Garage Door

Purchasing A Garage Door: Important Factors To Consider

A garage door is both a functional and a largely aesthetic part of a house, making it necessary to choose one that will serve the purpose of protecting the items in the garage, in addition to being cohesive to the overall look, theme, or period of a home.  The process of researching and buying a door for a garage can be an overwhelming process involving a great deal of factors that must be considered, including installation which becomes a bigger issue when an automatic garage door opener is desired.  Before even beginning the research process, consider the following factors.

Consider the desired material of the garage door that will be purchased.  There are a wide variety of options available including wood, steel, aluminum, and fiberglass with wood and steel being the front runners for durability and strength.  Steel doors will fare better than other materials because they don't crack or warp and are able to withstand a variety of weather conditions.  Additionally, steel doesn't rust meaning there will be a decreased need for re-painting over time. Wood doors, on the other hand, are appreciated for their beauty and natural looking appeal.  A downside is that they require regular maintenance and refinishing to ensure the wood panels don't warp or crack. 

Replacement garage doors can be tilt-up or roll-up and there are benefits to each type, as well as price differences. 

Tilt-up doors are often made of wood and are good options because they are easy to build and relatively inexpensive.  Prices for a tilt-up wood door range between $400-700 installed.  Roll-up wooden doors range are typically priced between $800-1200 installed and are generally meant to be painted, so consider this additional cost when choosing this variety.  Overall, the cost of a new garage door can range between $400-3000 depending on various factors including type of door, material of door, and additions such as automatic door openers, such as those produced by companies such as LiftMaster and Genie. Expect to pay between $120-250 for a quality garage door opener.

A final consideration when choosing a new garage door is insulation.  Insulation helps on utility bills as heat loss through an un-insulated garage opening can be significant.  Overhead Door sells a variety of insulated doors in their Thermacore series.  Although the cost of an insulated garage door can increase the overall price, the amount saved on utilities over time will negate this cost, making it a good option.