Sectional door automation
The most common job we do. A rail-driven operator mounted to the ceiling, with the trolley arm on the top panel. Quiet, reliable and easy to service.
- Belt or chain drive
- Centurion, ET, Chamberlain
Garage door automation, sized to your door
Never get out of the car in the rain in Randburg again. We fit the motor to the weight of the door rather than to whatever was on promotion — and we put a battery backup on it, because this is South Africa.
Sectional, tip-up and roller doors
Battery backup for load shedding
Remotes and keypads programmed
Same-day calloutsAcross Gauteng, 7 days a week
Fixed price before we startWritten quote on site, nothing added later
12-month workmanship guaranteeOn every door, motor and repair
Fully stocked vehiclesSprings, cables and motors on board
Automating a door
The motor does not lift the door. The springs do.
This is the single most misunderstood thing about garage door automation, and getting it wrong is expensive. The springs carry the weight of the door — a properly balanced door should stay put wherever you leave it, and lift with two fingers. The motor's job is only to push and pull that balanced door along its tracks.
Which means: you cannot fix a badly balanced door by fitting a bigger motor. All you have done is buy something powerful enough to destroy itself slowly. Before we automate anything, we check the balance, the springs, the cables and the tracks — and if the door is not fit to be automated, we say so before you spend the money, not afterwards.
Once the door is sound, the motor gets specified to the mass of the door and to how often it will cycle. A family of five with three cars opens the garage far more times a day than a retired couple, and the motor should be chosen with that in mind.
- Door checked and balanced before the motor goes on
- Motor sized to the door's actual weight and duty cycle
- Battery backup so load shedding is not a workout
- Safety reverse set and tested in front of you
- Remotes, keypads and app access set up before we leave
- Manual release demonstrated — so you know how to get out
Automation options
What we fit, and where it suits
The right motor depends on the door, the roof and how hard the household leans on it.
Tip-up door automation
The same rail-driven principle, with an arm that follows the door as it tips out and up. Straightforward, provided the door is properly counterbalanced first.
- Older Gauteng homes
- Balance checked first
Roller door automation
A tube motor inside the drum, or a side-mounted operator. The right choice depends on headroom and on the weight of the curtain.
- Tube or side-mount
- Residential and commercial
Smart and app control
Open the door for a delivery from the office, and see from the traffic on the M1 whether you actually closed it this morning. Centurion's smart range does this properly.
- Phone app
- Activity notifications
Battery backup
A charged backup will give you several cycles through an outage. Without it, load shedding means pulling the release cord and lifting the door by hand in the dark.
- Essential in South Africa
- Fitted as standard on request
Keypads and extra remotes
A wall keypad for the kids who do not have a remote, extra remotes for the second car, and receivers that will not be cloned from the pavement.
- Rolling-code receivers
- Programmed on site
Before you automate
Five things worth knowing
Automation is one of the best value upgrades you can make to a house. It is also one of the easiest to do badly.
An unsound door should not be automatedFix the door first. A motor will not rescue a warped one.
Bigger is not betterAn oversized motor on a light door hammers the hardware.
Rolling-code receivers matterFixed-code remotes can be captured and replayed. Ask what you are getting.
The safety reverse is not optionalThe door must stop and reverse on an obstruction. Ask to see it tested.
Know where the manual release isOne day the power will be out and you will need it. We show you on handover.
Budget R4 500 – R9 500Fitted, for a decent residential motor with backup. Below that, ask what is missing.
Indicative pricing
What garage door automation costs in 2026
Supplied and fitted to a sound, balanced door in Gauteng.
| Automation | Indicative range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Single sectional door motor | R4 500 – R7 500 | Rail-driven, 2 remotes |
| Double sectional door motor | R5 500 – R9 500 | Heavier duty, 2 remotes |
| Roller door tube motor | R5 000 – R9 000 | Depends on curtain weight |
| Battery backup | R900 – R2 200 | Several cycles per outage |
| Extra remote | R350 – R750 | Rolling code |
| Wall keypad | R750 – R1 800 | Code entry, no remote needed |
| Smart / app module | R900 – R2 500 | Where the motor supports it |
Indicative ranges for planning, not a quote. Where the door needs re-balancing or new springs first, that is quoted separately and honestly. See the 2026 price guide.
FAQ
Automation questions
Motors, load shedding, remotes and safety.
Still not sure?
Send us a photo of your garage door on WhatsApp. We can usually tell you what has failed before we load the van.
WhatsApp a photoCan my old manual garage door be automated?
Usually, yes — as long as it is structurally sound, runs true in its tracks and is properly balanced. If the door is rusted through, warped or fighting its own springs, automating it is throwing good money after bad, and we will tell you that before you spend it.
How much does it cost to automate a garage door?
Budget R4 500 – R9 500 for a decent residential motor supplied and fitted, including remotes. A double or hardwood door needs more pulling power and sits at the top of that range. Battery backup adds roughly R900 – R2 200 and is worth every cent of it.
Will the garage door work during load shedding?
Only with a battery backup — and then, yes, comfortably. A charged backup typically gives you several open-and-close cycles, which is more than anybody needs during a two-hour block. Without one, you are pulling the manual release cord and lifting the door yourself.
Which garage door motor should I choose?
For the South African market we most often fit Centurion, ET Systems and Digi, because spares and support genuinely exist here. Beyond the badge, what matters is that the motor is matched to the weight of your door and to how many times a day it will run. See garage door motors.
Can I open my garage door from my phone?
Yes, with a smart operator such as the Centurion SDO range. It is genuinely useful: you can let a delivery in while you are at work, and you can stop wondering at 10am whether you left the garage standing open.
Is an automated garage door safe with children around?
It is, provided the safety reverse is set correctly — the door must stop and go back up when it meets an obstruction. We set it, we test it in front of you with an obstruction on the floor, and we show you how to check it yourself every few months. Never disable it because the door is being "fussy"; a fussy door means a misaligned sensor, and that is a five-minute fix.
Where we work
Garage door technicians across Gauteng
We run vehicles out of Johannesburg, Pretoria and the East Rand, which means most of Gauteng is a short drive rather than a full day's travel. Pick your area for local turnaround times and pricing.
Book a technician
Stop getting out of the car in the rain.
We will check the door, size the motor properly and have it running the same day. Across Johannesburg, Pretoria and the East Rand.
Battery backup available · Safety reverse tested · 12-month guarantee
Keep reading
Related services
Contact
Speak to a garage door technician, not a call centre
- Phone
- 0860 017 435Answered by a person. Mon–Fri 07:00–18:00, Sat 08:00–14:00.
- Send us a messageA photo of the door or the motor usually tells us what has failed.
- info@clearpathgaragedoors.co.zaPlans, specifications and estate quotes welcome.
- Service area & hours
- Johannesburg, Pretoria, Centurion, the East Rand, the West Rand and the VaalMon–Fri 07:00–18:00 · Sat 08:00–14:00 · Emergency callouts 7 days a week