Do Garage Doors Add Value to Homes?
Garage space is a valuable commodity for homeowners. Although garages typically store automobiles, they often serve a dual purpose as a laundry room, home gym or other storage space. Your garage’s functionality and style will determine the worth of the extra square footage. An updated garage door will make a great first impression and improve the space’s usability.
Garage doors are large and constitute a major portion of your home’s exterior. They are often the first aspect of your home that visitors or potential buyers will see when they visit. A new garage door has a high return on investment and will impact your home’s value. If you are planning on selling your house or making upgrades to enjoy yourself, a new garage door is well worth the investment.
Does a New Garage Door Increase Home Value?
A new garage door will increase your home’s value, but many homeowners do not expect how high that value is. Consider how much a garage door is worth when selling your house. According to the 2021 Cost vs. Value Report by Remodeling Magazine, a garage door replacement in the South Atlantic region recoups almost 93% of the project’s cost. So how do upgraded garage doors increase home value?
Modern garage doors have evolved beyond simple white panels and are available in a wide range of designs. Installing a new garage door improves the exterior appearance and the interior functionality of your house. Most homeowners use their garage doors daily, which makes it an attractive upgrade. A garage door serves many purposes. It protects your vehicle, secures your home, encloses your garage and adds style to your house.
New garage doors add value to a home and give your home an instant facelift, and additional advantages will accumulate value over time. A new garage door will help you get the maximum return on your investment.
Ways a Garage Door Can Boost Property Value
The combined benefits of replacing an old garage door make it one of the most lucrative renovations for a home. A new garage door can boost your property value in the following ways:
1. Enhances Security
Years of use can weaken your garage door, wearing down the locks and motor that keep the door secure. These flaws can leave your home vulnerable to intruders that can lift the door from the outside.
An old garage door lacks the innovative rolling door codes and secure locking systems that come standard with most garage doors today. A Wi-Fi-enabled garage door can even sync to your phone and send you text alerts if someone ever tries to break in.
A new garage door will come equipped with modern security that offers invaluable protection for your home and your family.
2. Improves Energy Efficiency
The garage is an extension of your home and can impact the temperature of the entire house. A properly insulated garage door will help keep your home cold in the summer and warm in the winter. A new garage door will create an airtight seal that retains heating and cooling.
Old and drafty garage doors can cause your heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) system to work harder and more often than necessary to maintain a steady temperature. Save money on your next energy bill with an efficient insulated garage door.
3. Encourages Safety
Vintage garage doors lack the present-day technology that will keep your family safe. New garage doors are equipped with the most recent safety features like photosensors to prevent the door from shutting on anyone or anything in the door’s path. An automatic reversal system will send the door back up to avoid closing on an object below. A new garage door also isn’t at risk of malfunctioning, further protecting you, your household members and your belongings.
4. Boosts Curb Appeal
The appearance of your home tells a story about how well it has been cared for and gives a preview of what a visitor might find inside. Garage doors can make a large impact on the appearance of your home, especially if you have a multi-car garage.
Garage doors are available in a wide range of styles to complement the exterior of your house. Updating an old garage door will enhance your property’s appearance and increase your home’s curb appeal.
5. Expands Functionality
If you use your garage as a home office, crafts room, gaming den or simply to park your car, you rely on your garage door for the same basic functions. Worn-out garage doors may not work as well as they used to. Drafts, leaks and malfunctions while opening and closing the door can prevent your garage space from fulfilling these roles.
A new garage door is equipped to handle modern-day functions. A powerful new motor will open and close your garage with ease. High-quality materials will keep your space insulated and secure so you can use your garage for anything. A multipurpose garage space is like adding an extra room to your home, making it even more valuable for your family and potential buyers in the future.
Various Options and Styles to Choose From
There is a wide selection of garage doors available that will enhance your home’s exterior. It can be challenging to choose a design that will complement your house’s style.
Understanding all of the different options will help you choose the best style for your home. These are some of the most popular garage doors on the market:
- Traditional: A raised-panel garage door is a clean and simple addition to any home. This classic design will blend well with almost any exterior. Choose the traditional white or add some interest with a natural wood tone.
