Exemplary service. An embodiment of values.
Exemplary service. An embodiment of values.
Matthew Knepp, President of Southern Garage Doors Inc., with customer Joe, Esplanade at Palmer Ranch, 2025.
At Southern Garage Doors, every repair, replacement, and adjustment is handled with the same steady rhythm — clear communication, careful workmanship, and honest follow-through.
We don’t rush through the job or sell what isn’t needed.
Our goal is simple: to leave every door sound, balanced, and safe — work done right the first time, by hands that care.
Each visit includes a complete 17-point inspection and a clear conversation about what we find. You’ll know exactly what’s being done, why it matters, and what to expect next. That’s how we keep every homeowner informed, not pressured.
Yes. Southern Garage Doors, Inc. is fully licensed and insured to perform garage door repair and installation in the state of Florida — Contractor License #SCC131153700. We maintain full liability and workers’ compensation coverage for every technician on site. It’s part of how we protect our customers, our team, and the standard of work we stand behind.
We work best with homeowners who want their door fixed the right way — not the fastest or cheapest way. If you’re looking for a quick patch, a band-aid repair, or the lowest quote in town, we’re not your company. We take the time to do the work correctly, using the right parts and proper balance so it lasts. Our customers value honesty, craftsmanship, and long-term reliability over shortcuts. That’s who we serve best, and that’s the standard we hold to on every job.
We specialize in garage door repair, opener installation, opener repair, and proactive maintenance — and that’s all we do. Our work stays focused so we can do it well. We’re a local service company based in Sarasota, Florida, serving Sarasota and Manatee Counties with steady, careful workmanship. We’re not a big-box or discount repair outfit trying to cover everything cheap and fast. By keeping our attention close to the work, we stay consistent, precise, and fair — and uphold the values this company was built on. It’s a simpler way to do business, and it’s why the doors we service keep working the way they’re meant to.
Yes. Every repair we perform is backed by our workmanship standards and the warranties provided by our part manufacturers. We believe in standing behind what we do — if an issue ever arises from our work, we’ll address it directly and fairly. For full details, including coverage terms and limitations, please see our [Warranty Page] for more information.
No. We don’t provide overnight or 24-hour calls, and we’re always closed on Sundays. Our work is built on accuracy and safety, not speed. Most door issues can be handled properly during normal business hours, when conditions are safe, tools are available, and quality can be maintained. That’s how we keep our standards consistent and our service dependable.
No. We don’t sell springs, cables, or parts over the counter or online. We’re a service-area business based in Sarasota, Florida, serving Sarasota and Manatee Counties — not a parts retailer. Every component we install is fitted to a specific door for safety and balance. Selling parts without that process isn’t what we do. We come to your home to do the work right, where it matters.
No. We focus solely on residential garage doors in owner-occupied homes across Sarasota and Manatee Counties. Commercial and industrial doors operate under different standards, hardware, and usage demands that require a separate set of tools, parts, and training. The same goes for rental properties managed by third parties — scheduling, access, and liability differ from our residential approach. By staying focused on residential systems, we can maintain the precision, care, and accountability that define our work.
Yes. Every spring replacement begins with a mechanical scale. We weigh the door to determine its exact lift requirement — no charts, no guessing. That precision ensures the door lifts evenly, runs quietly, and puts less strain on the opener and hardware. It also helps the springs last longer and keeps the system balanced for smoother, safer operation. We’re the only company in the Sarasota and Manatee County area that still uses the old-fashioned method of putting a scale under a door with a broken spring, weighing it, and cutting the new spring on site. It’s slower, but it’s the right way — and it shows in how the door performs.
No. If your door uses two springs, we replace them as a pair. Springs are rated by cycle count, which means both have gone through about the same number of open-and-close cycles. When one breaks, the other isn’t far behind — sometimes by months, sometimes by minutes. Replacing only one is a patch fix that leads to another service call and more labor later. It’s far more cost-effective and reliable to replace both at the same time while the system is already apart.
In Sarasota and Manatee Counties, garage door springs generally last 3 to 12 years, depending on daily use and door weight. Homes in this area often have heavier, hurricane-rated doors, which place more load on the springs with every cycle. Because many families use the garage as their main entry point, those springs reach their cycle limit much sooner than most people expect. Once a spring breaks, it’s a clear sign the metal has reached the end of its service life. We install properly rated, high-quality springs and balance each door precisely to ensure safe, reliable operation for as long as the material allows.
No, we don’t offer paid maintenance plans. In our experience, those programs often lock customers into contracts they don’t really need or charge for visits that aren’t always necessary. Instead, we keep it simple — you’ll receive a text reminder one year after your last visit with a link to schedule your next service when it makes sense for you. It’s straightforward, no obligation, and saves you money while still keeping your system on track.
We primarily focus on garage door repair, opener service, and maintenance, but we occasionally take on new door installations or replacements based on schedule, availability, and project fit. If you’re looking to have a new door installed, please call our main number at 941-356-4334 and select extension 2 to check current availability. We review each request individually to make sure it aligns with our service capacity and quality standards. While new installations aren’t part of our daily work, we handle them from time to time when it makes sense for both the homeowner and our team. Southern Garage Doors, Inc. is fully licensed in the state of Florida — Contractor License #SCC131153700 — to perform garage door installation and repair services.
We proudly serve Sarasota and Manatee Counties, including Sarasota, Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch, Venice, Parrish, Ellenton, Palmetto, North Port, Osprey, and Nokomis. Keeping our service area local allows us to stay consistent, dependable, and on time. It also means the person working on your door knows the homes, the climate, and the systems common to this area — not just the job, but the context behind it.
All service is scheduled through our local office in Sarasota. We use AI-assisted call handling to help answer and route messages quickly, so you’re not left waiting for a response or stuck in a call queue. This lets us run lean and keep our focus where it belongs — on quality, safety, and honest work in the field. The technology helps with communication, but every service call is handled by real people who know the trade and care about getting the job done right.