May is Garage Door Safety Month, and one of the most important things for consumers to remember is that not all garage door installers are legitimate. You may not expect to encounter scammers during routine garage door maintenance or while planning to upgrade your garage door, but like any industry supporting homeowners with urgent repairs or necessary, expensive maintenance, it's an unfortunate reality.
The International Door Association (IDA) takes steps to help homeowners combat scams and find qualified installers. We spoke with them to learn more about the most common scams:
- The "You Need a New Door" Rebuild Package Scam: This is when a garage door repair company evaluates a repair, and determines that the entire door need to be replaced. Not only do they falsely report that everything needs to be replaced due to an issue with the torsion springs, rollers, cables, or bearing brackets, but you might notice that they'll mark up the estimate significantly and include “installation charges.” If someone's quoting you an entirely new door when all you think you need is a garage door opener or piece of hardware, get a second opinion.
- The Lifetime Guarantee Scam: Some garage door repair scams call for the use of new parts, but technicians will knowingly install cheap parts, ensuring they will be called back for more repairs. Though the part has a guarantee (and that's good for the homeowner), the labor and installation fee is not free and the repairs often become costly due to repeated visits. A reputable company will use Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) garage door components to make durable repairs — and yes, there is usually still a warranty.
- Unidentified Technician Scam: Some service providers subcontract the garage door services to an independent contractor after leading the homeowner to believe that in-house, licensed teams will be completing the job. This comes at the risk of the subcontractor having no license, limited knowledge of garage door systems, no tracked history of the job, and no way to get in touch if something goes wrong.
- 'Claim to Be' Scam: In some instances, unaffiliated individuals will claim to be part of a garage door company. These are actually fake companies using another reliable company's garage door business name to get customers. Be alert for high-pressure tactics and ask for proper identification.
How to Avoid Scams
"[IDA] prides itself on garage door safety, ensuring your garage door works properly, but also that you are being served by a qualified professional. Through IDA’s Find a Dealer resource, consumers can search for qualified installers in their area knowing they are reaching out through a source that only hosts legitimate installers – reassuring customers of both quality and trust.”
Here are some tips from IDA to avoid getting scammed this Garage Door Safety Month:
- Look for inconsistencies; legitimate companies have a professional online business profile. A garage door repair service or installer should use a specific company name, physical address, and phone number. These details should be consistent across all websites and service platforms. An illegitimate company may use multiple or ambiguous business names, will rarely have a physical or email address, and likely don’t have a company phone number. They also many not have proof of insurance. For certainty and peace of mind when looking for contacts in the garage door industry, use IDA’s Find An Installer tool.
- Check the initial price quote. When the price is too good to be true, it probably is. Many scam companies lowball the estimate but add exorbitant labor costs and other extra charges later. One way to avoid this is to contact multiple installers. Do research on the one you are planning to work (including looking for legitimate customer reviews) to ensure a fair quote from an established and reputable door dealer.
- Know who to expect on the day of the job. Some garage door repair scams rely on a ‘bait and switch’ tactic. You may expect to see the company you contact, but learn day-of that the repair is being done by an independent subcontractor. When you reach out to a dealer, ask for details on who will be completing the work. On the day of repairs, look for identifying markings and credentials: a business card and a company vehicle add credibility. If an unmarked vehicle arrives for the job, request proof, and ask questions.
