New doors
New garage door installation and replacement in Fishers
Call to talk through a new door with an independent contractor. It helps to have decided a few things first, and they are listed below.
Your call goes to an independent garage door contractor.
What you'll need to decide
- Size
- The door has to fit the opening, with room above and beside it for the tracks and springs. The contractor measures this before ordering.
- One door or two
- On a two-car opening, one wide door needs one opener. If your garage has separate openings, each door needs its own.
- Material
- Steel, wood composite, wood, or aluminum with glass. They differ in weight, upkeep and how easily they dent.
- Insulation
- Worth paying attention to if the garage shares a wall with the house or has a room above it. See the winter guide.
- Style and windows
- Flat, raised or carriage house. Check your neighborhood's covenant first if you have one, because some limit style and color.
- Opener
- A heavier door may need a stronger opener. Ask whether yours can be kept. See opener installation.
What the work involves
Measure
The contractor checks the opening, the room above it and the floor. An opening that's out of square should come up here, before anything is ordered.
Remove the old door
This is the dangerous part, because the old springs are still under tension. Don't start it yourself to save time.
Hang and balance the new door
The spring is set to the door's weight, so the door holds still when stopped halfway.
Connect and test
The opener goes on and the reverse is tested with a board on the floor. Ask to watch this.
Put it in writing
The Indiana Attorney General says a home improvement contract should show the price, the payment schedule, the work and materials in detail, expected start and finish dates, the contractor's name and address, a contact for problems and a signature.
The same office says never to pay for the whole job up front, or more than one third as a down payment. The hiring guide has the rest.
One panel or the whole door
A single damaged section can sometimes be swapped, if the maker still sells one that matches. Bring the door's label or a photo to the conversation. The repair or replace guide covers how to weigh it.
Need someone to look at the door?
Call this number to reach an independent contractor. Say what the door is doing, whether it is stuck open or shut, and what happened just before it stopped.