HomeFinanceI Got Scammed: Garage Door Repair

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I Got Scammed: Garage Door Repair — 21 Comments

  1. Put Door Works in my “favorites” list. Need garage door work done, but that’s WAY down the road after getting the roof replaced (and that’s been needed for a few years now) but a reputable repairman is always good to know…and way too hard to come by. All that said, of course I want to know who to avoid as well! So who is company A ?

    • I just started contacting garage repair companies and Precision Garage (national franchise or something) wanted 89$ for service without willing to provide any estimates on cost of repair, even when I said the torsion spring broke after it was replaced around 7-8 years ago. They said something along the lines of “each garage is unique and we won’t know until someone comes see it” which means you’re in the hole 89$ regardless. I tried to get them to budge on an ESTIMATE within 100$ and they couldn’t give it to me. Obviously a ripoff.

      I also dealt with SEARS and they wanted 130$ to assess, then they “custom make” springs that cost 100-400$, but couldn’t give a ballpark on the price even when I told them the door size and material.

      I ended up going with a local business owner who told me it would be around 150, 180, and 200 for single, double, and double with extended life torsion springs OVER THE PHONE, and that the price is an estimate with 5-10$ adjustment, so I went with him.

      • Hi Kathleen…The name of “Company A” escapes me right now and the sticker is on the inside of my brother-in-law’s garage door. The biggest clue that you have “Company A” is when you dial a 972 or 214 (Dallas) area code and are seamlessly transferred to a national call center. This post is very popular and it is obviously because there are a TON of scam artists in the garage door repair industry.

        • Same thing happened to me today! Replaced nothing. Just disconnected and rewound my garage door cables & charged me $450!

  2. Wow, I just went through the same thing!! Like you, I ate the “service” call (50 bucks as well), but I thought, it was worth it to know a scam. As my garage door was a Wayne Dalton, I had to deal with numerous lies. Wayne Dalton’s just CAN’T be fixed, they don’t make them that way. You have to replace (swap) everything and it’ll cost an arm and a leg. Replacing the spring, PFF!! They’re just junk etc. Then the infamous, “Lifetime Warranty” spiel, our coils are unlike any other, we’re the ONLY ones who buy this genuine space age stuff that NO ONE has access to. Long story short, quote came it at 600 bucks. When I balked, they called their rep who was absurdly aggressive, wanting me to have the repair done immediately, even dropping the quote all of a sudden to 450!! WHAT?? The more I called, the more runaround and BS I got with others as well. Finally I reached someone, who’s still upcharging me a bit but it’s less than 350 and I’ll just deal with it. I called 4 of my “local” garage repairs, ALL went to a call center, what can you do about that. It just seems that’s most of them operate to cut costs. There may be very few legitimate brick and mortar garage repairs nowadays.

    I want to reiterate your thoughts about knowing as much as possible about your door as once the smell you don’t, they’ll try to scam you. After I found out what kind of garage door I had, I researched it. Amazing how the tune changes when you tell them all the specific’s and tell them, I could do it myself, but I don’t have the tools. As always, an educated consumer is much less likely to get taken. Great article!!

  3. I wish I had read your article before the Dallas Overhead Door tech came out. I ended up paying $965 to have 2 standard garage door springs replaced, plus 10 nylon rollers and a center bearing.

    I will certainly call Door Works next time I have any garage door opener problems.

    • I called Fort Worth Overhead Door (which is the same company) also known as Garage Door Services, and ended up being charged $1500 after $500 in DISCOUNTS. I almost fainted when he presented the bill as I only needed the springs and rollers replaced. I was expecting around $250 as per his bid.
      He replaced everything, charged an astronomical price for labor. I am almost 80 years old but I knew when I saw the invoice that I was scammed. I was literally ill for days.

  4. My garage door broke on Christmas Eve and I’m waiting for Monday when the local guys re-open for business. I started with the number on the sticker in my garage (like you) but haven’t gotten through to anyone…but it sounded like the local call went through to a national call center. I won’t be calling them back.

    Thank you!!!

    • The garage door repair industry is a pretty sketchy one. Hope you found someone who could come out and do the job at a reasonable price. Once you find a good company keep their info and share it with your friends. A good company is pretty hard to find.

  5. I just had a Company A come out and give an estimate to replace the broken spring on my garage.

    It’s funny that I found this post right after I sent him packing. The guy on the phone wouldn’t give me a ballpark price either. But they were willing to come out on a Sunday and waive the $39 inspection fee.

    I previously had a quote for $191 to replace it but my neighbor just replaced his and had done it himself. So I being the procrastinator that I am waited to get it done.

    The “tech” that came out quoted me $600 to do the job! That’s not a typo he quoted me six hundred dollars! When I stopped laughing in his face he said its that high because I wanted to go to the 2 spring system and those springs typically run about $50 a piece more.

    This guy was going to charge me $200 per spring and $200 to install. I even told him that my neighbor had just purchased the springs for $50 each and had the tension tools needed to do the job!

