What’s the biggest trade-off you stumble upon when investing in new garage doors?

It’s price versus quality, of course. You are not sure how much you need to invest in a garage door, especially with today’s economy and unpredictable economic future. And you also don’t want to have to worry about repair services or another garage door. You want something of a good quality that will last long and perform well. It’s a tough trade-off.

For this matter, we interviewed our CEO, Dan Watkins, to hear his opinion about the price versus quality war. Dan Watkins has been in the garage door business for more than 14 years.

Here is what Dan told us.

“Everyone is looking for a deal these days. However, while on a quest for a lower price, they actually surrender quality. While this blog is about garage doors, it holds true for all industries. Whether it’s garage doors, hot water heaters, roofs, siding, concrete, windows, gutters, or any other household product, you really need to understand what you are giving up to save money. Also, find out how much money you may be losing in the long term to save money in the short term. The first thing you need to consider when shopping for a new garage door is what type of quality you are getting. Does the door have insulation? If so, what kind? Does it have steel on the backside? What type of design does it have? Is this a reputable company I’m using?

Let’s first talk about the insulation. Some doors have no insulation, some have minimal insulation, and others do a great job insulating your home. I didn’t really believe in insulation until I installed insulated doors at my own home. It dropped the temperature in my garage door about 20 degrees on our hot summer days. I was so impressed that I had insulation blown in my walls to further help my energy bills. I now save over $150 a month in the summer time and about $100 a month in the winter.

This would also help you sell your house faster, as it increases its value. It’s just like making sure your house is painted, or that the yard looks good. I’ve always been amazed by people that spend $5,000 to replace their front door, but don’t want to spend $1,000 on a garage door! Most people use their garage door more than they use their front door. From the street you can see the garage door much more prominently than your front door. So why wouldn’t you try to get a good looking garage door for another $150-$500? The garage door industry has come a long way in the past 10 years to provide the home owner many more design options. You really should take advantage of these designs to increase the value of your home.

Adding insulation to decrease energy costs and increasing the curb appeal of your home are some of the ways to add value to your garage door purchase. You will actually save and make money off your garage door purchase if you don’t just go for the cheapest door. Also, keep in mind that a quality installation by a reputable garage door company will go a long way towards making any garage door last longer. A bad installation of a high quality door can cost you money for years to come. A good installation on an economy door can help that door last longer than the high quality door with a bad installation. My advice for you is to focus in the long term value of your garage door purchase. Don’t be short sighted and just go for the lowest bid. This will keep more money in your pocket for long term. “

If you have any questions or advices you would like to give about the price vs. quality trade-off, please share them in the comments. We would like to hear your opinion and answer any questions you might have.

Check out our Ultimate Guide to Buying a Garage Door below. The guide will give you all resources you need to choose the perfect garage door for your home.