Category: Doors

HOME IMPROVEMENT: GARAGE DOORS CAN ADD CURB APPEAL

Doors, Garages, Home Improvement

How to Take Your Garage Door From Eyesore to Eye Candy

Spruce Up Your Garage Door and Change The Look of Your Home

Garage doors are typically utilitarian in nature and architecturally bland – but they don’t have to be. There are many different materials, styles, and features in garage doors today.

You can get your door in many finishes and colors to complement the design of your home. You can even get a garage door with windows. Windows in garage doors are not as strange as you may think. They provide architectural beauty to the outside of your home and allow natural light in to brighten up the space. There are many window design options for today’s modern garage doors, just remember they will probably need hurricane protection.

All garage doors are not created equal.

There are many things to consider when choosing a garage door (which of course must meet the Florida building code for hurricane resistance).

Here are some things to consider when choosing a garage door:

The door’s material will impact how much annual maintenance is required, how much punishment it can take and how long it will last. For example:

Steel doors offer a classic design as well as the traditional carriage house style. These doors are durable, needing only minimal cleaning and maintenance.

Vinyl doors are longer lasting and suited to areas subjected to severe weather. They are rust-free, dent resistant and never need repainting.

Fiberglass doors have the look of real wood with a natural grain appearance. They are made of durable steel but with a fiberglass skin.

Real wooden doors offer classic craftsmanship. While they do require periodic maintenance (paint or stain), they make a perfect complement to any architectural style.

Aluminum and glass doors offer the most sophisticated look and modern features, including a variety of glass options. While aluminum doors require no maintenance, they do not have the same level of insulation as the other doors.

Garage Door Insulation is Important

Most people don’t think that a garage door’s insulation is important, however, it provides cost saving energy efficiency while reducing noise levels from the outside. Also, when you insulate your garage door, you are making the garage more suitable to use for things other than storage, including a work area or even a place for social gatherings. Although the room is not, and should not be, air conditioned space, the insulation helps reduce the heat from the outside.

An advantage of polyurethane insulated doors is that they provide added fire safety. This type of insulation acts as a barrier in reducing the amount of smoke and flames generated in a fire.

Garage Doors are Affordable

It is surprising how affordable garage doors have become. In most cases, people are guilty of doubling the price when they guess how much it will be. In general, the most expensive doors are those made of premium wood followed by fiberglass, steel, un-insulated steel and finally lower grade wooden doors.

Make Sure The Door is Approved for Use if Florida

It goes without saying that here in Florida you should also verify that there is a Florida Product Approval for the door, a permit is pulled for its installation, and that you are given copies of all the documentation for homeowner’s insurance discount purposes. Without the proper documentation, your home owner’s insurance rates may increase and you could have a problem when you go to sell your house.

 

If you have questions about a home improvement project, call Leading Edge Homes at 561-795-2551 or email me at: todd@leadingedgehomes.com and I’ll be happy to share my knowledge with you.

Leading Edge Homes, Inc. is a Florida certified building contractor specializing in improving your lifestyle through room additions, bathroom renovations, kitchen updates, hurricane-resistant screen enclosures, and more!  In business since 1991, they demolish your stress by building your trust. Contact them at 561-795-2551 or visit their website to discover how they can help you with your next home remodeling project in Palm Beach County.
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Price Of A Steel Replacement Exterior Door VS A Fiberglass One

Doors, Home Improvement

question copyThe post about the top three home improvement projects explained that replacing your front door gives you one of the biggest returns on your investment when you sell your home.

After replacing existing, and installing new, hundreds of exterior doors over the last 24 years as a Florida licensed Building Contractor, I understand the trouble homeowners are faced with when making the decision of which type of door to install.  While steel and fiberglass doors have their own unique pros and cons, this article will explain enough of the good, bad, and ugly of each type so you can decide for yourself which is best for your situation.

The Difference Between Price and Cost

Before getting into each type of door, it would be helpful to review the difference between price and cost.  Price is the amount of money you need to take out of your pocket to initially buy a product.  Cost is the amount of money you need to take out of your pocket over the lifetime of owning a product.  If you are replacing a door in preparation for selling your house, the low price option probably makes the most sense.  If you have no intention of moving for over 5 years, the low cost option makes the most sense.

Steel Doors

The upside of a steel door is that it is significantly less expensive in price than fiberglass ones – $200 versus $400 ($600 if hurricane large missile impact rated with no-rot jamb and weatherproof hinges).  The downside to a metal door is that it easily dents and dings, it rusts, and the wood jambs it is typically mounted in rots and provides food for termites.

Fiberglass Doors

The upside of fiberglass doors is that they do not rust of rot, they absorb minor impacts without denting, they are available with a smooth or wood-grained  finish, and they are typically mounted on composite (no rot) jambs with stainless steel hinges.  They are also available with a steel core which makes them hurricane large missile impact approved with no shutters.  Their only downside is the extra initial price.

Since labor costs are the same for both door types, the cost of a fiberglass door is less than steel over the long run if you have to replace the steel door even once.

 

Leading Edge Homes, Inc. is a Florida state certified general contracting company specializing in room additions, bathroom renovations, kitchen updates, and hurricane-resistant screen enclosures. In business since 1991, the most important thing they build is your trust. Contact them at 561-795-2551 or visit their website for more information about how they can help you with your next Palm Beach County home remodeling project.

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