    He went down to $400 BUT I would only get the 90 day warranty springs. He even tried to sell me the springs for a discounted $150 each.

    Well with a smile on my face I very politely turned him down. This is in the Austin area. So beware they are out there. Jon’s story hit the nail on the head with this company. I wish I’d read it before I called them, it would have saved us both some unnecessarily spent calories. I’ll wait a day and save $400 to $500 as I procrastinate over doing it myself or calling the other company out.

    • It is pretty staggering isn’t it Jerry?!? Company A is nationwide so this could happen just about anywhere. Thanks for your comment!

      • Yeah it is. I ended up paying just $190 for the whole thing with a small local company. They name was Cedar Park garage door Co.
        Just in case somebody from the Austin area ever reads this and I hope they do!

        They were named Cedar Park Garage Door Co. The guy called me and said he was in Killeen but he would be here in less than 2 hours. He was!

        I later found out he was in Killeen at home! He was done for the day but still drove all that way to fix it! Amazing! I apologized to him after I found out and told him I would have waited until the morning (he asked if I could but I didn’t want to wait and I had know idea he was home) and he said “no problem, I get paid for it”

        This was yesterday 12/30. They will get my business next time for sure!

  6. Hello, I happened to come across your site/blog, I felt like I should say something to help everyone out. The garage door business is probably a big industry that is being abused as well as locksmiths, and many others. I am the web administrator for Grove City Garage Door Inc. in Columbus, Ohio. we run a family owned business and I have a few helpful tips for anyone looking for garage door repairs in your local areas. The BBB is a helpful place, but not always the best for getting information, scammers have sites there. Check out your local Secretary of States’ office and look up the company you wish to have service your door. If they are not listed with a business name and registered with your state, chances are they are a fake company. If you have services performed and feel that you were scammed, the best thing to do is to report the company to your local Attorney General’s office. We recently has a customer report a scam company, the company was GDS(Garage Door Service), they advertised with the Valpak, and are all over the USA running a scam with a pay to click. And one last thing, do not click the first company that pops up on your phone or computer, it is likely a scammer waiting to take your money. I hope my information is helpful to anyone, and do your homework on all companies before calling them to come to your home!

  7. We ended up hiring a local guy here in San Jose CA with great recommendation of neighbor’s and very happy we did!

    (FAST GARAGE DOOR REPAIR COMPANY)
    $199.00 for 2 springs installed parts, tax and labor with a warranty and free lube job and tightening of door screws and hardware.

    Now the story why we got second quote.

    GDS (company A ) came out and quoted us $89.00 service call, $229.00 per spring (2), $189.00 labor and $279.00 door balance fee. WHAT!!

    We tried to negotiate but the salesman was very wishwashy that me and my husband felt the car salesman tactics from the moment he started his spiel, fast speech , multiple price changes. He also had no business cards, truck stickers or decals to identify a company employee. Kind of scary! after further research of their license number we found out they’re not even licensed by the State of California Contractors License Board nor are they Better Business Bureau accredited like they claim they are. Multiple bad reviews online on Yelp and they go by 10,000 different names. Please stay clear of this company and don’t make the mistake that we did.

    Don’t call the first numbers or super flashy company on Google Like I did Research your companies , most top companies are scams.

  8. There is an article coming out in Door and access magazine about GDS, which has used over 100 different names, many that they try to use other companies names. Do a search for “The Worst Garage Door Company in the Nation” and you will find information about the company you are dealing with.

    Most of the door industry is a good group of guys, however this company is as bad as they get. They are a national company that employs over a hundred people, and they make millions every week scamming people.

    They are responsible for 1 in 7 BBB complaints in the door industries nationally, and there are 3000 door companies listed with them.

  9. I live in Dallas area and had a company sent by my home warranty insurance, only to find out that the broken spring is not covered by my insurance. CHS company offered to repair it for 189.00, and that’s including the service fee, at first insurance said 189 plus the 60.00 service fee, but Max of CHS said no i wont charge you that much, he said if you call our Company for this repair, i will charge you 189.00 and that’s how much i will charge you total. After reading all your posts,i am glad i have him do it at that price. Very polite and nice too. I recommend them.

  10. Great information and thanks so much for the details. I attempt all my own repairs, if I can, but I have heard the springs pack quite a punch. I will be on the lookout for the scammers.

    Gratefully…..

  11. I bought a garage door opener from Sears Long Island for $200 plus $149 to install it.
    The crooks from Sears Garage Service wanted $500 more for the installation. They said the springs needed to be replaced. I have two extension springs that cost $35 a pair and literally take 5 minutes to repair. I challenged them to install the opener and I’ll change the springs later. They refused to install it. By the way the springs are perfect and my garage door opens fine manually. They were just trying to shake me down. I kicked them off my property and returned the opener to Sears. No wonder they are going bankrupt. Sears Garage Service in Long Island – you are greedy, crook bastards. You are disgraceful and should be ashamed of yourselves.