Stuck roller garage door repair

• Safe checks you can make yourself before booking anything
• Clear guidance on what not to touch: the curtain, roller box, springs and limits
• Repair visit covers diagnosis and the first 30 minutes of work
• Electric and manual roller doors of any make; parts quoted before fitting

Why is my roller garage door stuck?

A roller garage door usually gets stuck because it has lost power or signal, a safety device is stopping it, something is blocking the curtain, or a mechanical part has failed.

• Power or signal: a tripped circuit, an isolator switched off, a flat remote battery or a receiver fault.
• Safety devices: photocells that are dirty, blocked or knocked out of line, or a damaged safety edge, can stop an electric door closing.
• Obstruction: debris in the guide rails, or a lath that has slipped or come out of a guide.
• Mechanical faults: a failed motor, limits that have drifted, a broken spring on a manual door, or a bent guide rail.

The first three can sometimes be checked safely at home. Mechanical faults need an engineer. Our guide to roller garage door problems sets out more symptoms and what they tend to point to.

What can you safely check yourself when a roller door is stuck?

You can safely check the power, the remote, the isolator, the photocells and the guide rails for obstructions, and use the manual override as the manufacturer describes.

1. Check the isolator or fused spur is switched on and no circuit breaker has tripped.
2. Try the wall switch or keypad; if that works but the remote doesn't, replace the remote battery.
3. Look for anything breaking the photocell beam and wipe the lenses. If one photocell has clearly been knocked, gently line it back up with the other, following the manufacturer's instructions.
4. Look along the bottom of each guide rail for stones, leaves or other debris, and clear them with the door switched off at the isolator.
5. If the power is off and you need to open the door, use the manual override exactly as the manufacturer's instructions describe.

If the door still won't move, stop there and request a visit. Our power-cut guide explains how overrides generally work.

What should you not do with a stuck roller garage door?

Don't force the curtain up or down, don't open the roller box, and don't adjust the springs or limits yourself.

• Forcing the curtain can bend laths, pull them out of the guides or damage the motor, turning a small fault into a bigger one.
• The roller box holds the barrel and the weight of the curtain. On a manual door, the springs in the barrel hold stored energy that can release suddenly.
• Limits control where an electric door stops. Changing them without the right procedure can drive the door too far or stop it short of closing.

If the door has stopped part-open, keep people, children, pets and cars clear of the opening, and don't walk or drive under it. If it's stuck open and you're worried about security, tell us when you request the visit. Never disable or bypass the safety edge or photocells to make the door close.

How much does it cost to fix a stuck roller garage door?

Fixing a stuck roller door starts with a repair visit at £119–£169 inc VAT, which covers diagnosis and the first 30 minutes of work, with the price agreed before we come out.

Some causes of a stuck door can be dealt with in that time, such as realigning photocells, resetting limits, refitting a curtain to its guides or recoding a receiver. If the door needs parts, such as a new motor, safety edge, laths or springs, the engineer explains what's wrong and quotes before fitting anything. You decide then whether to go ahead.

Fixed fitted prices for common parts, such as motors and safety devices, are on our prices page, so you can see what a likely repair would add. All home prices include VAT at 20%.

How does a stuck door repair visit work?

A stuck door visit runs in four steps: you tell us what's happening, we confirm the visit price, the visit is booked, and any parts are quoted before they're fitted.

1. Tell us whether the door is stuck open, shut or part-way, whether it's electric or manual, and what you've already checked.
2. We confirm the visit price before anything is booked.
3. The visit date depends on engineer availability and is confirmed in writing.
4. The engineer finds the cause, frees and tests the door where that can be done safely, and quotes for any parts before fitting them.

Photos or a short video of the door, the control box and the bottom of the guide rails help the engineer prepare. Until the visit, leave the door as it is, keep the area clear, and keep the isolator switched off if an electric door is behaving unpredictably.

Guide prices for stuck roller garage door repair

Guide prices for homes. The visit price is agreed before we come out, and any parts are quoted before they are fitted.

Guide prices for homes, last reviewed 25 October 2026. Your written quote is the price. See the full price list.

How does a visit work?

1. STEP 01

   Tell us about the door

   Describe the door and what you need, with a photo or video if you can.

2. STEP 02

   Agree the visit price

   We confirm the visit price before anyone comes out.

3. STEP 03

   Visit

   The engineer finds the cause and makes the door safe where possible.

4. STEP 04

   Parts quoted first

   Any parts are quoted before they are fitted, so you decide.

Questions about stuck roller garage door repair

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