- Wood: Real wood or faux replicas are one of the most versatile garage door styles. All of the different stains and wood grains can complement nearly any design, from a western ranch in the country to a new-age door for a mansion in the city.
- Carriage house: The rustic or farmhouse aesthetic is prevalent at the moment. Carriage house garage doors capture that charming barn door style that is a perfect match for craftsman and mission style houses.
- Modern: A contemporary garage door will complement a residence with a modern or industrial style. Straight lines and industrial materials like glass and steel blend well with a clean and fresh design.
Install a Garage Door to Increase Property Value With Help From The Doorman
With how much value a garage door will add to your property in mind, schedule an installation from The Doorman of Southeast Florida. We pride ourselves on providing local homeowners the highest quality garage door products and services. Find the perfect style to complement your home’s exterior from our extensive range of top-rated options. Maximize your renovation budget with a gorgeous new garage door that will also improve your home’s security, efficiency and functionality.
You’ll collect the return on your investment soon with a fast and friendly installation from The Doorman. Request a free estimate today.
Quick Ways to Improve the Curb Appeal of Your Home
As that old saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. When it comes to your home, its “curb appeal” is the initial impression people get when they see your house for the first time. The term doesn’t just refer to the upkeep of the home — properties with a strong curb appeal typically have that “it” factor that makes them stand out from the others on the block. Whether it’s the immaculate landscaping, unique architecture or ornate garage door, there’s something that captures the attention of passersby.
The Benefits of Boosting Your Boca Raton Home’s Curb Appeal
Curb appeal isn’t necessarily easy to achieve. It requires effort, imagination and, in some cases, making a financial investment. However, the results can pay off in a variety of ways:
- Generating Interest: Whether you’re hoping to sell your home or attempting to make it the showcase of the neighborhood, boosting its curb appeal will make people want to stop and take a closer look.
- Increasing Value: While making improvements that enhance curb appeal may require an upfront investment, they can also increase your home’s value. You’ll likely be able to get a higher price when you place your house on the market.
- Freshening the Appearance: Taking steps such as cleaning your home’s exterior or applying a new coat of paint will give your home a “fresher” look and make it more appealing.
- Making a Connection: A house with attractive, unique features allows potential buyers to make an emotional connection to the property, which often plays a significant role in a purchasing decision.
How to Enhance Your Home’s Curb Appeal
There are several quick ways to improve the curb appeal of your home, including:
- Eliminate the Clutter: Perhaps the easiest and least costly way to improve your property’s appearance is removing the “eyesore” items on the lawn and around the house. Examples include dilapidated lawn furniture, toys, rusted fixtures and empty planters.
- Spruce up the Lawn: Keep the grass mowed and manicured. Regularly water the lawn to prevent unattractive brown spots from forming.
- Don’t Neglect the Landscaping: Overgrown trees, shrubs and other landscaping features will make your property appear unkempt. They can also block sunlight that may highlight some of your home’s more attractive features.
- Apply a Fresh Coat of Paint: If your home is starting to look a bit drab and dreary, an exterior paint job can make it look new again.
- Retrofit the Front Door and Garage Door: Every visitor or passerby will notice your front door. If your home has a garage, the door may comprise 30 percent or more of its exterior. Retrofitting these doors will dramatically improve your home’s curb appeal.
View Residential Garage Door Styles
Contact The Doorman for Your Garage Door Needs in Southeast Florida
The Doorman of Southeast Florida can retrofit your aging garage door with a beautiful new Clopay® product that will enhance your home’s curb appeal. Contact us to learn more today.
Request A Garage Door Estimate
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5 Tips for Making Your Home More Secure
As a homeowner, you want to do everything in your power to keep your family and your valuables safe. One of the most important things you can do for yourself and your loved ones is secure your home against potential intruders.
You might not realize the dangers associated with leaving your home unprotected. Many homeowners neglect to take the steps necessary to ensure their protection, as nearly 50 percent fail to keep even their front door locked at all times.
