Before you hand a stranger the keys to your garage, run this 5-minute checklist. Reviews, licensing, pricing transparency, and the red flags to walk away from.
The best time to vet a garage door company is before the truck rolls, not after the quote lands. Here's a 5-minute checklist any Northern Colorado homeowner can run.
When your garage door is stuck and your car is trapped, it's tempting to click the first Google ad and hope for the best. That's exactly what predatory garage door companies count on. The good news: five minutes of homework before you schedule can save you from an inflated quote and a stressful visit. Here's the checklist we recommend to every homeowner in Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor, Greeley, and across Northern Colorado.
Start with reviews — but read them, don't just count them. A company with 4.9 stars and only 30 reviews from the last six months is a red flag; that's often a fresh brand refresh after a wave of complaints. Look for hundreds of genuine reviews spread over several years. Read the 3-star reviews specifically. Those are usually the most honest, and they'll tell you whether a company upsells, no-shows, or fights over warranty work.
Verify they're actually local. A real local address and a real local phone number matter. Many national brands buy up local-sounding domains and route calls to a dispatcher three states away. Look for photos of local jobs — recognizable neighborhoods, real trucks, named technicians. Ask the person on the phone what part of town they're based out of. A local company will answer instantly; a call center will hedge.