Blog | GARAGE DOORS
What Does “Powered by A1” Mean?
Who owns Don’s Garage Doors? Is Welborn Garage still a local company? Is this a franchise? Will anything change when I call? Here are straight answers.
“Powered by A1” means a local garage door company is owned and supported by A1 Garage Door Service while continuing to operate under the trusted local name customers know.
- What stays local: The brand, service team, community relationships, market knowledge, and local reputation.
- What A1 adds: National resources, advanced training, technology, operational support, industry relationships, and nearly two decades of experience.
- Who is Powered by A1: Don’s Garage Doors, Garage Door Doctor, and Welborn Garage are part of the A1 family of brands.
- The scale behind it: 35 markets in 21 states, 217,000+ Google reviews averaging 4.87 stars on jobs completed by 730 technicians.
Powered by A1 is an ownership relationship. It is not a franchise, a referral program, or a paid endorsement. You get the local company you already know, with the people, training, and resources of A1 behind it.
Local names. Local teams. A1 behind every one of them.
When you see “Powered by A1,” the company serving your home is part of the A1 Garage Door Service family. It is locally established and locally focused, and it is backed by the people, training, and experience of a family of companies.
How Did A1 Grow from One Van to a Family of Brands?
In 2007, Tommy Mello founded A1 Garage Door Service with a single van, a lot of grit, and one goal: give homeowners a level of service they had never experienced before.
Tommy believed then, and A1 still believes, that a company is only as good as the way it treats its customers and its people. That belief took one van to more than 1,000 team members serving 35 markets in 21 states.
As A1 grew, it found other respected garage door companies built on many of the same principles: work hard, treat people right, know your craft, and take pride in the communities you serve. Rather than erase the local names and reputations those teams spent decades building, A1 welcomed them into one family and gave them greater resources to keep growing.
Since then, A1 has welcomed 21 garage door companies into the family. Three of them kept their local names: Don’s Garage Doors, Garage Door Doctor, and Welborn Garage.
That is the idea behind Powered by A1.
Every company in the family has its own story. Every market has its own needs. But all of us are united by the same commitment: show up ready, do the work right, treat people with respect, and be there long after the job is done.
That’s A1 from Day 1. Always.
How Big Is the A1 Family of Brands?
Founded in 2007
Nearly two decades of A1 growth, learning, and service.
1,000+ team members
A national organization built around skilled people and customer care.
35 markets
Local service teams supported by a growing nationwide network.
21 states served
Broad reach with teams rooted in the communities where they work.
8-time Inc. 5000 honoree
Named to the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies eight times, most recently in 2026.
Service roots dating to 1987
Decades of combined local knowledge across the A1 family of brands.
21 companies acquired
Three kept their local names: Don’s Garage Doors, Garage Door Doctor, and Welborn Garage.
730+ technicians
Trained through A1’s programs and working in the communities they serve.
217,000 Google reviews
Averaging 4.87 stars across A1 and the Powered by A1 brands.
What Stays Local, and What Does A1 Add?
What stays local
- The established brand name customers recognize
- Local service teams, with every technician offered a place on the team
- Knowledge of local homes, building styles, weather, and garage door needs
- Long-standing relationships within the community
- The brand’s history, personality, and local reputation
- Services and customer programs designed for the local market
What customers gain from A1
- The support and stability of a national garage door service organization
- A deeper investment in technician training and career development
- Technology and systems that make scheduling, communication, and service more consistent
- Expanded operational, recruiting, marketing, and customer-care resources
- Strong industry and manufacturer relationships
- The knowledge of a nationwide network of garage door professionals
- Shared service principles centered on respect, accountability, and doing the job right
Which Companies are Powered by A1?
A1 Garage Door Service
The national platform behind the family
Founded by Tommy Mello in 2007, A1 Garage Door Service grew from a single van into a company with more than 1,000 team members serving 35 markets. A1 handles garage door repair, replacement, installation, maintenance, openers, and 24/7 emergency service.
A1’s role in the family is to make every brand stronger without changing what made people trust it in the first place. That means investing in people, sharing technology and proven systems, strengthening manufacturer relationships, and giving local teams more resources to take care of their customers.
Proof points
- Founded in 2007
- More than 1,000 team members
- Serving 35 markets across 21 US states
- Named to the Inc. 5000 eight times, most recently in 2026
- 2026 BBB Torch Awards for Ethics finalist
- Tommy Mello named a 2026 Most Admired Leader by the Phoenix Business Journal
- 4.87-star Google rating based on 163,000 reviews
Don’s Garage Doors
Serving homeowners since 1989
Don’s Garage Doors has earned the trust of homeowners through decades of garage door repair, installation, and maintenance. Founded in Colorado in 1989, Don’s joined the A1 Garage Door Service family in 2022 and continues to operate under the Don’s name.
As a Powered by A1 company, Don’s keeps the local service culture and reputation customers know while gaining the training, technology, industry relationships, and operational strength of A1. Today, Don’s serves communities across Colorado, Indiana, Ohio, and Missouri.
