Did you know that 64% of all occupied housing units in the U.S. had a garage or carport in 2015? In a country where there’s more than one light vehicle on average per household, this is no surprise.
If you’re an American thinking of installing a garage or replacing your garage door, then you might be thinking about what to consider when choosing a garage door installation company such as www.betterbuiltdoor.com.
After all, if you don’t choose the right company, then you might end up overpaying, getting a low-quality garage door, or having to pay for many repairs in the future. Even worse, you could end up with a garage door that isn’t installed properly, which would put you and your family at risk of burglaries.
That’s why we’ve put together this article. In it, you’ll learn about everything you need to consider when choosing the right garage door installation company for you.
That way, you’ll have a positive garage door installation experience and end up with the right garage door for your home. Read on to learn more.
References and Reviews
One of the most important things you need to do when choosing the right garage door installation company is to use references and reviews. With references, you need to first use one of the most powerful referral methods: word of mouth.
Word of Mouth References
To find out about the best companies near you, speak first with family and friends. They’re the most trusted source you have because they care about you saving money and having a positive garage door installation experience.
Next, see if your neighbors have any recommendations. If their homes are similar to yours, then this can be helpful, since you’ll both need similar garage door styles.
If there’s a neighborhood association, they might also have recommendations of garage door installation companies you can use.
For example, they might have a list that includes PortesDeGarageMB.com and other similar garage door installation companies.
Finally, you can reach out to your realtor. Because they have experience with homeowners and construction companies throughout your local area, they’ll know about a lot of different garage door installation companies you can hire.
When asking for word of mouth references, ask questions such as:
- What made you happy with the service?
- How much did the installation cost?
- Would you use the services again?
- Do you have a referral discount I can get?
- How often have you had to get repairs since the garage door was installed?
Once you have the answers to these questions, you can start compiling a list of companies that specialize in installing garage doors. Then, you’ll go onto the next step: doing your online research and looking at reviews of these and other companies.
Reviews
To do your online research, start by doing a Google search of the garage door installation companies near you. Look at the Google reviews.
How many stars does it have as an average rating? What do people have to say about the company?
If there are only a few negative reviews, that’s okay. What you have to do is take a look at the reviews on the whole to make a decision.
In addition to looking at reviews on Google, you’ll want to look them up on Yelp and Angie’s List. While doing this, you’ll find that you’re adding more companies to the list you already have from word-of-mouth references.
Finally, go to the websites of the companies themselves. If they don’t have a review page, this is a red flag. If they do, take a look at all the reviews like you did on Google.
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Experience
Any reputable garage door installation will have years of experience serving your local area. When looking at the different companies on your list, call them and ask how long they’ve been serving the area. The longer they’ve been around, the more they’ll know how to help you.
Especially when it comes to more complex installations, you need an experienced company. They’ll also know about the latest technological trends that you can use with your new garage door.
Keep in mind that many construction companies hire workers on a contract basis. So, in addition to the company having a large amount of experience, the workers need to as well.
When calling companies, ask them about how long the worker coming in to install your garage door has been working with them.
In addition to being a better fit, this makes it more likely that these contracted workers will be professional and trustworthy.
Consider Price
The price that different companies charge for garage door installation is something you need to consider. This is for several reasons. First of all, comparing installation fees helps give you an idea of how much the average cost is in your area.
If the costs of a company seem higher than this average, then you might end up being ripped off. However, if they’re lower than the average, so cheap that it’s surprising, this isn’t good, either.
This is a sign that the company completes low-quality installations—or, worse, that they’re a company that could end up scamming you.
Once you have a list of companies that have prices that seem reasonable, you have a little extra work to do.
First of all, think about your budget. What can you actually afford? You need to choose a company that fits within these parameters.
You also need to think about the way in which companies charge for their services. Do they require a deposit? Do you pay all at once or in installments? Is there an hourly rate?
If there’s an hourly rate, then you should ask if they can bring someone in to make an estimate of how long the garage door installation will take. That way, you can know if it’s something you can actually afford.
If you find that you have issues finding a company that can meet your budget, call the different companies to see if they can find a creative way for you to pay (for example, in future installments).
Garage Door Types
When you’re getting a new garage door installed, you need to think about what type of door you’re looking for. Do you want one that’s modern or that matches your home’s exterior? Do you want a door that looks like your neighbor’s?
You also need to think about what capabilities you want it to have. How do you want it to close and lock? Would you like it to be able to integrate with your smart home?
Once you know what features you want, you can put together a list of the different garage door types you’re interested in installing.
Next, take a look at your list of potential garage door installation companies. Ask them if they can install these doors and if there are additional fees (for example, to connect them to your smart home).
If the company doesn’t install the type of door you want, then you can simply take them off your list of potential companies.
Maintenance
Many garage doors require maintenance, and this maintenance can be quite costly depending on the type of door you’ve chosen. When looking for a garage door installation company, ask them if they do maintenance on the doors they install.
If so, how much does it cost? Some companies might even include maintenance for a year in the price of the installation of the new garage door.
You should also ask for DIY maintenance tips from companies when you’re calling them about their installation services. A reputable company will give you good tips and explain how often you’ll need a professional to come around.
Local Service Range
When you’re looking for the right company for you, you need to make sure that they serve your area. After all, if they’re a bit far out, they might charge a bit extra for coming all the way to your home. Additionally, they might not know how to serve you best.
A garage door installation company with a local service range will know about factors such as weather and sun in your area that will impact the type of door you buy, how to install it, and what maintenance it needs.
Additionally, if you ever have an emergency with your garage door, they can out to you quickly if they’re based nearby.
Look for a company that not only services your local area, but that focuses on it. If their range is too broad, you may not get the attention you want from them.
Technology
If you want the best garage door installation company, you need to make sure that they know about all the latest technologies in the industry.
On their websites, they should have information about all the different types of trending technologies.
However, if they don’t have this information, it might be worth checking in and giving them a call. Explain what type of door you want to be installed. Can they explain what technology would work best?
Even if you aren’t an expert, once you’ve checked out a few websites and made a few calls, you’ll have a pretty good idea of what the most up-and-coming technology is.
Then, you can go through your list and take off any companies that don’t know about it.
Emergency Services
One of the most important services any reputable garage door installation company has to offer is emergency services. After all, if someone breaks into your home, you need someone who can come by to repair your door in the middle of the night.
Even if it’s a more minor emergency—such as your garage door getting stuck when you need to leave the house to go to work in the morning—you need a company that can fix your garage door ASAP.
Otherwise, you could end up missing an entire day of work.
When calling up the different companies, ask them if they provide this service. If they don’t, then you shouldn’t consider them when it comes to your garage door installation.
Garage Door Installation Company Certifications
Any garage door installation company worth their salt will have all the certifications required nationally and by the state, they’re based in. Find out what these are so that you can check that the installation companies you’re considering hiring have them.
Usually, there are also industry certifications. If the company doesn’t have these, the work they do for you may be subpar.
As we mentioned earlier, some companies hire contractors to complete work for them. When researching companies, ask if these contractors have the certifications and training necessary to get the job done.
After all, if the company is certified but their workers aren’t, then the certification won’t mean much when the workers are installing your garage door.
Especially considering that you’ll be giving these workers access to your home, it’s important to require that they’re certified, too.
Need More Information?
Now that you’ve learned about everything you need to consider when choosing a garage door installation company, you might need additional information. Maybe you want to learn about construction companies near you who can provide this service.
Or maybe you want to learn a bit more about which strategies to use to find the right garage door for your home. Whatever information you need, you can learn more about it in our blog.
