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Purchasing a garage door is considered one of the best investments you can make for your home. Why? It can provide up to a 95% return on investment and increase your home’s value anywhere from 1 to 4%. 

With so many options to choose from, though, it can be hard to decide what type of garage door you should buy — or even know where to start. Luckily, American Garage Door is here to help you through the process with our guide to purchasing your next garage door.

Selecting a garage door based on budget

But as with any big purchase, it’s important to set a budget before you dive head-first into research. To get a better idea of cost, consider these numbers from Home Advisor: The average cost for a garage door (including labor and installation) is just above $1,100. Of course, that cost is determined by several different factors, like material, style, and added features. If those numbers are above your budget, no worries! Home Advisor lists the average price range for garage doors anywhere from $255 to $2,200.

Shopping for garage doors by style

Another reason a garage door is such an important investment? It makes up a huge chunk of your home’s curb appeal — typically around 40%. That’s why so many homeowners choose to shop by garage door style to compliment the rest of their home. 

Luckily, there are tons of garage door style options to choose from, like:

• Carriage-house
• Modern
• Contemporary
• Traditional, raised-panel
• Courtyard
• And much more!

Not sure where to start? Check out our guide for choosing a garage door style that fits your home.

Choosing garage doors by material

In addition to style, another big selling point for garage doors is the type of material that’s used. That’s because it can affect things like durability, upkeep, maintenance, and overall look and feel — all of which are important considerations. With most garage doors, you can choose from materials like:

• Steel
• Wood
• Wood composite
• Aluminum
• Fiberglass
• Vinyl

There are pros and cons to each material, so it’s important to talk to your local garage door experts to determine which is best for the specific area you live in. Rain, wind, humidity, excess heat — all of these can affect your garage door’s longevity and durability, so you want to invest in a material that can withstand the elements for years to come.

Pro tip: If you want an all-wood door without the upkeep, consider a steel garage door with a grain finish to give off the appearance of wood.

Shop by garage door features

Shopping for a garage door doesn’t begin and end with just the door. If you find the right garage door company, they can walk you through additional features to make sure your garage door doesn’t just look great — but will last for a really long time. Features like:

• Added insulation
• Quiet operation
• Wind- and storm-resistant
• Custom paint jobs
• Decorative hardware
• Preventative maintenance checks
• Emergency repair services
• And much more!

Shop with your own garage door design in mind

If you’re still not sure what type of garage door to buy, don’t forget that you can create a custom one! At American Garage Door in Denver, our experts will help you choose from tons of great options and features, like:

• Wood type
• Painted or unpainted
• Stain and natural finish
• Decorative face hardware
• Decorative glass
• Insulation/R-value options
• Custom trim options
• Custom installation of upgraded hardware, track, and springs

Another perk? Our technicians are on standby 24 hours to help with any emergency repairs or routine services and maintenance. Think of it as the best, customized garage door that comes standard with the best customer service.

Start with American Garage Door

When it comes to buying a garage door, there are a lot of ways to shop — and even more options to choose from. At American Garage Door, we can help every step of the way. Explore all of our residential garage doors, then get in touch with us to start your estimate today!