But when you recognize the importance of home security, you can better evaluate your home’s safety and prevent break-ins. By following these tips, you can have greater peace of mind that your family is protected.
The Importance of Home Safety
Most homeowners assume their homes and neighborhoods are safe. If your community has never experienced any known problems, you might think your house is immune to break-ins. Unfortunately, this type of thinking allows burglars to victimize over a million homes each year.
In 2016, the FBI reported 1.5 million burglaries throughout the United States. However, according to data from the 2016 National Crime Victimization Survey, only about half of all burglaries are ever reported to the police. This means that about 3 million cases nationwide go unsolved annually.
In fact, one out of every 42 Americans will likely be a burglary victim in any given year. At least one of these home invasions has taken place since the beginning of this article, as successful burglaries occur once every 15 seconds across the country.
While the national burglary rate has steadily declined since 2007 and Florida’s burglary rate has decided annually since 2012, break-ins still present a real risk for Florida homeowners. Over 100,000 burglaries took place across Florida in 2016, meaning that around 100,000 more thefts across the state potentially went unreported.
Many of these break-ins could have been avoided. Neglect from homeowners is a leading cause of home invasion and most burglars are deterred by the presence of security features or signs of activity.
With these sobering statistics comes the responsibility for change. You owe it to yourself and those around you to protect your home from burglars. Take the steps necessary to check your safety and improve your home’s theft protection to avoid making yourself a statistic.
How to Tell If Your Home Is Safe
Before you prepare your property for a complete home security makeover, assess your home’s current safety features and pinpoint the precise concerns that you need to address. Evaluating your home’s current protection ensures that you won’t overlook any essential steps in improving your security.
Start by assessing the security of your neighborhood. Even homeowners who think they live in the safest environment possible might be surprised to learn about their area’s history. Just as half of all burglaries go unreported to police, you might be unaware of unresolved break-in attempts scattered throughout the neighborhood or reports that occurred before you bought your home.
Few methods can allow you to learn about your neighborhood better than word-of-mouth. Get to know your neighbors, especially those who have lived in their home for many years. Ask them about any problems in the area and learn as much as you can about any problematic history and measures that were taken to avoid further damage. If your neighborhood has never suffered any loss due to vandalism or theft, ask your neighbors if their homes feature any security benefits that have proven particularly useful in deterring crime.
However, while the past can be a good indicator of your home’s safety, this doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll never be targeted. Even if your neighborhood has never been victimized, your home may still be prone to burglary attempts if you fail to work actively to prevent break-ins.
For a hands-on look into your home’s safety, stage your own home break-in. Take the same security measures that you would use on an average day, then ask a trusted family member or friend to look for anything that would be easy for a burglar to target. Have them walk around the outside of your property and find any easy entry points, then take them inside and tell them to point out any small valuables that a burglar would target after gaining entry. Similarly, you can walk around your own home and look for valuables sitting in plain sight or unsecured entry methods such as open garage doors or cracked windows.
Home Security Tips
Any loss of valuables is devastating, but a preventable loss is an especially unnecessary burden on yourself and your loved ones. If you’ve determined that your home lacks the safety measures necessary to prevent unwanted intrusions, you need to take action. The following home safety tips can help you make your home more secure and give you peace of mind concerning your family’s well-being.
1. Light Up Your Home
Home invaders tend to frequent insufficiently lit areas that cover them in darkness as they search for a way into the home. Keep your property well-lit at all times and trim any bushes and trees surrounding your home so that anyone trying to hide can be spotted even in dim lighting.
If you haven’t already installed lighting for your property, consider bright motion detector lights that brighten your yard any time someone comes near your house. Many burglars will run away when the lights turn on, afraid of being caught in the act. Line your sidewalk and driveway with the lights and use them for an added spotlight on bushes and trees.
Likewise, interior lighting makes your home a less appealing target, as burglars assume that people are inside. When you leave for a trip or vacation, you may want to install a timer that will turn on your lights and TV at a set time of day.
