Buyer guides
Roller garage door guides
Straight answers before you buy, plus help with faults and maintenance on the door you already have.
How much does a roller garage door cost in the UK?
A new roller garage door costs more as the opening gets wider and as you move from a manual single-skin door to an electric, insulated or security-rated model. Our guide prices include VAT and taking away your old door. Colours, smart control, battery backup, keypads and any structural work are extra, and the written quote after a free survey is the final price.
Roller, up-and-over or sectional: which garage door suits you?
A roller door coils into a box above the opening, so it leaves the ceiling clear and never swings out over the drive. A sectional door also opens straight up but runs back on ceiling tracks, while an up-and-over door tilts out and up. Rollers suit short drives and garages full of storage, but a sectional or up-and-over can suit some looks and openings better.
Insulated or single-skin laths: which roller door do you need?
Single-skin laths are roll-formed from one layer of aluminium, so they are light and lower in cost but give little insulation. Insulated laths are double-skinned aluminium filled with polyurethane foam, which cuts draughts, noise and condensation. Insulated laths are worth it for integral garages and garages used as rooms, while single-skin is fine for a detached garage used for a car or storage.
How do I measure my garage for a roller door?
Measure the width between the brick reveals and the height from floor to the underside of the lintel, each in three places, and use the smallest figures. Then measure the headroom above the opening for the roller box, the side room inside for the guides, and note the floor level and the nearest power supply. Your figures give a guide price; we measure properly at the free survey.
How do I open an electric roller garage door in a power cut?
Most electric roller garage doors have a manual override for power cuts, usually a winding handle that hooks into the motor from inside the garage, or an external override where one is fitted. Switch off the power to the door, then follow your manufacturer's instructions and wind slowly. If the override won't turn or the door sticks, stop and request a visit rather than forcing it.
How safe is an electric roller garage door, and how do I check it?
An electric roller garage door is protected by a safety edge on the bottom rail, photocells across the opening and force limits set during commissioning, so it stops or reverses if it meets an obstruction. The installer must test it to BS EN 12453 and hand over a Declaration of Conformity with UKCA or CE marking. Test it yourself monthly with a cardboard box in the doorway.
Do I need planning permission or building regulations approval for a roller garage door?
Replacing a garage door doesn't usually need planning permission, but check first if your home is listed, in a conservation area with an Article 4 direction, or on an estate with planning conditions, covenants or management-company rules. Widening the opening or fitting a new lintel is structural work that usually needs building regulations approval, and the electrics must meet BS 7671 and, in England and Wales, Part P.
What do roller garage door security ratings mean?
Security ratings such as LPS 1175, STS 202 and Secured by Design product approval belong to specific manufacturer door models that have been attack-tested. An LPS 1175 rating like B3 combines a letter for the attacker's toolkit with a number for the minutes the door resisted. Always ask for the certificate for the exact model, and don't assume a rating changes your insurance.
What colours and finishes can I get on a roller garage door?
Roller garage doors come in the manufacturer's standard colours at no extra cost, with RAL colours and woodgrain finishes available as an extra on a new door. The guides and box can usually be finished to match, which matters most when the box is face-fixed. Match colours from a RAL number or a physical sample in daylight, not from a screen.
How do I look after a roller garage door?
Look after a roller garage door by testing the safety edge and photocells monthly, keeping the guide rails clean and clear of debris, and washing the curtain with mild soapy water. Don't oil the guides unless the manufacturer says so. Leave springs, limits, the motor and anything inside the roller box to an engineer, and book a regular service.
Why is my roller garage door not working?
Most roller garage door faults come from a few causes: no power, flat remote batteries, an obstruction or dirty photocells, a damaged safety edge, debris in the guides, or a worn motor. You can safely check the power, remote, guides and photocells yourself. If the door is crooked, out of its guides, or the motor hums without moving, stop using it and request a visit.
Can I control my roller garage door from my phone?
Yes. A smart receiver connected to your roller door's control box lets you open and close it from a phone app over Wi-Fi, check whether it's open, get alerts and share access with family. Most electric roller doors can take one, either on a new door or as an upgrade. Keep it secure by changing default codes, using strong passwords and installing updates.
How long does a roller garage door last?
A well-fitted roller garage door that's looked after can give many years of service. How long yours lasts depends on how often it's used, how exposed it is, how well it's maintained and the motor's workload. Parts such as safety edges, remotes and motors can usually be replaced without changing the whole door.
How do you convert an up-and-over garage door to a roller door?
Converting an up-and-over garage to a roller door means taking out the old door and usually its frame, checking the lintel and reveals, then fitting the roller box behind the lintel and the guides to the reveals. A straightforward conversion is normally done in a day, and our door prices include removing the old door. A new lintel or building out the reveals is priced on survey.
What do I need to know about wide and double roller garage doors?
Roller doors suit wide and double garages because the curtain coils into a box and never swings out. Our price list covers openings up to 5.5 m, with wider ones priced on survey. Wide doors usually use larger 77 mm laths for rigidity and a motor sized to the curtain's weight. Removing a central pillar to make one opening is structural work needing approval.
What happens at the survey and on fitting day?
You start with an online guide price. For a new door, a free survey follows, where we measure the opening and check the lintel, headroom, side room, floor and power. You then get a written quote. Once you order, the fitting date depends on the manufacturer and installer availability and is confirmed in writing. A straightforward fit usually takes a day and ends with a handover.
Last reviewed 25 October 2026