3 Ways to Spot a Garage Door Scam

No, you don’t have to fall for an off-shore request for money, from a wealthy prince, whose bank account has been seized, by rebels, to be the victim of a scam. They can happen much closer to home. Like in your own driveway for example. And involve hinges that are much less exciting than royal intrigue, like your garage door for example.

Garage door retailers and installers are unregulated. That means anyone can knock on your door and say that they can install your garage door – even if they’ve never done so before.

Even worse, they can have slick looking websites and drive trucks that look remarkably like those of the legitimate garage door companies.

So it’s not always easy to spot a scam garage door installer, but the following tips will help.

1. Low, Low Estimates

The facts are this: quality garage doors cost a certain amount, and the labour to install them properly costs a certain amount. If you get an estimate that is exceptionally lower than the rest, be extra careful in researching the company that it’s from.

2. Generic Companies

Reliable companies want you to know who they are and will show up in branded vehicles, clothing and paper work. If the person at your door doesn’t seem to be promoting a ‘brand’, that’s reason for suspicion. Even if their truck and/or website look good, check to see that the branding is consistent throughout all their materials and communications.

3. Make Sure They Work in Your Community

If you live in Whitby, and a potential installer tells you the company’s office is in Barrie, that should raise a flag for you. You should be able to go visit the company’s office and even go in and ask to talk to the owner.

Trust your intuition.

If you get any sense that something is not entirely right with what you’re seeing or hearing from a garage door installer, that’s enough to be suspicious and to double-check that they are legitimate.