You have had your home for a while, or maybe you are buying or building a new home and it is time to look into buying a garage door. It can’t be stated enough that your garage door is a big part of how your home looks from the outside. The door can take up to 40% of the side of your home that you have it on. Plus, many use their garage door as their front door. This means buying the right garage door can be a big deal. The right garage door could even increase your home’s value. Yet for many, including first-time homeowners, choosing a new garage door is not something they have done before. Others just may not know everything to consider when buying a garage door because it’s been years since they have done so. If either of these two cases matches your circumstance, here are some considerations when buying a garage door.
Garage Door Buying Considerations
Know What You Are Replacing.
When you are looking to replace something, it’s always good to know what you currently are replacing. Look for any documentation about the garage door from when you bought the home. Also, do not just assume your garage door measurement. Not all garage doors are standard size. If you bought a house that was previously custom-built, the garage door may be a custom size as well. To measure, you should measure the opening and the distance from the door track to the garage ceiling.
Find Out If You Have HOA Requirements.
If you live in a neighborhood with an HOA (Homeowners Association), they may already have a guideline for the garage doors they will allow. Guidelines may include that you need a wind-rated garage door in consideration to hurricanes and storms here in the Houston area.
Know Your Costs for a Garage Door.
Garage doors can vary tremendously depending on the material and the style you are looking for. Aluminum garage doors can start as low as around $500. Custom wood garage doors can run several thousand dollars. On average, expect to pay $1200 to $5000 for a mid-range 16-by-7-foot door.
Learn Materials.
Garage doors come in several different types of materials. The materials include steel, aluminum, fiberglass, and wood. The 2 most common are wood and steel. We outline some of the basic differences in our Steel Garage Doors Vs Wooden Garage Doors blog post. Each of these materials has advantages and disadvantages to them. You want to get to know what they are so you can make an informed decision on what type of garage door you want.
Decide on Insulation.
It gets hot here in Houston, really hot. Due to this, you may want to consider getting an insulated garage door. Here in Houston, an insulated door prevents excess hot air from getting into your garage, lowering your cooling cost. We go more into garage door insulation at Insulated Garage Door – Have a Cooler Houston Home
Bonus Tip: DIY or Professional installation.
If you are a regular handyman (or handywoman) type of person, to save on costs you may want to buy a garage door you can install yourself. However, if something breaks during installation, you do not have a parts and labor warranty to cover any damage or need to get a new door. With a professional garage door installation, you do get parts and labor warranty to make sure you get want you want, and if not, it’s fixed without any extra costs. You will want to go with a reputable garage door installation company. You can read about tips for hiring a garage door contractor here.
About Spectrum Overhead Door LLC.
If you are in the Houston or surrounding area, we provide a free consultation and estimate. Spectrum Overhead Door has been providing the Houston area with award-winning garage door installation service since 2006. Call 281-748-9542 to schedule an appointment today!