A New Garage Door: How to Prepare for a Fitting
Once you’ve settled on a new garage door for your home, all that’s left to do is make sure you’re prepared for the big day. The toughest part is out of the way once you’ve found the ideal door style, colour and finish, but there are a few things you can do to make sure that the day goes as smoothly as possible. In this article, we’re looking at how homeowners can best prepare for the garage door installation team, including what should and shouldn’t be done in advance.
Make space in the garage
A new door requires quite a bit of work in and around the garage, so installers will need enough space inside. It would be very helpful for you to clear space around the entrance. Trip hazards are a concern so move any equipment, tools or items stored by the door.
If you can, take items out of the garage entirely and store them elsewhere temporarily. If you don’t have the room, or would prefer to keep them in the garage, no problem, just push them to the back of the garage and tuck them away safely.
Also, make sure to take down anything that might be hanging from the ceiling above the door. Installers will need to use this space to fit the opening mechanisms for most doors.
Make space on the driveway
Your installers will also need to move freely outside of the garage. It would definitely be handy to move any vehicles from the driveway before the team arrive. Workers often need to make multiple trips to and from their vans throughout the process – to pick up/drop off equipment – and any obstacles on the driveway will make this harder.
Ideally, the team will park on your driveway if there’s enough space to do so. They’ll also need enough space to work directly in front of the garage entrance. Move any other obstacles – such as plant pots, for example – out of the way until the new door is fitted.
Make neighbours aware
We always aim to perform a garage door installation with minimal fuss or disruption, but it always helps to give your neighbours a warning in advance.
Tell your neighbours the date of the installation and let them know that there will be workers present for a few hours, carrying heavy equipment and machinery. They will definitely appreciate the friendly notice, especially if you share a driveway; they’ll be able to keep their children and pets away from the work and it will also give them chance to move their cars if they feel it’s necessary.
Keep children and pets away from the garage
A garage door is a heavy piece of equipment, and the team will be using a lot of tools to get the work done to a professional standard. If you have children around the house on the day, try to make them aware of the dangers surrounding a worksite so they can keep well clear of the garage while the team is at work.
It’s also a good idea to keep your pets indoors if you can, to make sure they’re not scared away by the workers – and to ensure that the workers aren’t distracted by your furry friends!
Don’t try to uninstall your garage door
Once the installation has been arranged, you’re free to leave the heavy lifting to the professionals. Sometimes, customers might try to help out by uninstalling the old garage door beforehand, but this is something we wholeheartedly discourage.
You risk serious injury by trying to do this on your own, even if you have some engineering experience. You may accidentally damage the frame, for instance, which will make the installation much harder.
Professional garage door fitters are with you every step of the way. That includes the safe deconstruction of your existing garage door, so put your feet up and leave the bulk of the work to the pros.
Finish any renovation work beforehand
If your new door is part of a wider redesign or refurb, it makes sense to have the structural work finished off before a new door is put in place. Some refurbs might change the floor level or widen the opening itself; installing a new door before this is taken care of will mean you’ll have to fork out for another new door not long after. This is easily avoided by arranging your fitting once all the big changes to the garage have been made.
Coventry Garage Doors provide professional garage door installation throughout Coventry, Rugby, Warwick, and throughout the UK. We pride ourselves on our attention to detail and high standards throughout the process, from initial site surveys and advice, to carrying out full installations, you can expect nothing but the very best. To discuss the installation of a new garage door at your home, simply get in touch with our friendly team today.