The motorist choosing a garage to service and repair his car looks for prompt attention, good workmanship and a reasonable price. If he is wise, he will also foresee that disputes can occasionally arise, so that a garage which belongs to a scheme for settling disputes is better than one which does not. How does a motorist find out whether a garage does a good job for a fair price? Obviously the recommendations of friends are valuable, especially if they have been going to the garage for some time. But not all garages are equally suited to deal with each type of car. The complexity of modern motor vehicles makes it essential that major repairs should be carried out with specialised tools and equipment, by trained mechanics experienced in dealing with your make of car. In practice, this means using a garage which is the manufacturer's authorised franchise-holder. These garages are the specialists. They should have a comprehensive stock of essential spare parts and a staff of mechanics with the relevant experience. In addition, they will be kept informed by bulletins from the manufacturer about modifications and defects affecting the models they sell and service. Motoring organisations experienced in dealing with complaints about garages have found that the greatest single cause of dispute is repair work carried out by garages which are not the appropriate franchise-holders (for instance, the replacement of the clutch or the hydrolastic suspension unit of a BMC Mini by a garage which is not a BMC franchise-holder). Garages and their facilities vary considerably - from the normal petrol station type, mainly interested in selling petrol, oil and possibly a few accessories, to the larger garage which deals with insurance, car hire, new and used car sales and major body repairs. It is unreasonable to expect the same type of service from both these types of garage. A detailed guide to the size, facilities and equipment of garages is provided by the spanner gradings of the Automobile Association's Garage Plan. Under this scheme, garages are allowed to display a one, two or three-spanner sign, according to the range of services they are equipped to provide to the public in garage door repair bristol.com. A garage displaying any one of the spanner signs has been inspected and found to be well equipped and staffed by trained mechanics. A good way of ensuring reliable service is to become a regular customer. The motorist who goes to a garage for petrol, spares and routine work is valued - someone who is more likely to get extra assistance when he is in difficulties. What will it cost? Garage charges for repair work are made up of two elements: the retail cost of any parts supplied, and the cost of labour, charged at an hourly rate. Labour charges vary from one part of the country to another, but there is usually little or no difference between rates charged by franchise and non-franchise garages in the same area, or by garages with one, two or three-spanner gradings. Experience shows that most customers ideas of what a repair will cost are wide of the mark. To avoid unpleasant surprises, always ask for an estimate before authonsing garage to go ahead. If the price quoted is quite high, ask to have the quote in writing. The garage may say that it is not possible to give a reliable estimate without first dismantling parts and investigating the cause of the trouble. In this case it should give an estimate of the cost of this exploratory work, and a second estimate of what the repair itself is likely to cost. If either estimate appears to be unreasonably high, there may be another franchise-holder nearby whom you can ask to estimate for the same job. But beware of giving the job to a non-franchise garage, even if it quotes a substantially lower price. This could easily turn out to be a false economy. If the work is eventually done by a second garage, expect to pay a fair charge, be to the first garage for investigating the cause of a breakdown. i.e., An estimate which appears to be too high can also be checked with your motoring organisation. If a repair is going to be too costly and you are unsure whether you can afford it, ask for an estimate giving the upper and lower limits of the cost. Many disputes over bills are caused by the variation between estimates and bills. Usually this variation arises because the garage has found additional repair work urgently needing attention, and has gone ahead without consulting the car owner. A good garage will not proceed with these extra jobs without authority. But to be on the safe side, the motorist can set a cash limit on repairs when leaving the car, and ask the garage manager to get in touch with him before this limit is exceeded. He should also give a telephone number where he can be reached during the day. He will then be liable to pay only for the work he has authorised. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7605740
0 Comments
While prices of goods in the market don't rise and fall dramatically, the same cannot be said for services. It is difficult to budget services fees, especially when it comes to repair services, because the expense depends on the severity of the problem and the company you choose in the end. For someone who doesn't know much about repair, estimating the average price would be difficult to the point where you can't tell if something is indeed overpriced. So what are the average costs of services related to garage door repair? Here's a guide to help you out. Labor charges - No matter what is wrong with your garage door, you have to pay labor charges to the technician. Depending on the company you choose in the end, labor will usually cost you around 60-70 dollars per hour. Part replacements don't take a lot of time so the most a technician will spend in your garage would be up to an hour and a half or so. However, if you feel like being vigilant, you can supervise the technician to see if he works efficiently or if he's dragging things out for too long. Parts replacement - Sometimes when the doors to your garage break, a simple patchwork job is not enough. Sometimes, you need to replace certain parts like torsion springs, tracks, and hinges. Some