Proof points
- Serving homeowners since 1989
- More than 102,000 customers served
- 4.88-star Google rating based on 22,900+ reviews
- BBB A+ rating and accreditation maintained since 1999
- Clopay Master Authorized Dealer
- LiftMaster Authorized Dealer
Garage Door Doctor
Honest, quality work at a fair price since 1987
Garage Door Doctor was founded in Houston in 1987 as a family business dedicated to residential garage door repair, maintenance, and installation. After serving generations of Texas homeowners, Garage Door Doctor joined the A1 Garage Door Service family in 2023 and continues to operate under its established name.
Being powered by A1 gives Garage Door Doctor access to greater resources, scale, training, technology, and industry support while preserving the local knowledge, experienced team, and customer-first values that built its reputation. Garage Door Doctor serves homeowners across Greater Houston and supports the family’s growing presence in Texas.
Proof points
- Founded in Houston in 1987
- More than 250,000 customers served
- 4.9-star Google rating based on 20,500+ reviews
- More than 35 years of residential garage door experience
- Locally established Texas brand backed by A1’s national resources
Welborn Garage
A trusted Dallas–Fort Worth name for more than 25 years
Welborn Garage has served North Texas homeowners for more than 25 years, growing from a local garage door company into a full-service garage organization offering garage door repair and installation, custom storage, floor coatings, gate services, and commercial solutions.
Welborn joined the A1 Garage Door Service family in 2026. It continues to operate under the Welborn name with the same neighbor-first focus, now supported by A1’s training, technology, logistics, industry relationships, and national resources.
Proof points
- More than 25 years serving Dallas–Fort Worth
- 150,000+ garage doors repaired
- 4.91-star Google rating based on 11,000+ reviews
- 15 offices across the DFW Metroplex
- BBB-accredited business with an A+ rating
What Do All Powered by A1 Companies Have in Common?
A garage door is the largest moving object in your home. Your family drives under it twice a day. So when a company you have trusted for 30 years joins a bigger one, you are right to ask what changes.
Here is the straight answer. The name on the van stays. The local team stays, and every technician is offered a place on it. What changes is what stands behind them: more training, more parts on the truck, and a phone that gets answered at 2 am.
Every company in the family also works by the same rule: make the right sale, not the easy sale. If a small repair is the right fix, we tell you. If a door is not worth repairing, we tell you that too. And we stand behind the work long after the job is done.
That’s A1 from Day 1. Always.
How Do I Find a Powered by A1 Company Near Me?
Whether your local garage door company carries the A1 name or one of our trusted local names, you can expect a team committed to professional service, clear communication, quality workmanship, and respect for your home.
Find an A1 Garage Door Service Location
Or visit a member of the A1 family directly:
Learn more about how the A1 family works:
- Customer Reviews Hub:
- How Much Does a New Garage Door Cost?
- Warranties, Policies & Ethics:
- Our Editorial Process:
- Get an Instant Estimate:
Frequently Asked Questions About “Powered by A1”
Is a Powered by A1 company owned by A1 Garage Door Service?
Yes. Powered by A1 companies are owned by A1 Garage Door Service. Powered by A1 is an ownership relationship. It is not a franchise, a referral program, or a paid endorsement.
Why does the company still use its local name?
Local brands have earned trust in their communities over many years. Keeping the local name honors that history and helps preserve the identity, relationships, and market knowledge that made the company successful. A1’s role is to strengthen the local brand, not erase it.
Will I still receive service from a local team?
Yes. Powered by A1 brands continue serving customers through teams connected to their local markets. Those teams understand the homes, climate, products, and garage door needs common to the communities they serve.
Do all Powered by A1 brands offer the same services, warranties, and promotions?
Not always. Services, products, warranties, guarantees, financing, and promotions may vary by brand and location. For the terms that apply to your home, see our Warranties, Policies & Ethics page or ask the company that did your work.
How can I tell whether a company is Powered by A1?
Look for the official “Powered by A1” statement or badge on the company’s website, vehicles, uniforms, or other materials. References to “Powered by A1” should link to this page for the complete explanation.
Will the same technicians still come to my house?
Every technician is offered the chance to stay. When a company joins the A1 family, its technicians are invited to stay on, and the local team keeps serving the same communities under the same local name. Not everyone stays, so you may meet a new face, but they work for the same local company you called.
If I call Don’s, Garage Door Doctor, or Welborn, who shows up?
A technician from that local company. Powered by A1 brands are served by their own local teams, trained through A1’s programs and backed by A1’s resources.
Is my warranty from before the acquisition still honored?
Yes. Warranties issued before a company joined the A1 family are still honored. To file a claim, call the company that did your installation. They have your records and will handle it directly.
Did prices change after a company joins the A1 family of brands?
In most cases, yes. When a company joins the A1 family, its price book is updated, so some prices change. Prices still differ by brand and market, because each company prices for its own products and costs. Whichever company you call, you get a written quote before any work starts, and you can check typical ranges for your area with our instant estimator.