Quick answer
Industrial door motor replacement is the removal of a failed, worn or obsolete door drive and the fitting of a new motor, and often a new control panel, matched to the door's weight, size and use. The door is then re-commissioned, its limits set and its safety devices and closing forces re-tested. Guide price £845 to £2,395 ex VAT for a replacement motor, supplied and fitted.
When does a door motor need replacing?
A door motor needs replacing when it has failed and cannot be economically repaired, when replacement parts are no longer available, or when it is no longer suited to how the door is used. Common signs of a motor reaching the end of its life include the door slowing or stalling under load, grinding or whining from the gearbox, a brake that slips so the door creeps down, overheating that trips the motor during busy periods, and limit settings that drift so the door overruns or stops short.
Not every fault is the motor, though, and replacing a good motor on a faulty door wastes money. A door that is out of balance because a spring has broken or a cable is fraying will overload any motor, and a failed control panel, limit switch, safety edge or supply fault can look like a dead motor. That is why we diagnose first; our industrial door repairs service covers the wider faults.
How do you choose the replacement motor?
The replacement must deliver enough torque to move the door safely, at the right speed, with a working brake and manual override, and it must fit the space available. We record the door type, size and weight, the shaft or barrel diameter, the mounting position and the existing motor's rating, then select a drive to suit:
- Like-for-like where the same model is still available, which keeps the change simple.
- Equivalent drive from another manufacturer where the original is obsolete, with any adapter plates or couplings needed.
- Upgraded drive where the door now cycles more often, such as adding a frequency inverter for softer starts and faster opening.
A motor is only as good as the door it drives, so we also check springs, cables, guides and rollers, and tell you if anything needs attention before the new motor goes on.
Does the control panel need replacing too?
Often, yes. Older control panels may not support a new motor's encoder or limit system, may lack the monitored safety inputs that current safety devices need, or may simply be unreliable. Replacing motor and panel together means the drive, limits and safety inputs are designed to work as one and makes future fault-finding easier.
A new panel is also a chance to improve how the door is used: adding remotes, loops or radar, an inverter for smoother running, traffic lights or an interlock with a neighbouring door or dock leveller, all set up and tested in the same visit. Our door automation and controls page covers those options.
What happens after the new motor is fitted?
Changing the drive changes how the door behaves, so it must be re-commissioned before it goes back into use. The engineer sets the open and closed limits, checks the brake holds the door at any position, tests the manual override and runs the door through repeated cycles. Safety devices are tested and, where the door closes under power without hold-to-run control, closing forces are measured against the limits in BS EN 12453.
Where a drive change is a substantial modification, the door's risk assessment and conformity documentation should be updated, and we record what was done. You receive a written record of the work and test results for your maintenance file. Keep those records with the door's original documentation, as they show the door was returned to service safely.
What does motor replacement cost?
Our guide price for a replacement motor is £845 to £2,395 ex VAT, supplied and fitted, depending on the door size and weight, the drive type and whether a new control panel is needed. Inverter drives and additional controls cost more. Every motor replacement starts with a chargeable diagnostic visit, at a guide £145 to £195 ex VAT for attendance and the first hour, so the fault is confirmed before a new drive is ordered.
Many common motors can be sourced quickly, while specialist or obsolete drives may need to be ordered. Where a door is old, heavily damaged or due for other major repairs, we may price a new door alongside the motor so you can compare the two honestly. Our guide on whether to repair or replace an industrial door sets out the factors to weigh.
At a glance
- Motor types
- Direct drive, centre-mounted, chain drive and tubular motors
- Matching
- Torque and output speed matched to the door's weight, size and shaft or barrel
- Control panels
- Replacement or upgraded panels, including frequency-inverter control
- Brake and override
- Motor brake checked, with chain hoist or crank override for power failure
- Limits
- Mechanical or electronic limit settings for fully open and closed positions
- Safety
- Safety edges, photocells and force limits re-tested after the change
- Makes
- Replacement drives for most common door and motor makes
Guide prices
| Item | Guide price (ex VAT) |
|---|---|
| Motor replacement | £845 – £2,395 |
| Repair visit (attendance and first hour) | £145 – £195 |
Guide prices excluding VAT, which is added at the current rate where it applies. The visit price is agreed before we attend, and any repair is quoted before we carry it out.
What we check on a visit
- Door type, size, weight and balance with the motor disengaged
- Existing motor make, model, rating and mounting position
- Shaft or barrel diameter and space for a new drive
- Condition of springs, cables, guides, rollers and curtain or panels
- Control panel type, limit system and safety device inputs
- Daily cycle count and power supply
Industrial door motor replacement: frequently asked questions
Can you repair a door motor instead of replacing it?
Sometimes. Faulty limit switches, capacitors, brakes or control boards can often be replaced on their own. Where the gearbox or windings have failed, or parts are no longer made, replacement is usually more reliable. We diagnose first and quote both options where both are realistic.
Do you fit motors to doors from other installers?
Yes. We replace motors on most makes of roller shutter, sectional, sliding and high-speed door, whoever fitted them. On the first visit we record the door and drive details so the replacement is matched correctly and future servicing is straightforward.
How long does a motor replacement take?
Once the replacement drive is on site, most motor changes are completed and the door re-commissioned within a few hours. Changing the control panel or adding controls takes longer. The door is out of use only while the work is carried out.
Why does my new motor need the door checked first?
A motor is designed to drive a balanced door. If springs are broken or tired, cables frayed or guides damaged, the motor works harder, wears faster and can fail early. Checking the door first protects the new motor and keeps the door safe.
Areas we cover for industrial door motor replacement
We cover England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland; islands and remote sites by arrangement. Choose your area for local details and the law that applies there.
England
- Bedfordshire
- Berkshire
- Bristol
- Buckinghamshire
- Cambridgeshire
- Cheshire
- Cornwall
- County Durham
- Cumbria
- Derbyshire
- Devon
- Dorset
- East Riding of Yorkshire
- East Sussex
- Essex
- Gloucestershire
- Greater London
- Greater Manchester
- Hampshire
- Herefordshire
- Hertfordshire
- Isle of Wight
- Kent
- Lancashire
- Leicestershire
- Lincolnshire
- Merseyside
- Norfolk
- North Yorkshire
- Northamptonshire
- Northumberland
- Nottinghamshire
- Oxfordshire
- Rutland
- Shropshire
- Somerset
- South Yorkshire
- Staffordshire
- Suffolk
- Surrey
- Tyne and Wear
- Warwickshire
- West Midlands
- West Sussex
- West Yorkshire
- Wiltshire
- Worcestershire
Wales
Scotland
- Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire
- Angus and Dundee
- Argyll and Bute
- Ayrshire
- Dumfries and Galloway
- Edinburgh and the Lothians
- Fife
- Forth Valley
- Glasgow
- Highlands and Islands
- Lanarkshire
- Perth and Kinross
- Renfrewshire and Dunbartonshire
- Scottish Borders
Northern Ireland
Last updated 19 October 2026.