companies make use of their own materials and this can both be a good thing and a bad thing. Most reputable companies will offer the best and most durable materials, but they will always mark up the price. Another option would be to ask the technician for a list of parts that you'll need for the repair and get them from your local hardware store. Although this can save you more money, if you don't know much about door parts, you might end up buying parts that are not durable. Garage door replacement - Replacing the whole door is very expensive, and the cost varies from 500-1500 dollars,depending on where you live and how large your garage is. As with parts replacement, you can collaborate with the technician when it comes to choosing the materials for the garage door, especially if you're on a budget. However, your technician will caution you on some of your decisions when quality of the door is compromised in garage door repair burlingame.com. Cost and service rates for replacing a garage door will be different from other counties, so once you've decided on what you want to do with your garage doors, you can start getting quotes from your local providers. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7184658 There are a number of advantages of having garage doors installed. One, you don't have to worry about the assets. Your home is much more secured with a garage door. You can further enhance the security of the home by installing a better opener that has a range of security measures. This is also important to maintain a door. When you have a good quality garage door, you can be rest assured that the door will give you years of service and will last long. You must know the importance of finding an expert for the job. There are many companies in the market and so you need to know the qualities that will help you find the right one for the job. Make sure to check the following question when you are selecting the right one for the job. License - A company must be licensed before carrying out the business in the region. There are many of us who believe that license separates the best from the rest. This holds true when there are many fly-by-night companies in the region as well. You may be losing a lot of money if you go ahead and hire one of unlicensed companies. Affiliated - Affiliation is another crucial point that separates the best company from the rest. There are many of us who want to know more about the company. If you are one of them, then you can now find out more about the company you are about to hire from the Better Business Bureau or the BBB. The organization has all the information pertaining to a company. If the company is not affiliated to the BBB, then you must not go ahead with the company. Insured Staff - You must know that reputed companies take care of their employees. The first step in this direction is by insuring the staff of the company. If the employees are not insured, then you must not allow them to work as you may be liable to pay for damages sustained during any accident. Knowledgeable and equipped staff - When you have staff coming to your home, they will be able to quickly assess the problem and give you a definite action plan. They will answer all your queries without fumbling in doremi garage door repair redwood city.com. Keep them points in mind while looking for an expert at door repairs. When it comes to finding a reputed expert at garage door repair, Portland Oregon residents will find these tips to be helpful. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6312818 Garage doors often stop working efficiently. At times you need to perform certain maintenance work on the garage door. Garage doors have several components which need to be check separately to ensure the smooth functions of the garage door. All the components are interlinked in one way another. So you have to perform a thorough maintenance to keep all the faults and problem away from your garage door. Opener If you have a manual opening system, then lubricate the chains (door opening) with oil. Oil can be motor oil as well. The best way to lubricate the chains is to damp the rag with oil and scrub it over the chain. In case you have a remote opening system, inspect the position of the antenna. It should be pointed towards the floor of the garage. Don't forget to check the hanger bracket bolts. Check them for any looseness. Tight any loose bolts to ensure the safety of yours and your garage door opener. Hinge Bolts Inspect the hinge bolts carefully. They should be tight enough on both the sides of the garage door panels. You might have noticed at some point that hinge bolts are actually the brackets holding the rollers. It is necessary to oil your rollers and hinge bolts regularly to ensure the smooth working of the rollers on the tracks. Occasionally check the hinge bolts for their tightness. If you find any loose bolts, fasten them with an adjustable wrench in doremidoor los angeles.com. Tracks Make sure that all the bolts holding the track brackets are tight. Tight any loose bolts immediately. Another important thing you should notice is the gap between the tracks and door. The gap should be between 1/4 to 1/2 inch in all opening and closing positions. In case of any friction and looseness fix the track. For this you have to loosen the leg bolt holding the track bracket to the wall knob. Fix the track as required. You need to check for certain dents and damage on track. Door Sensors Door sensors are an important part of garage doors. They are responsible for opening and closing of the door. Maintaining them is an important part of garage door maintenance. To check whether door sensors are working properly or not, place a 2x4 lumber at the bottom of the door. You can use cardboard instead of a 2x4 lumber. Let the door close with 2x4 on its place. If the door reopens after touching the 2x4 then it means that door sensors are working fine. If door fails to pass this test, then you need to check the sensor wires and also sensors' alignment. The wires should be properly connected and the sensors should be evenly balanced on both the sides of the door. Torsion Springs For smooth rust free working of your garage door, use a penetrating grease to spray on the torsion springs. Spraying grease on your torsion springs keep them safe from rust. Remember the torsion springs is very sensitively adjusted in its place so never attempt to adjust it yourself. It can be extremely dangerous. