You just had the house and garage re-sided, but now the garage door looks woefully out of place. Or, the garage door is malfunctioning and only opens and closes part of the way now. And, worst of all, you have just backed into the garage door and destroyed the poor thing! It does not matter how or why, you just know that you need a new garage door and you would like to have it quickly. Here are some of the questions that you should keep in mind when installing the professionals who might do this task for you, as well as a few things to watch out for.
Interview Questions for a Garage Door Contractor:
- Are you a licensed contractor in California?
- How long have you been in business in the California area?
- What is your professional title?
- Do you hold any licenses, certificates or degrees in the industry?
- Are you a member in good standing in any professional organizations?
- Have you ever had any negative reports filed against you with the Better Business Bureau?
- Are you bonded and insured?
- How many employees do you have?
- Do you give written estimates with a pricing guarantee?
- Is your completed work guaranteed?
Make sure that you consider the types of doors that are available for your garage- some styles may only come in certain sizes. There may also be some limitations to the color choice that you can get. When you make a final selection you should also consider the automatic garage door opener that you would like to have as well. Have this included in the estimate as well.
The things to watch out for:
- "Companies" that just suddenly, show up offering to install discount garage doors and opener systems at unbelievable prices. This might be a scam- reputable garage door contractors are too busy to go door to door.
- If you are not sure whether you need a new door or not do not ask the contractor dealer for advice- the answer will surely be yes.
Having a garage door installed should not take much more than a few hours, unless it is a very large or very complex system that is being used. Test the mechanism out a few times before the crew leaves so any adjustments that need to be made can be.