Five Tips On Measuring For A New Garage Door

Most people have never purchased a garage door before so it can be a little confusing. One of the first things that a salesman will ask you is "what size of garage door do you need?". And most customers are not prepared to answer because they never really put much thought into it so they usually say "it's just a regular size door". That's a pretty vague answer and doesn't help in pricing a new door. So to help get an accurate quote here are five tips on what information you should have before asking for a price.

1. Door Size - It's helpful if you have an idea of what size of garage door you need. It's one of the first questions you will be asked so it's best to get the measurements before shopping. So grab your tape measure, pen & paper and head to the garage. Measure the width and height of the opening (don't measure the garage door). Write the width first and the height second....9'x7' = 9' wide x 7' high.
   
2. Measurements - Write down the width and height in feet & inches. If the width of the opening is 9'4"....write it that way. Although the width is also 112" this is the way garage door people speak. It's always in feet & inches. Is this a big deal? No, but it will sound better when you're talking to a salesperson and give the impression that you have some idea about what you are talking about.
3. Headroom - This is the area above the garage door where the track and springs get installed. If you spit this number out to a salesperson then you're really going to sound like a pro. To get the headroom measurement: measure from the garage floor to the lowest point on the ceiling. The lowest point might be the drywall (if it's a finished garage) or the joists. Now take that measurement and subtract it from the door opening height. Here's an example: Floor-to-Ceiling Measurement: 8'4" - Opening Measurement: 7'0" = 16" Headroom. Most doors require 12" - 13" depending on the manufacturer & if you have a garage door opener. If you have less than this then your garage door will require low headroom track.
   
4. Sideroom - This is the space on the right and left side of the garage door opening. You really won't need to take this measurement unless your garage is tight and the sidewalls are very close to the opening or if you have two doors and the doors are close together. Measure from the edge of the opening to the wall. This is your sideroom. Take this measurement on both sides.  
5. Backroom - This is the space back into your garage where the garage door travels. Measure from the front of the opening to the back wall. You probably won't need this measurement unless the garage is small or if there are support beams back in the garage that may interfere with the door track or operator. It doesn't hurt to take the measurements anyway just to be sure.

These measuring tips should help give you a little more confidence when you head out to get prices from your local garage door company. They will be impressed that you are prepared and it will help them give you an accurate price. If you like a price you receive from a company then ask them to come to your home and give you a formal estimate. This way they can take their own measurements. If the garage door that is ordered is the wrong size then it's their problem not yours. Also make sure it's a FREE estimate. If they want to charge you to come to your house for an estimate then walk away with one EXCEPTION: you're installing the door yourself. If you're doing your own installation then most of the time it's your responsibility to take all of the proper measurements. Good luck and happy shopping......

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