Rant...Garage door repair

[JAYSILVER04]

So...one of the springs broke on my garage door the other day, I called a local place that specializes in garage doors. I set the apointment for them to come out today to repair it. Since I am impatient, I called Sears garage doors to see if they could come sooner. They were able to send someone out yesterday, They showed up when they were supposed to, which I was happy about. The guy gets out of the truck and asks me what the problem was with the door. I explained one of the springs broke and I would like to have it replaced. He said, " Ok, well we will do both springs for you which is standard practice". Sounds logical, so I said ok. He said, "Great, that will take me about an hour and your total will be $459.00"....Meanwhile, he never even went inside to look at the door to see what springs were needed. I kindly told him no Thanks, I think its a little high. He said, "Ok, well then it will be just $39 for the service call". I said," uuhh, I don't think so. I was under the impression it was a free estimate". He tells me no, thats only for garage door installs. I told him the webite says free estimates. He said, " Well sir, I'm sorry you're confused, but it will be $39 and I will be on my way". That's when I lost my cool.:mad2: I told him he better get off my property and he will never see a dime from me considering he was only here for 4 minutes and didn't do a damn thing other than give me a ridiculous price and insult my intelligence. I think I scared the guy because he started shaking and turned and walked to his truck saying forget the $39, its ok, I will just tell my boss you cancelled the appointment. I couldn't help but laugh after the guy left. Sooooo.....today, the original place I called came today,replaced both springs, was here for 45 minutes and only charged me $141. I wonder how many people would have just paid the $459 and had the repair done. Or how many people would have paid the $39 service call fee....some places out there are rip-offs..Ok, I'm done with my rant,just wanted to share my experience with everyone so maybe they won't rip one of you guys off...Thanks for reading

[sanco]

wow, what a scam...

in a way i kinda feel bad for the guy since he was just doing his job, but at the same time its total BS...

springs are really not that hard to replace, good thing to keep in check though. i had one of the springs snap one day on me and miss my head by about 2 feet when it flew across the garage and hit the wall!!! damn thing sounded like a shotgun going off, no clue how it didnt damage anything while it was flying in there lol

[JAYSILVER04]

. i had one of the springs snap one day on me and miss my head by about 2 feet when it flew across the garage and hit the wall!!! damn thing sounded like a shotgun going off, no clue how it didnt damage anything while it was flying in there lol[/QUOTE]

I had that happen too about 7 years ago..the spring would have killed someone if it hit them. It also missed my Elcamino by about an inch..I had the door replaced when that happened...the spring on my new door goes across the header and is on a steel bar...so when it breaks it doesn't become a missle...lol

[thathotrodlincn]

I have safety cables running through the center of the springs to contain the fragments of a broken spring. Do not know if they work - so far no broken spring.

[Bluerauder]

I have safety cables running through the center of the springs to contain the fragments of a broken spring. Do not know if they work - so far no broken spring.

Me too. I replaced both garage door springs about 6-7 years ago when one snapped. As I recall, it was about $30 in parts for 2 springs and the cable safety kit. Took about 1 hour in labor. Hardest part was lifting the door without the aid of 1 spring. ;)

For $459.00 ????? Yes .... a total rip off.

I think that the cable restraints are mandatory now. They keep the spring from flailing around if it snaps. I heard mine go off in the garage and it sounded like a bomb. Can't imagine being in there with a 10# spring whipping around unrestrained.

[vkirkend]

Me too. I replaced both garage door springs about 6-7 years ago when one snapped. As I recall, it was about $30 in parts for 2 springs and the cable safety kit. Took about 1 hour in labor. Hardest part was lifting the door without the aid of 1 spring. ;)

For $459.00 ????? Yes .... a total rip off.

I think that the cable retraints are mandatory now. They keep the spring from flailing around if it snaps. I heard mine go off in the garage and it sounded like a bomb. Can't imagine being in there with a 10# spring whipping around unrestrained.

Ditto, if you don't have the safety cable get one!!!!!!

[duhtroll]

My Marauder has a nice chunk out of the paint on the FRONT fender from where a pulley flew into it from the other side of the garage. :(:(:(:(

I "repaired" it by hand but it still bugs me every time I dry the car and see it.