2. Purchase a Home Security System
You may think that extra light is a sufficient burglary deterrent that replaces the need for a physical home security system. However, even well-lit properties are often targets of theft. According to 2017 statistics, nearly half of all burglaries in Florida occurred during the day when owners were at work or on vacation.
Home security systems remain one of the best ways to deter property crimes. In fact, 83 percent of burglars interviewed during a 2013 study said they determine whether an alarm is present before attempting a theft. Only 13 percent said they would continue their attempt if they found a security system.
After purchasing home security, make sure security signs and stickers are visible in your yard and on any first-floor windows and ensure that all cameras are installed in highly visible locations. Potential burglars will find your home less appealing with visible security reminders.
If you lack the funds necessary to buy a security system for your property, you can instead purchase security signs and stickers that make it look as though your home is monitored. Make sure the labels look believable and realistic, as blatant knock-offs won’t fool a thief.
3. Utilize New Home Security Technologies
Today’s technology makes home security more accessible than ever. You can control the security of your garage with updated garage door technology, while other safety gadgets provide video monitoring throughout the home and yard, share neighborhood crime security announcements and more. These devices send data to your smartphone or computer and often require minimal installation or maintenance.
Some new security surveillance systems feature face recognition technology that alerts users when a stranger enters the home or steps onto the porch. These systems can be a powerful tool for homeowners who often travel away from home on business or those who own winter and summer homes.
When you’re in your home, a smart doorbell can allow you to see outside with video surveillance, while smart locks let you open entrances for guests or quickly close entries if you feel uncomfortable with the visitor standing at your door. Evolving technology puts your family’s well-being in the palm of your hand.
4. Ensure Your Entry Doors and Windows Are Secured
Even in the best neighborhoods, an unlocked door could have disastrous consequences. Around 33 percent of burglars enter through the front door, which makes front entry door security an essential feature of your home.
However, the front door isn’t the only entry that’s prone to break-ins. All exterior doors and windows are vulnerable. Many homeowners leave first-floor windows, back patio doors and doors connecting the garage to the home unlocked, but these are just as vital to a home’s security. Any entrance to your home should be treated like your front door.
Not only should you keep your doors locked and your keys with you at all times — even when you’re in your house — but you should also utilize your door’s deadbolt if it has one. Standard locks can easily be picked using a credit card or other flat surface, but deadbolts need more careful planning for a burglar to pick. Although deadbolts are still susceptible, they often require too much work for a thief who wants to get in and out quickly without being noticed.
Maintain all locks and check your entry doors often for any wear-and-tear requiring repairs. If you’re concerned about the age of your doors or their security features, you might need to consider a complete entry door replacement. Newer doors provide stronger locks and heightened security. Older doors are easier for burglars to break down and old entry locks can be quickly disabled.
View Locks & Entry Door Hardware Options
5. Secure Your Garage Door
Garage doors are a common weakness in home security. Many homeowners keep their garage doors open at all times while others leave their garage door opener fob on the dashboard of an unlocked car.
If you have an attached garage, the garage door is the largest entry to your home. As such, garage door security and maintenance are vital to ensuring your protection. The following are some of the best garage door security tips:
- Frost or cover your garage door’s windows, particularly if you store expensive cars or equipment in the garage. Most burglars look for valuable objects they can pawn for money and unprotected items left out in the open provide an easy target.
- Secure your garage with an access code that is only known to you and your family. Avoid giving the number to repair services or delivery staff or use a temporary code that expires after a certain amount of time to grant them entry.
- Some thieves can access the door’s emergency release by “fishing” from the outside, allowing them to gain manual control over the door. Prevent garage door fishing by securing a small plastic zip tie to your door’s trolley if the trolley has a pair of holes.
- Choose a garage door opener with built-in security technology. Many of today’s openers feature monitors, lighting controls and self-closing systems that allow you to secure your garage door from the comfort of your own home. Some modern garage door openers can even work during power outages, which may decrease the risk of break-ins during storms.
