It is unlikely that most homeowners have loads of experience in buying a new garage door. After all, it is not a small investment, and it is certainly not something done more than once or twice in a lifetime. Because of that, most homeowners need professional help and support when tackling such a project.
If you find yourself in the midst of choosing a new garage door, we offer our expert tips that will help you throughout the process. In fact, we suggest viewing it as a three phase process – Before, During and After.
- Before is when you choose a garage door professional to help, and then meet to explore the options.
- During is when you have chosen your door, arranged the installation and work your way through the project, including having your expert installers do the work and clean up the site properly.
- After is when your team replies to questions, makes any tweaks or adjustments, and gets you on a regular schedule of repairs and maintenance.
The garage door expert offers knowledge and skill
You’ll want to work with a garage door expert for two main reasons: the first is that they will know all of the products available, and the second is that they’ll be able to provide high quality installation. They are going to be your best ally at every phase, walking you through such issues as:
- the choices of models, materials, colors and finishes
- the types of doors available
- door system construction
- hardware components
- energy efficiency
- weathertightness
- decorative windows
- door openers, their accessories and safety components
With them, you can be well advised on everything from installation to finishing. Of course, you’ll want to evaluate any company you choose to work with, and that means finding a firm that:
- Presents multiple quotes and options
- Uses the latest technology to show you many choices within your budge and style
- Offers access to a garage door expert’s Design Centre with image upload options to “test” styles on images of your actual home
- Supplies a fully detailed quotation to allow you to understand every possible element in the overall project costs
Never settle for a firm that pays a visit and then scribbles a “ball park estimate” on the back of a business card.
The right provider starts a project properly
As we’ve suggested, the long term value of a garage door depends as much on the quality of the product as on the quality of the installation.
It is why a quality garage door expert is so important. They start each project properly by visiting your home, calculating the proper door size (standard or custom made), identifying any issues and recognizing any extra steps needed for a good fit and seal. Starting right means the door you receive fits well and operates for many decades afterward.
They should have a code of conduct
It might seem obvious, but the finest and most reliable construction experts are usually members of an association within their industry. In the garage door industry, there are the International Door Association (IDA) and the Canadian Door Institute that have each created a strong code of conduct. Members promise to follow these codes to ensure customer satisfaction. That means you will want to find garage door experts who are current members of such organizations.
As an example of the value of these codes, consider the “After” phase of installation. A company committed to a strong code of conduct is always going to take the time to show you how to safely operate a new garage door and the ins and outs of the door opener. They will want you to see that the installation is done properly, and they should even deactivate the opener and show you all of the ways to manually operate your door, too. This “After” phase will also include a bit of instruction about potential problems with a door system, and the creation of a twice annual maintenance schedule to ensure ongoing safety and function.
Tune‑ups, emergencies and warranties
Another way to know that your provider is of the utmost quality is to see if they provide a tune‑up program for both residential and commercial door. Why? It is a clear indicator that they take care of their customers over the long-term.
A quality contractor also has some sort of emergency service options that will provide you with service, parts and immediate repairs when needed.
And as you might already know, a warranty should cover not only the door and its components, but the installer’s services, too. Ask for the warranty as a written document, and review it with the provider. Typically, an installer offering quality work is going to usually identify themselves with a noticeable badge on the door or opener, which usually includes their emergency contact information.
In conclusion…
We ensure that our work is done thoroughly and to the highest standards. We respect your needs and meet all industry standards for installations. Feel free to contact us anytime at 860-666-9315.
For your convenience, we can forward a detailed quotation via email, or visit you at home and review our complete range of products and services. We can give advice about the right products, and you can then use our Design Centre or image gallery to explore the options fully.
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