• Should You Repair or Replace Your Garage Door?

• Price

• Warranties

• 8-40 Rule

• Manufacturers

• Timing

• Colors

• Styles

• Construction & Quality

• Materials & Finishes

• Windows

• Insulation

1. Have you had any repairs in the past?

If your garage door has been requiring frequent repairs, it may be time to part ways and get a new one!

2. Do you like the look of your garage door?

What’s the point of having a garage door that you don’t like looking at? Upgrading your malfunctioning garage door to one that’s more eye-catching will resolve two issues at once! Take a look at our many garage door colors!

3. What type of garage door do you currently have?

If you have a high-end, custom wood door, a repair is often the more financially sound choice. However, if you have a contractor-grade steel door and you’re facing a costly repair, a replacement may be the wiser decision.

4. How old is your garage door?

One thing to keep in mind is that the older your garage door gets, the bigger the chances of the door malfunctioning. Is your garage door 8 years old or older? If so, the pros of replacing it will probably outweigh the cons.

5. What type of repair is required?

Depending on the issue that the door is presenting, a repair may be merely a “temporary fix” and it’s unlikely that it will last very long. In this case, it’s better to consider a replacement instead.

6. Is the door worth the repair?

Sometimes, it’s wiser to buy a new door rather than spend money to repair the one you currently have. Costs should always play a major role in your decision. You can use the 8-40 rule (see next slide) for guidance.

If your garage door is 8+ years old and you’re still trying to decide whether you should repair or replace your garage door, you can follow these steps to find the answer:

1. Find out the cost of replacing the door.

The very first thing you must do when using the 8-40 rule is to find out how much it would cost for you to replace your current garage door with an equivalent model. You can do this either by doing research on the internet or contacting different garage door service companies.

2. Multiply the replacement price by 40%.

Once you get an estimated cost of replacing your garage door, multiply this value by 40%. The result will be an approximate value of how much you’ll spend to get the door repaired. It’s important to note that this percentage decreases as the age of your garage door increases. Refer to the graph for percentage.

3. Compare this amount to the cost of your repair.

Now, it’s time for you to compare the two values that you obtained in Steps 1 and 2. If the repair cost is greater, the best option is to go for a replacement. If it’s less, choose to get a repair instead.

If you’ve decided that replacing your garage door is the best option in terms of finances, you’re probably wondering how you can choose the best new garage door. From style to color to construction, there are so many decisions to make!

 While it would be much easier to simply pick the first garage door you see, doing this would only result in different issues down the road, and we’re certain that you don’t want to spend money unnecessarily just because your garage door isn’t good enough.

 To avoid choosing a door that is only going to make you spend money, you will have to take different factors into account. For instance, would you know how to choose the best garage door style? While this may sound like a choice that is related exclusively to aesthetics, it’s not.

Garage door styles, price, manufacturers, color, insulation, and windows are just a few of the aspects that you must consider when choosing your new garage door. At A1 Garage, we’re here to help guide you toward the garage door that’s the best fit for your home.

 With that in mind, this section is entirely dedicated to helping you understand a bit more about these different factors, so that you can choose a garage door that will last for many years.

There are five things to consider when budgeting for a new garage door: size, material, quality/construction, finish, and hardware/warranty. Together, these factors will determine the final price of garage doors.

Depending on the size of your garage, you will either need a single door or a double door. Double doors are more expensive than single doors, given their size. As you can see in the table below, a double door can be twice as expensive as a single door.

The material of the garage door will also increase or decrease its final price. You can pick between wood, steel, aluminum, or synthetic doors. Some types of steel garage doors tend to be cheaper than the other materials, while wooden doors can be quite expensive.

When we buy a product, we want to make sure that we’re buying a high-quality product. This also applies to choosing a new garage door — you want to make sure that you’re putting your money into something that will last for a long time.

In this case, it’s essential that you take the quality/construction of the door into consideration. The more layers your garage door has, the better the quality of the door. However, having more layers means that the price of the door will increase as well.

The finishing of a garage door is essential to increase the lifespan of the door, so you want to make sure that you’re getting the best kind of finish. Premium colors will last longer, but they are also more costly.

Finally, another aspect to keep in mind is the hardware/warranty. The garage doors that are considered industry standard will be cheaper than doors that have high cycle parts. High cycle parts can make your garage door last twice as long as an industry-standard door.

While choosing a door that fits your budget is essential, it’s also important to do some research on the different manufacturers that sell garage doors. Try to get information regarding their production process and the types of materials that they use to manufacture their doors.

This way, you’ll make sure that you’re choosing a brand that sells high-quality doors that will be durable and reliable. At A1 Garage, we work with different brands so that our clients can have a wide array of options to choose from. Below, we’ll briefly introduce two of these brands.

Bridgeport

Considering that your garage door will make up for a significant part of the front facade of your home, choosing the ideal style is essential. We’re sure that you don’t want to have a garage door that will hurt the eyes of whoever’s looking at it and not complement the look of your house at all.

