Home Services Guidelines and Best Practices
Garage Door Installation
Garage Door Installation guidelines, FAQs and unit pricing information
January 2017
Are you looking for independent, trustworthy advice about Garage Door Installation? Do you need to understand common installation options? If your project calls for Garage Door Installation work, the following guidelines and best practices will help you understand: Is a subcontractor really necessary for Garage Door Installation work? Will a permit be required? What are common problem areas? How much will Garage Door Installation labor cost? What are the important Garage Door Installation quality checks that should be included in the work requirements?
Garage Door Installation - Frequently Asked Questions
| What is a fair price for Garage Door Installation? | Costs vary with project size, job quality and time of year. For typical Garage Door Installation expect to pay between $239.63 to $359.44 per door. Additional fees are typically charged for small projects or rush jobs. |
| Is a permit needed for Garage Door Installation work? | Your Garage Door Installation project may require design approval and/or permits from your local building authority. Verify requirements with your local building department before any Garage Door Installation work starts, particularly for ay structural or systems (plumbing, electrical, HVAC) projects. |
| Is it worth using a professional to perform Garage Door Installation work? | The operation and performance of the garage door may be adversely affected by inexperience or poor installation techniques. Hire service providers for Garage Door Installation carefully and be sure to tie payment milestones to appropriate quality checks (from the list below). |
| Is Garage Door Installation something that I can do myself? | This is not a project recommended for the do it yourselfer. A successful Garage Door Installation requires the work of skilled trade contractors as well as special materials, tools, fabrication and installation techniques. Do it yourself mistakes may be expensive to remedy and will likely reduce the marketability and value of your home. |
| How many days are typically required to complete the Garage Door Installation work? | Normally, this work can be completed in 1 day. |
Garage Door Installation - Options, Quality Checks and Important Details
Use the list below to document your expectations for level of detail and finish quality for Garage Door Installation. Make sure that relevant information is included in any written contracts or work orders on your project. Before any Garage Door Installation work begins, review the checklist with the service provider. Tie payments to satisfactory completion of this checklist.
- The layout, location, style and finish appearance of ALL materials used in Garage Door Installation will be approved by owner, before any work begins
- A detailed garage door layout - showing material placement and all joints/seams - will be reviewed and approved before work begins
- There will be a uniform gap of (choose one): __1/16 inch __1/8 inch __other_____ between the door frame / track and its garage door opening
- Garage door will be installed so that the garage door base/trim is solidly attached and attached completely flush to the mounting surface
- Installed garage door will be level to within 1/64 inch in any 2 foot direction
- Vertical edges of garage door will be plumb to within 1/8 inch in 8 feet
- Each door frame / track will open from the side indicated in the project plan; each door frame / track will open and close smoothly with light effort and will not bind, rub or squeak
- Each door frame / track lockset/latching mechanism will be held immovable by the strikeplate when closed - there will be no "play" of the lockset within the strikeplate
- The garage door will be solidly attached and not slide, rock, twist or move when used
- Finished garage door will feel uniformly solid and rigid under pressure
- Nail holes will be filled with a suitable putty, leveled and sanded smooth before final finishing, so as to be undetectable through the finished surface
- The garage door surface and surface finish will be free of surface defects, irregularities and any physical damage
Garage Door Installation - Work Milestones and Project Reminders
The following list summarizes work tasks commonly performed during Garage Door Installation. These tasks help ensure proper completion of the garage door work and compliance with common manufacturer and vendor warranty requirements. Make sure that either you or your service provider takes responsibility for each of these tasks. All service provider task responsiblities should be clearly called out in the written contract or work orders.
- Complete written contract, including scope of work, quality checks, warranty, timing and payment terms; ensure that contract is signed before work begins
- Review and approve detailed layout / plan that shows location, orientation and placement of garage door, before any work begins
- Select, specify and order garage door; verify that type, grade, finish, size, color, any options, and quantity are clearly identified in the order; make sure that delivery date, terms and damage provisions are included in the order
- Manage delivery of garage door; verify that delivered model #, grade, finish, size, options, and quantity match the order precisely; thoroughly inspect all items for damage and proper operation; make or authorize final payment only after complete order is delivered
- Store garage door in a secure, dry location that is fully protected from the elements prior to installation
- Confirm date (and time) for project start with subcontractor - one week and two days prior to project start
- Carefully remove fixtures, fittings, finish plates, grilles, knobs, pulls and trim that will be reinstalled later; label and safely store these items for later use
- Secure door frame / track to structural framing
- Install trim plates or pieces
- Fill holes, cracks, gaps with compatible patching material; finish patch to match surrounding surface shape, texture and color
- Inspect Garage Door Installation and verify that all quality requirements and punch list items are completed correctly
- Submit final payment; pay with a check to ensure expense can be verified for tax purposes
