a temporary support.
Is a permit required?
Almost always for a new opening. Permit fees run $50 to $200 in most US municipalities, plus a small inspection fee. Skip the permit and you risk being forced to tear the work back out at resale time. Reputable contractors will pull the permit on your behalf.
How long does new construction take end to end?
Two to five working days for a typical attached-garage retrofit, assuming weather cooperates and inspections do not back up. New-build construction inside a finished home stretches longer if drywall, paint, and trim need to integrate with existing finishes.
Related: simple replacement instead, hiring a structural-aware contractor, structural surprises.