If you like the style of the garage door you currently have, great; you won’t have to worry about choosing a new style. But if you don’t like the look of your garage door, changing it will improve not only the aesthetics of your house but also your quality of life.

Once your garage door is old and paying for repair is no longer a financially smart decision, this is the perfect opportunity for you to replace the door and choose a different style but be aware that there is a wide array of style options that you can choose from.

While A1 Garage can give you valuable advice when it comes to choosing the ideal garage door style that best fits your home, it’s also important that you learn about the different types of garage door styles.

Short Panel Door

You’ve probably noticed how some garage doors have longer panels while others have shorter ones. A short panel door can have up to 24 panels decorating its facade if it’s a double garage door.

While the number or width of these panels doesn’t affect the efficiency of the doors when it comes to insulation and energy, it affects the aesthetic. The style of a short panel garage door adds more dimension to the facade of your home, considering the number of panels it has.

Long Panel Door

The opposite of a short panel door, long panel doors have rectangular panels of higher width. While you can have more than 20 short panels in double doors, a long panel double garage door can only have approximately 12 panels.

Once again, it’s important to reiterate that the number or width of the panels won’t change anything other than the aesthetics of your door. If you want a garage door that adds a cleaner look to your house, long panel doors are ideal.

Flush Panel Door

No other type of garage door style will exhale more minimalist energy than a flush panel door.

Unlike long panel and short panel doors, flush panel garage doors don’t have raised rectangular panels at all. Instead, these doors have panels that resemble wood planks. You’ll notice that most flush panel garage doors come in solid, strong colors — that’s to make up for the lack of ornaments.

Flush panel doors are ideal for modern houses. They’re also the best option if you want a minimalist design or if you want a garage door that won’t take attention from the surrounding walls, which may have intricate details.

While all the factors mentioned previously are essential, one of the most important aspects to keep an eye on is the construction and quality of your new garage door. Not only will these two aspects affect the final price of your door, but they will also determine how efficient it will be.

When choosing your new garage door, make to check the number of layers that it has. The number of layers will directly affect the insulation of your garage door. The more layers in your garage door, the more durability it will have.

On top of that, the number of layers will also determine how much of the external sounds will come into your house. If you have a 3-layered garage door, it will reduce the noises from outside and maintain your home in peaceful silence.

Here are some mention-worthy facts about the construction and quality of garage doors:

1 Layer Garage Door

($2,000—$2,500)

2 Layer Garage Door

($2,500—$3,500)

3 Layer Garage Door

($3,500—$6,500)

• Base garage door option
• Hollow cavity
• Extremely cost-effective option

• Foam insulation panels are inserted into the hollow cavities on the inside of the door, which enhances the door’s insulation value.

• A layer of steel on the exterior, a layer of steel on the interior and a solid insulated core.

As you start your research on garage doors, you’ll notice that there are many different types of materials used to make these doors. Some of these materials are cheaper but have less durability. Other types require a certain investment but are more durable and efficient.

The most popular materials options include aluminum, glass, steel, faux/synthetic wood, and wood garage doors. In addition to considering the price of these materials, it’s important to keep in mind that each material has its advantages and disadvantages.

Aluminum & Glass Garage Doors

If your house has a modern architectural design, choosing a garage door made of aluminum and glass is a great option. Instead of wooden panels, this type of door will have glass panels, which adds an eye-catching quality to the garage door.

One of the advantages of choosing an aluminum and glass garage door is that they’re cheaper than other materials, plus they can be customized to fit your preferences. The downside is that aluminum and glass are not as durable as steel, for instance, so it’s easier to cause damage to these doors. 

Price range: $4,500—$15,000

Steel Garage Doors

Most garage doors are made of steel, for this material is cheaper than most other types of doors. However, unlike aluminum and glass doors, steel garage doors are quite durable, not to mention that they offer privacy that aluminum and glass doors don’t usually offer.

Steel garage doors are not as heavy as some wooden garage doors, so they’re also low maintenance. The downside is that this material is not as resistant to rust, especially if the finish is not good enough. 

Price range: $2,000—$10,000

Faux/Synthetic Wood Garage Doors

Faux wood garage doors are made of fiberglass, which allows them to have that wooden appearance. In fact, some synthetic wood garage doors are so well-finished that you might even think it’s real wood.

However, unlike wood, this material is less susceptible to cracking or shrinking because of moisture. Hence why they’re recommended for clients that live in humid areas. On the other hand, this type of material is way more susceptible to wind or brittle damage than wood doors, so don’t choose this material if you live in a windy area.

Price range: $4,500—$15,000

Wood Garage Doors

If you’re looking for a premium garage door, it doesn’t any more premium than choosing a wood door. This may be the most expensive garage door material, but it’s also one of the best. If you maintain your wood garage door properly, it is going to have a quite long lifespan.

In addition to being durable and providing natural insulation, wood garage doors also add a lot of beauty to the front facade of your home. There are many different types of wood garage door styles to choose from, as well as different species of wood.

The downside of this material is that wood garage doors are heavier than other doors and require constant maintenance, especially if you want to extend their lifespan as much as you can.