- Consider a garage door replacement if you own an older door or a door that has suffered any panel damage. Several available styles and materials provide the strength and durability to protect your home from an invasion. A garage door replacement can guard against theft while also increasing your family’s welfare through added child safety features and updated technology.
View Residential Garage Door Styles
Contact The Doorman of Southeast Florida for Garage and Entry Door Replacement
At The Doorman of Southeast Florida, our primary concern is keeping you and your loved ones safe. One of the best ways we can help you ensure your family’s well-being is by providing you with secure entry, patio and garage doors. Our doors and accessories will give you peace of mind concerning your home’s safety while our beautiful style options will increase your home’s value and curb appeal.
For over 20 years, we’ve offered the highest-quality Clopay® garage doors and Plastpro fiberglass entry doors at affordable discounted prices. Our trained staff is available to answer any questions about our doors’ safety and security features and we can provide you with a free estimate before you purchase.
As a local Southeast Florida dealer, we know that you worry not only about your home’s safety from burglaries but also about its protection during hurricane season. Florida’s weather can pose several risks, which means you need doors that will withstand harsh elements to protect yourself and your family. All of our doors are Windcode®-rated and meet local hurricane resistance regulations. We’ll be happy to answer any questions you have about your door’s impact rating.
Contact us to learn more about the products and services we offer. You can contact us online or call us at 561.600.9606.
We’d also love to show you our wide variety of garage and entry door styles in person. You can find our showroom at 940 Clint Moore Road, Boca Raton, FL, which is open 7:30 am to 5 pm Monday through Saturday. We look forward to meeting you and exceeding your garage and entry door needs!
Request More Information About Door Safety Features for Your Home
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Home Improvements With the Best Return on Investment
One of the many benefits of purchasing a home is that its value is likely to appreciate over time. When it comes time to sell the property, there’s a good chance you will receive more than what you paid for it. An excellent way to maximize the return on your investment is by undertaking the right home improvement projects.
Here are a few examples of home improvement projects with the best return on investment:
- Decks – Wooden decks rank among the best home improvement projects — especially when the economy is doing well. A well-constructed wooden deck will increase your home’s appeal to many prospective buyers here in Florida when homeowners can enjoy the deck throughout the year.
- Finished attics – An attic can be so much more than a place to store your extra household items. Transforming an attic into a bedroom or family room can solve the space needs of a growing family — without having to build an addition. You may also be able to recoup as much as 75-80 percent of this home improvement project’s cost when you sell your house.
- Entry door – A new fiberglass or steel entry door can significantly enhance your home’s curb appeal and will also help to make the house safer and more energy efficient. From an investment perspective, a new front door is one of the few home improvements that allow homeowners to get back more than what they spent for it at resale.
- Replacement windows – Both vinyl and wooden replacement windows will provide a substantial return on their cost at resale, with the latter offering slightly higher value. Besides enhancing a home’s appearance and increasing its sale price, replacement windows appeal to energy- and environmentally-conscious buyers seeking to minimize their carbon footprint.
- Siding – Installing fiber-cement siding has become a popular home improvement project option because it looks like wood or masonry — but it wears like concrete, making it an excellent for homes built in harsh climates. This characteristic offers tremendous appeal to prospective buyers and can thereby provide a solid return on your investment. Vinyl siding can also help you recoup a good portion of your cost, although not quite as much as its fiber cement counterpart.
- Garage door replacement – When you replace a garage door, you’re making a significant improvement to up to 30 percent of your home’s exterior area — it will be one of the first things prospective buyers notice as they approach or drive by your house. The right garage door will make your home more attractive and provide a return of anywhere between 82 to 88 percent on your investment.
View Residential Garage Door Styles
Contact The Doorman for Your Garage Door Replacement Needs in Southeast Florida
The Doorman is your one-stop headquarters for high-quality Windcode-rated Clopay® garage doors and Plastpro entry doors that will meet your aesthetic and functional requirements — and boost your home’s value. Contact us to learn more about how a new garage or entry door can prove to be a beneficial home improvement project. You’re also welcome to stop by our Boca Raton showroom for a closer look.
Request A Garage Door Estimate
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