The garage door on your home plays an important role in protecting your belongings, such as your vehicles, but it also needs to look nice to contribute to the aesthetic appeal of your home’s exterior. Since most homeowners don’t know exactly how the garage door works or how to repair it, they will often need to call a repair company if something goes wrong. Unfortunately there are some unscrupulous contractors out there who overcharge or do poor quality work, which is why homeowners should pay attention to how to select a garage door repair company and avoid bad contractors.
Don’t Accept the First Bid You Receive
Most people don’t know exactly how much it should cost to repair a garage door, so if you simply accept the first bid that you get from any contractor, you have no way to know if it is excessively high (which means you’re probably getting ripped off) or excessively low, which could indicate low quality work. Get multiple bids and compare them to one another to avoid getting scammed.
Check With Repair and Sales/Service Companies
Some garage door companies only provide repair, while others provide a variety of services, including sales, repair, and installation. Be wary of someone who only does repairs, as they may be trying to take advantage of the fact that consumers often know very little about how much repairs and parts should cost, and they are desperate for a quick fix when their garage won’t open or close.
Check What Others Are Saying
While not everything on the Internet is true, you can often get a sense of whether a company is honest and ethical by reading what others have to say. Check review on websites like Google and KSL, or specialized home repair sites, and look at whether they have a lot of complaints on sites like the Better Business Bureau. If past customers are unhappy, chances are you might be too if you hire them.
Check the Company’s Name and Address
Sometimes unethical repair companies will operate under several different names, which allows them to advertise and get several phone calls, and makes it harder for customers to track complaints. Avoid companies with generic advertising online (such as “garage doors” or “door repair” instead of a company name), and those who answer their phones with the same generic introduction. You can also verify the company by finding one with a local street address (not just a PO Box) to avoid shady contractors who operate out of a pickup truck with a cell phone and would be hard to find later if you needed them.
When you need speedy garage door repair, you want to work with a reputable company and avoid getting scammed. Call A-1 Garage Door Repairs today to find out more and get a free estimate.