Price range: $4,500—$15,000

Once again, let’s look at a garage door as a very large rectangular panel. As we said before, these panels wouldn’t look any special if they didn’t have details, such as short or long or even flush panels.

The same argument can be used when talking about windows. Adding windows to your garage door completely changes the way that the door will look. Instead of having a “simple” appearance, your garage door will look more modern as well as aesthetically pleasing.

On top of improving appearance, windows also contribute in other ways, such as allowing natural light to come into your garage.

Before you make the decision of whether to add windows to your garage door, you need to compare the pros and cons and see which one outweighs the other in your opinion. In the table below, you’ll see some pros and cons of buying a garage door with windows.

Insulation is nothing more than thermal management. That is, adding insulation to your house means that you are keeping the temperature within your property stable. For instance, your home will remain cool during the summer; during the winter, it will stay warm.

There are different ways to add insulation to your house and choosing an insulated garage door is one of them. Even if your garage is not directly connected to your house, keeping it insulated will help preserve the things you store in there.

An insulated garage door will not only help manage the temperature in your garage, but it will also help filter the noises that come from outside. Remember the layers we talked about previously? Those layers are responsible for the insulation of your garage door.

When considering if you should get an insulated garage door, stay aware that there are a lot of factors involved in the answer, but two things to keep in mind are:

1. Each garage is different in shape and construction.
2. The climate you live in matters!

R-Value

The R-value of a garage door is a number that correlates to the door’s ability to slow the transfer of heat. A higher R-value is better. In the winter, this pertains to how slowly it allows the heat inside your garage to escape outside. In the summer, it defines how slowly outside heat seeps into your garage. It’s important to keep in mind that your door’s R-value has a direct effect on the cost of your heating and cooling bills.

Polystyrene vs. Polyurethane Insulation

When it comes to insulated garage doors, there are two materials that stand out in the insulation process: polystyrene and polyurethane. You’ll find one of these two materials stored in-between the layers of your garage door.

Polystyrene is significantly more popular than the other material, especially because it’s easier to install and cheaper. However, polyurethane is more efficient during the insulation process and it’s this material that you’ll find in premium garage doors.

Each time your door goes up and down equals one cycle, with the industry standard for garage door parts considered to be 10,000 cycles. The lifespan of your garage door will be determined by the number of times you use it.

Let’s say that you use your garage door five times a day, 350 days a year. In this case, the lifespan of your garage door will be around 5-6 years.

Upgrading your parts to a higher cycle count means you can expect a longer lifespan from those parts. Some higher cycle parts will even improve the operation of your door and can help the door function smoother and quieter.

However, even higher cycle parts can be damaged and stop working, this is why having a warranty is essential when you buy a new garage door. You never know when your garage door or one of its parts will present issues, so you want to be sure that your garage door service company will provide repair services and a replacement when necessary.

Warranties for garage doors are directly proportional to their life expectancy. The more cycles your garage door can withstand, the longer its lifespan will be. The longer the lifespan, the cheaper the warranty.

This chart provides a quick overview of the most common cycle counts available, expected lifespan, and the typical warranty that comes with those parts.

It’s important for clients to know that there are three types of garage door warranties available and each of these types will vary in length and coverage. When purchasing a new garage door, make sure to ask your provider to give you information about the warranty.

Each company has a different warranty policy; thus you won’t always get the most of your money. You may be unknowingly paying a lot of money for a warranty that only covers certain aspects!

These are the types of garage door warranties you can get:

Labor Warranty

This warranty is offered through your garage door installation company and lasts an average of 1–3 years after installation. It covers the cost associated with improper installation and any defective parts during the warranty period.

Parts Warranty

This is by far the most important warranty that comes with your new garage door. It covers all the mechanical parts that allow your door to operate and typically coincides with the quality of parts that come with your door. Warranties on different packages can range from one year to a lifetime.

Finish Warranty

This warranty refers to the paint system or finish of the garage door and ranges from three years to a lifetime. It protects against fading and rusting of the paint system. However, it’s important for us to remind you that this warranty may be voided if you paint over the original finish.

Once you buy your new garage door, you’ll certainly be excited to have it installed so that you can show off your beautiful new garage door to your neighbors. The very first thing you must do—that is, if you haven’t done it yet— is to find a company that provides garage door installation services.

Each company will establish how long it will take for them to install your new garage door. The installation time will vary based on different aspects, such as the number of workers and how skilled they are, as well as the size of the door.

Here’s an estimate of how long it will take A1 Garage to install your new garage door:

When it comes to garage doors, we have three categories of doors in relation to lead times: stock doors, special order doors, and custom doors. Lead times can vary by product, material availability, time of year, and other outside factors.

Stock doors are those garage doors that you see at the store or at the store’s website. Because they’re prefabricated, the delivery time of stock doors is shorter. Now, if you choose a special-order door, you’ll have to wait a bit longer, for these doors have unique styles, even if they’re not necessarily custom doors.

Semi-custom and custom doors are the ones that you will have to wait for the longest time period. These doors will be manufactured from scratch based on your preferences and the design created by you or by a professional that you hired.