The Right Garage Door Company What Matters

Most people do not replace their garage doors often. Once every fifteen years, maybe? This means you are starting from scratch. The number of companies that compete for your business is overwhelming.

A garage door is a bigger investment than you would expect. The door itself, the installation, the automation if you are having it, and hopefully something that will last and will not give you headaches in the years to come.

Experience with what you’re actually buying

Garage door companies do not sell the same products. Some focus on roller doors, others on sectional doors, and some on side-hinged traditional doors. Once you are set on a particular type of door, there is no point in getting estimates from someone who does not install that type of door very often. A garage door company that has installed hundreds of sectional doors will know that different types of insulation will influence the weight, what types of automation systems match with what sizes of doors, if your opening requires some modifications, etc. This is the type of knowledge that saves you the hassle in the future.

Ask about the brands and their reasons

If they are simply favouring one manufacturer, find out if they actually prefer them because of their quality, or if they are simply making the most profit. It is understandable that most of the seasoned installers have biases, but they ought to have reasons.

This will also reflect the most important aspects of their business and their client approach.

The most reputable contractors will not give you a ballpark price over the phone based on vague descriptions. They will be more interested in setting up a competitive estimate, gaining access to the garage door, and looking at the headroom and side clearance. Not every old garage has been built with modern sectional doors in mind – there may be little space above the opening, or there may be pipes above.

Surveys help with the installation to see what needs to be done and what materials will be used and keep delays down. Surveys are also a good way to see how a company operates. Are the workers on time? Are the workers explaining what and why they are doing something? Do they do the removal of an old one?

These may seem like a lot of little things, but they are big parts of the whole picture.

Customer transparency

Garage doors may have a larger price tag than expected for several reasons. A basic manual door can cost several hundred pounds. Adding automation, insulation, and other premium materials can increase the cost to several thousand pounds.

Your quote should list what the specs of the door are, what type of opener it comes with, installation costs, disposal costs for your old door, and VAT costs. Just be sure to do a lot of comparisons to see what is the same.

Finding a quote that is lower than the rest is not a cause for concern, but there is a reason it’s lower. Maybe they’re using thinner steel. Maybe they’re rushing the installation. Maybe the warranty is terrible. On the opposite end, just because something is more expensive does not mean it’s a better service. You might just be spending more on a fancier brochure and a bigger advertising budget.

Warranties and guarantees

Most reputable garage door companies will guarantee their installation for at least 1 year and the door for even longer. Some companies will guarantee parts separately: the motor, springs, and even the panels. Make sure you understand what is covered and for how long.

Also, enquire about their service. In two years, if there is a problem with the door, will they come out to fix it? Do they keep parts on hand for the doors they install, or will you be waiting weeks for them to order something from overseas?

Local companies vs. national companies

The national companies will have better-looking websites and sales processes. However, the local independents may not have as nice of a sales process but may provide better service. Neither is better or worse. Because local businesses have more customer reach, it is more possible that they will have better response times, as well as be more flexible to customer needs. If customers leave feedback, businesses that are local are more likely to have a negative reputation due to feedback, which is more damaging as they are serving customers in close proximity.

It could be the case that a better offer has been provided to the national businesses due to better negotiated contracts with distributors, or the national businesses have developed integrated supply chain systems. You may be talking about different people, and that is annoying.

Look at the work of the company

The longer a company has been in business, the more likely it is that you have been exposed to their work, unknowingly. Garage door installation is a good example of this. The best way to find out which company has done the work for a neighbour is to knock on the door and ask. The majority of people do not mind being asked a question and they will provide good feedback on whether they will use the company again.

Online reviews should always be taken with a grain of salt. A negative review out of 50 positives could just be someone having a bad day. For review trends, if several people comment on the same thing, then it is something worth noting.

After going through different quotes and interacting with several companies, some will stand out to you more than others. Maybe one company was more patient in explaining, or one seemed more interested in the sale rather than what is good for you.

Your garage door will be opening and closing for several years, so adding a few hundred pounds on a company you believe in is money well spent.