How Should I Prepare for a New Garage Door Fitting?

Clear space inside the garage

Your engineers will need room to move and work, and much of the job will take place on the inside of your garage. Because of this, it will be a huge help to have the space cleared beforehand so the team can get right to work.

Room should be made on both sides of the door, as well as above, so if you have any items stored, propped or hanging in or around these areas, it’s best to store them elsewhere for the duration of the fitting. If you don’t have space elsewhere, make sure they are kept at the back of the garage – and also double-check that there aren’t any tripping hazards nearby, to help keep the engineers safe!

Make room outside the garage

Similarly, you’ll want to ensure there’s enough space outside the garage, too. Anything that might be hanging at the front of the garage should be removed and stored somewhere else, and any objects or obstacles in front or around the front of the garage are best placed out of the way. The best thing to do is try to make sure that the engineers have as clear access as possible to your garage, so they can come and go easily to fetch equipment as required.

Parking space

It definitely helps for our engineers to be able to park either on or very close to your property. Ideally, they will park on your driveway, so you might want to move your car somewhere else for a few hours, if you can. Our vans will carry all of the tools and equipment needed for the job, so helping to accommodate them on your driveway will make things much more efficient, making trips to and from the vans quick and painless.

Complete work on your garage beforehand

If a new garage door isn’t the only change you’re making to your garage, it’s best to get the other work out of the way first. A renovation or conversion, for instance, may involve replacing the current flooring, which has a dramatic effect on the garage door fitting. If you have a new garage door installed, and then go on to replace the flooring and change its level later, this will need to be reflected by adjusting the garage door itself – which will incur further cost.

Don’t try to dismantle the current door yourself!

Your engineers will be fully qualified and experienced to handle all kinds of garage doors, and that includes the removal of your current garage door. Attempting to remove the door yourself beforehand will likely do much more harm than good, as it could cause damage to the frame or be harmful for you. The removal of your garage door is part and parcel of a new garage door fitting, so leave the heavy lifting to the professionals.

Make your children and neighbours aware

The installation process won’t cause too much disruption, but it if you have children who will be present while the work is being done, it will help to make them aware of the situation. This way they can steer clear of any dangerous equipment, and will keep them from playing too close to the garage.

Conversely, if you have a shared driveway or a shared garage space, you will want to notify your neighbours that the work is due to be carried out. This will save any confusion or annoyance when they try to pull into the driveway and see workmen hauling tools and panels around, and will let them know that their garage may be out of use for a few hours. Tell them a day or two beforehand so they can retrieve anything they might need on the day of the job.