Fitting an automated garage door is the type of home improvement a lot of people put off for years, then wonder why they didn’t do it sooner. It’s pretty satisfying to pull right up to your garage, press a button, and the door opens before you’ve even taken your seatbelt off.
We supply and fit all types of garage doors, you can even add automation to up-and-over doors. Our garage doors come sectional ones that slide up into the ceiling, roller doors that roll up into a compact box, and motorised doors.
The mechanism is simple. A motor unit gets mounted to the ceiling above the door and does all the heavy lifting. They come with remote controls, and most of them can link up with your phone as well.
The size of the motor is dependent on the size and weight of the door. A single door garage will not need a motor with a lot of power but a double door garage or a heavier door will need a more powerful motor. The more expensive models have a good soft start and stop feature. They will stop the door from closing if it detects an obstruction. With kids and pets, this is a very important feature to have.
The installation takes about half a day, but if we need to install a new door, it can take a full day. We need to have a power supply (if you do not have one, we can set up an appointment with an electrician) to plug in the motor and do all of the other electrical work. We set the limits on the motor so it knows where the top and bottom positions are. We do a few final tests and then show you how to operate the door. We will give you a manual and extra remotes as well.
Electric doors can go wrong, but usually with a lack of maintenance. Tracks can get dirty and sticky, the rollers might need to be replaced, and the motor might need adjusting or oiling. We provide service visits to catch and fix these things before they cause problems. This is more cost effective than emergency call outs after something breaks.
What most customers wonder is, if the motor breaks, how do I get out with the car? Every system has a manual release, You can pull a cord and the door will detach from the motor so you can push it up. We will show you where this is when we install it.
It really depends on what you are automating and what motor you choose, but you could be looking at £400 – £1200. Budget motors work good, but they are noisier. The mid-range ones will be quieter and will last more. The high end ones have all the quiet and smooth features, but are not really necessary. If you want all the features, then it is up to you.
We partner with all major brands – Garador, Chamberlain, and Hormann. All are reliable and if they need new parts, it is easy to get. Ditch the cheap imports. We get called to fix them all the time and it is more cost effective to just rip them out.
If you think you want to automate, give us a call. We can give you a fair price and walk you through all the options. We will not pressure you or give hard sales. We will just give you honest advice based on what we would do with our own homes.