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4724776 You may be used to installing doors in your house, but garage doors, whether they are automatic or manual, are a far more difficult task. Installing a garage could be dangerous as well, so it is strongly suggested to get a professional repairman to do your installation. These professionals will tell you that manual door installation is simpler compared to automatic door installation. It all depends on your preference. If you want heavy garage doors, this would require automatic operations as they would necessitate enormous strength to lift. Manually operated garages are a lot lighter. Though automatic garage doors repair pasadena have existed for a long time now, a lot of homeowners still prefer manually operated garages. Aside from being easy to install, you can easily pull them up with a handle. However, this limits your choices as you should select a door made of light materials. If you prefer heavier doors such as one made of a solid block of wood, you will need automatic garage installation. A heavy door plus motor and cables are required for the installation of an automatic garage door. Of course, you can pick a lighter option if you want to but with heavier doors, automatic operation is a must. Automatic doors are hassle-free which is why lots of people prefer them, too. While this is so, automatic garage doors come with its own set of potential issues. More difficult and hazardous to install and repair on your own, they can easily switch from automatically operated to manual garages in the event of power outage. Do-it-yourself garage installation poses dangers that an inexperienced repairman will find very real, regardless of whether it's manual or automatic. This project is more suited for those who have a complete understanding of how the system works and a healthy respect for its hazards. Simply, it is a job for professionals. However, if you do decide to go at it on your own, the absolute maximum care should always be taken. Safety Precautions: Some garages are equipped with extension springs and a restraint cable. The springs weaken from the stress it endures from the opening and closing of the door. If an extension spring breaks, it can cause serious injuries to anyone in the garage at that time. If you are in need of an extension spring replacement, please call your local garage repair professionals. The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates there are around 20,000 garage door related injuries each year. It is best to take all safety precautions if you are trying to install your own garage. If you have no experience with garage door installation, please call your local garage repair professionals. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6675938 The most important and critical component on any garage door are the torsion springs, which allow the door to open and close easily and smoothly. However, springs that are either worn or wrongly installed can present a safety hazard. Garage doors, as with other mechanical and electric equipment around the home, need regular upkeep in order to stay in peak condition. To maintain your enfield garage door repair expert in top form, you need to attend to lubricating and checking on the spring system, which is one of the most important parts for safe and proper operation of the door. Unfortunately, the majority of homeowners are unaware that garage door torsion springs together with several other component parts of the door call for occasional run-of-the-mill servicing and safety checks. If you are experiencing any trouble opening or closing your garage door, you should always pay close attention to the torsion springs, which are the most obvious perpetrators. If the springs are old, they are probably worn out to a certain degree. The torsion springs used on garage doors are tightly wound and kept under very high tension. Due to this tautness, even the most highest quality steel springs will eventually break. It is because of this risk of sudden breakage that all garage door opener torsion springs have to be contained, in order to prevent serious injury or property damage. That containment is either in the form of cables or in the case of roller shutter doors, an external steel tube. Even if the springs are contained, or if the door has been installed for a few years, you should have them inspected by a professional garage door installer. The springs should be replaced if needed. If you have the type of garage door, which has two independent springs, and only one is broken, it makes sense to replace both simultaneously. You may own a garage door that causes the springs to squeak noisily or make a chattering noise when the door is raised or lowered. This does not necessarily mean that the springs or the door are on their last legs and need replacing. The problem can probably be fixed by spraying on some lubricant, such as WD-40, or something similar. Another sign that your garage door needs servicing is if there are frayed and broken strips of cable hanging loose. Irrespective of the quality of your garage door opener, this is a sign that the cables are about to give way. A sudden break in the garage door cables could cause serious injury. These chafed cables need to be inspected and in all likelihood replaced by a professional service engineer who is familiar with the problems connected with springs and cables breaking. Garage doors by themselves are very heavy and because of that weight, the torsion springs need to be maintained under extreme tension. You should therefore not try any mechanical alterations yourself due to the risks involved in doing so. It would be wise to have a professional garage door installer inspect these important components of your home every year to avert potential injury and problems caused by faulty springs. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1321374 |