A damaged garage door is more than just inconvenient. Your garage door might be the most important entrance to your house. It offers safety, comfort, beauty, and efficiency. Your day may come to a standstill if it fails.
Hiring garage door installation services will take care of the problem. Hiring the right business ensures that it never happens again. Here’s how to choose the finest garage door repair company for you.
Content Summary
Qualifications of a Garage Door Installation Company
Garage door emergencies require prompt response to protect safety and security. A malfunctioning spring, cable, track, or sensor might result in a dangerous situation. If your garage also acts as a storage space, a faulty garage door puts your assets at risk. A linked garage with a faulty door might pose a security issue. As a result of these factors, having a reliable and quick garage door repair or installation firm like STI Garage Door on your contact list is vital to avoiding break-ins.
Finding a trustworthy garage door repair business may look challenging due to the large number of options available, all claiming to be the finest. Prioritize these characteristics to simplify your search.
Training
Garage door installation professionals do not require any official education or training. The most popular method of learning the requisite abilities is through on-the-job training. Technicians, on the other hand, receive official training and certification from trade schools and other organizations. A company that is willing to spend extra money to hire graduates is a positive sign.
Look for firms that promote the usage of qualified technicians. This typically means that the firm provides ongoing education to its employees. Even the garage door sector is susceptible to changing technologies, necessitating ongoing training.
Licensing
Garage door repair businesses must be licensed general contractors. Employees of the firm are exempt from obtaining their own license. Most states categorize contractor licenses as either residential or commercial. Both licenses might be held by the same company.
To get a license, a significant member of the organization must submit proof of competence and pass a test to verify their industry understanding. To retain a contractor license, the individual must show proof of ongoing education and insurance on a yearly basis.
Insurance
All contractors, including garage door repair companies, must carry general liability insurance. This protects the homeowner against financial or other consequences in the event of an accident to the contractor or property damage as a result of their actions. Many states require contractors to carry an additional bond to safeguard the homeowner from poor or unfinished workmanship.
Services Provided by a Garage Door Installation Company
Garage door installation firms provide much more than just basic fixes. Most respond quickly to garage door emergencies. Many operate on a 24-hour emergency basis. In addition, garage door installation firms offer many or all of the following garage door services:
- Installation, replacement, or repair of door openers
- comprehension of all offered objects
- Sales of garage doors
- Installation of new construction
- Replacement of a garage door
- Maintenance and safety inspections are performed on a regular basis.
Installation Completed
The main specialization of your garage door installation company is repair services. The following is a list of typical door issues that are frequently repairable or quickly replaceable:
- Cables that are broken or loose
- Sensors that are not working properly
- The door opener is not working
- Door tracks that are not aligned
- Rollers that are broken or loose
- Broken or sagging hinges
- Tension springs that have broken
- Damage to the door frame
- Damage to the door panel
Maintenance Plans
Reputable garage door repair businesses strive to save their clients from having to deal with a door problem in the first place. As a result, they provide annual maintenance services on a regular basis. They will do the following maintenance services for a fair fee:
- Perform a general damage inspection.
- Check for and adjust any loose hinges or roller guides.
- Examine and replace damaged rollers
- Check for and straighten loose tracks.
- Examine the operation of the door opener and make any necessary adjustments.
- Lubricate moving parts, including the door opener if necessary, and inspect weather seals for deterioration.
- Examine the safety sensors and the automatic reverse feature.
- Check the spring balance.
How to Find a Garage Door Installation Service
A excellent place to start is by asking friends and neighbors who they’ve hired for garage door service. Inquire about their experiences. A nice follow-up question is if they would utilize that firm again.
Internet reviews on credible websites are another excellent source of information. Examine the websites of several firms to see whether they have any accreditations. Seek out businesses that employ qualified technicians. Check the Better Business Bureau rating of a firm. Your state’s Department of Labor can check your licensing information online.
Now that you’ve looked for and discovered numerous firms or licensed individuals, such as STI Garage Door team, that appear to fulfill your requirements, it’s time to narrow your search to a chosen few. Call them and get satisfactory answers to the following questions.
Inquiries to Make of a Garage Door Installation Company
- Are you certified and insured?
- Do you charge an hourly or set cost, and what services do you provide?
- Can you supply references? (This is critical if they are a licensed individual)
- What are your financial expectations?
- Do you offer written quotes?
- Do you provide free quotes?
Questions To Ask A Garage Door Company
After speaking with a few firms, schedule a free estimate with at least three of them. If they refuse to provide a free estimate, go on to the next provider. Estimate fees are frequently intended to discourage you from soliciting several bids. Ask for an estimate for your immediate needs and obtain answers to the following questions during the in-person meeting:
- Was the business representative on time?
- Is the representative receptive to your inquiries?
- Did they have you sign anything before you left?
- In general, did you feel at ease speaking with them?
You should be confident in your hiring selection after finishing the discussions and getting precise estimates in writing from all of them. Keep in mind that the lowest bid is not usually the best one.
We do not recommend doing repairs yourself if you do not have the appropriate professional skills, but for a more detailed study of the topic and to choose the best company, you can find some information in the magazine “This Old House”
