Top Questions to Ask a Garage Door Repair Technician

Most people take their garage doors for granted, but that quickly changes once the doors stop working. When that happens, the first step is usually to find a garage door repair company who can fix the problem quickly. However, it’s important to pick the right one. A poorly executed repair job could mean future repairs within the next few months, which is good for the repair company but not so great for your bank account. Even worse, a malfunctioning garage door could lead to damaged vehicles, or even injuries to you or your family.

Not only is it important to get a broken garage door repaired quickly, but it’s also important to find the right company for the job. For example, someone in Wayne County, Michigan could search for the best garage door service company in Dearborn Heights. This would turn up some of the top local options, ensuring that they get service that’s both thorough and fast.

However, you can’t leave your choice of garage door repair company to the Google search results – you should also do your own homework! If you want to learn more about a particular garage door repair business, visit their website. This should give you some idea about how seriously they take themselves, and how seriously they take their customers. An outdated or glitchy website isn’t a good sign; if they aren’t on top of their online image, what other part of their business are they neglecting? A put-together website with useful information, on the other hand, is a good sign. This isn’t a guarantee that their glossy website will translate to years of experience and consistently happy customers, but it does indicate that they care about pleasing their clients.

With this in mind, here are the top questions to ask a garage door repair company.

How many years has the company been in business?

Experience counts, and that applies to companies just as much as it does to people. Their business processes are usually more established compared to brand-new businesses, and they’ll have industry connections and resources that help them get the job done. They’ve also learned lessons about what their clients do and don’t like, and have had time to accumulate online reviews. Be aware of claims like “30 Years combined experience” which is deceiving and could simply refer to a handful of employees that have worked in the garage door and opener industry for a few years each.

Can you provide some references?

In addition to looking at online reviews, it’s also helpful to get some references if your garage door repair is going to be a big project. If you’re just looking to get a small part replaced, references won’t be necessary. If you’re getting the entire residential or commercial garage door replaced though, a couple of references certainly wouldn’t hurt. Replacing a broken overhead garage door can cost over $1,000 and that’s the kind of money you don’t want to spend on the wrong garage door installation team.

What kind of warranty or guarantee is offered?

To be clear, this should be a written guarantee; verbal guarantees might feel nice, but they aren’t worth anything in a legal sense. Any garage door repair company that’s worth its salt shouldn’t have an issue with standing behind its work, and a warranty is a great way to do that. If the garage door technician you’re talking with says that their company offers a guarantee for both parts and labor, you’re on the right track. If not, it’s time to look at other options.

The simple fact that they offer a guarantee isn’t quite enough, though; you should also check what’s included in the warranty. For example, how long does it last? (You should look for warranties of at least 1 to 2 years). How strict is the warranty about defining failures in parts like broken garage door springs or cables? Some garage door repair businesses offer warranties to appease customers, but these warranties are so narrow that they barely cover anything.

What are the training requirements for repair technicians?

Garage doors may not require an engineering degree in order to understand, but they do require some training to effectively repair. Training also helps repair technicians do their jobs safely. Working on the largest moving object in your home can result in injuries for someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing. Ask about the level of on-site and hands-on garage door training that’s required, as well as the extent of the training that’s completed. Do the employees just get shown how each type of repair is done, or do they attend classes to learn the best techniques? Do they just get initial training, or do they also get refresher courses?

Does the company sub-contract any of its repair jobs?

Is an unchecked, potential felon visiting your home? Certain garage door repair companies may sub-contract some of their jobs, rather than using full-time employees. This can result in a lack of training, lower standards, or outdated knowledge and skills. When a company doesn’t sub-contract, though, this means that they directly oversee the training of their repair technicians.

Is the company insured?

Just like with any other person or team who’s doing work on your property, a garage door repair technician should be insured by their company. This insurance protects you from legal action in case someone is injured while on the job, and is standard in the industry (and in many other industries as well). If the garage door repair person you’re speaking with says that their company isn’t insured, that’s a clear sign that the business doesn’t care enough to do things the right way.

Which manufacturers does the company use?

Many garage door parts can easily be replaced without a specific manufacturer being used; this question is mainly important for the people who are getting an entire garage door replaced. However, this is also relevant for someone who needs to have repairs done. If a garage door company only uses one manufacturer, that could be a sign that they’re getting kick-backs for ignoring competitors. They could also be using cheap, overseas parts that will just break in a very short time. This is an unethical practice, and not something that a top-quality company would do.

The takeaway

Finding the right team of repair technicians to fix your garage door and garage door opener can seem like an ordeal, but the process will get considerably easier once you know which questions to ask.

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