Thankfully the angle was slight enough to not cause a dent also. I would recommend safety cables, as well!

I was home when it happened and I agree -- it sounded like a shotgun even from inside.

[babbage]

I think that the cable retraints are mandatory now. They keep the spring from flailing around if it snaps. I heard mine go off in the garage and it sounded like a bomb. Can't imagine being in there with a 10# spring whipping around unrestrained.

... unrestrained with a freshly waxed Marauder sitting there right in the way...

I need to cable the centers on mine come to think of it.

[CBT]

What the heck?! Thanks! Now I have flying garage door springs to worry about, too! :eek:

[Bluerauder]

What the heck?! Thanks! Now I have flying garage door springs to worry about, too! :eek:
I never even gave any thought to it until I heard that "bang" in the garage. My first thought was "What the H3LL could that be?". When the garage door is down, the springs are in tension .... so that is their normal state in most cases. The double loop at the end of the spring just broke off and sent the spring flying toward the garage door. Probably would have been worse if it had failed at the other end and it came toward the inside of the garage.

When they are fully compressed, my garage door springs are about 24-30 inches in length. When the door is in the down position, they are extended out to about 5-6 feet. If they let go ... that's one heck of a backlash.

The safety cables just run inside the spring and are fixed/bolts on both ends. The spring will still move; but if it snaps, the cable will keep it along the track and not allow it to whip around freely. I suspect that a shortcut was taken in the original door installation and the cables were just not installed. :mad:

[Black Terror]

Safety Springs are mandatory, but I have had two springs break at the end connection and it flew into garage and put nasty($100) dent in Pontiac Bonneville and another dent in 2000 Buick($250). I don't know of anyway to contain end pieces.

[babbage]

Safety Springs are mandatory, but I have had two springs break at the end connection and it flew into garage and put nasty($100) dent in Pontiac Bonneville and another dent in 2000 Buick($250). I don't know of anyway to contain end pieces.


Clamp a pair of vice grips on to the ends - tie with string.

[Matt In Detroit]

Just had mine done, $128 for both. $459 and a service call? no way.

[JAYSILVER04]

Just had mine done, $128 for both. $459 and a service call? no way.

I couldn't believe it either. I asked him twice after he told me the price...and I was like:eek:....

[TFB]

Umm things must be different up your way, cause in 36+ years of servicing for Sears our unit never once replaced the garage door springs... What we serviced was the opener which consisted of the motor, chain, electronics, etc but never any part of the door, hardware, or springs...

[JAYSILVER04]

Umm things must be different up your way, cause in 36+ years of servicing for Sears our unit never once replaced the garage door springs... What we serviced was the opener which consisted of the motor, chain, electronics, etc but never any part of the door, hardware, or springs...

Must be different; www.searsgaragedoors.com (http://www.searsgaragedoors.com) ...Asks for your zip code to see if they offer that service in your area. And they do in my area, unfortunately...

[TFB]

It does appear there are now services available that were not when I worked there, I'm guessing the door work is done by a independent contractor... I'll have to check with the local service manager to see what's going on...

[JAYSILVER04]

It does appear there are now services available that were not when I worked there, I'm guessing the door work is done by a independent contractor... I'll have to check with the local service manager to see what's going on...

Looks that way. There is a place on the website where you can inquire about starting a franchise...might be worth doing...:lol:

[Rockettman]

My personal advise...pay the money and get it done for you. Don't play with it if you've never done it.

My experience...
Years ago, I needed to add a bit of tension to my torsion spring (the kind that goes along the top of the door). Well the spring let go, the end of the spring turned into a "buzz saw", and took almost my entire finger with it. My ex-wife found the tip of my finger bone at the other end of the garage - 20 feet away - the next morning after my finger was sewn back together at the emergency room.

I am NOT "mechanically challenged"; nor am I incapable of doing things myself; I just didn't think that job through proporely, and paid for it. It's been 14 years and I still get nervous around those springs - mind you I don't touch them anymore! Don't ***** about the cost! You could pay way worse!