Garage Doors

[Lexiguy]

Hi Guys

We moved house 18 months ago and have always aspired to having a double garage, unfortunately it would have 2 manual up and over doors.

With mirrors out I had less than 1 inch each side getting in it was then inconvenient because it was then impossible to open both doors.

So I needed a builder I could trust with the necessary skill to remove the pillar and replace the two lintels with one. I approached several builders and some said the job was too small, others said it would be 12 months before they could do it and one wanted over £5000! Eventually through a friend having the same job done I found the right company.

It was then choice of garage door brand, fitters, style, colour and price which turned out to be easier than finding the builder. 

The work took place last week and it was well worth the wait. It has made garaging the car so much easier. 

My recommendation to anyone in a similar position is definitely to do it, it is well worth it but do your homework about each part of the project it can save you £1000's and ensure you get exactly what you want! You know your SC deserves it!

[royoftherovers]

1 hour ago, Lexiguy said:

Hi Guys

We moved house 18 months ago and have always aspired to having a double garage, unfortunately it would have 2 manual up and over doors.

With mirrors out I had less than 1 inch each side getting in it was then inconvenient because it was then impossible to open both doors.

So I needed a builder I could trust with the necessary skill to remove the pillar and replace the two lintels with one. I approached several builders and some said the job was too small, others said it would be 12 months before they could do it and one wanted over £5000! Eventually through a friend having the same job done I found the right company.

It was then choice of garage door brand, fitters, style, colour and price which turned out to be easier than finding the builder. 

The work took place last week and it was well worth the wait. It has made garaging the car so much easier. 

My recommendation to anyone in a similar position is definitely to do it, it is well worth it but do your homework about each part of the project it can save you £1000's and ensure you get exactly what you want! You know your SC deserves it!

 

So what was the eventual cost Ant ?

[Lexiguy]

Sorry John thats the bit that I was trying to forget! The total cost was £5850, the breakdown as follows:

The complete long drain was £800.

The complete builder cost was £1350.

The door fitter was £3700.

But my pride and joy fits much better now!

[royoftherovers]

1 minute ago, Lexiguy said:

Sorry John thats the bit that I was trying to forget! The total cost was £5800, the breakdown as follows:

The complete long drain was £800.

The complete builder cost was £1350.

The door fitter was £3700.

But my pride and joy fits much better now!

Sorry Ant.It was just that in your report you steered away from spending £5000 and I had hoped that you had managed to bring off a real surprise..

Any how it seems to have been money well spent and the objective has been achieved.

It will bring many years of complete satisfaction I `m sure.

Many thanks.

[Lexiguy]

Yes John, I would have liked to have brought it in under 5k in total but to be honest I worked really hard to bring it in at that without compromising quality or dodgy workmen.

[Lexiguy]

Hi John

Just re read what you said and the over £5000 was one of the builders quotes!

That was to acrow prop the roof up, remove the old lintel facing stones, remove both lintels and the centre pillar.

Then fit new steel, the row of stones above it and noggins, concrete the floor where the pillar was and finally trim 3 inch off one of the sides so the frame could bolt onto an aperture which was all the same as the other side and the lintel.

Oh, and build a stud wall and pin thick black visqueen to it!

All that was £1350

[Malc]

I reckon that £1350 was a steel ... steal .... still and still  good value tbh .......  the door seemed a bit excessive   ......  curtains would have been cheaper,  .... if you'd got your missus to run up a pair maybe  

 

Keeping your beloved ( Sc430 ) warm and cosy in the winter

Malc

[PCM]

Looks nice - happy days.

Nothing like a double garage WITH... a large full width door.

Back in the day I think two doors was a status symbol, but no where as practical as a larger single door.

[Glyn Jennings]

I envy you in that I would love a garage full stop. My SC has to sit in the road but at least it is a relatively quiet Cul de sac. Having said that I do have a garage but it is unusable as the front of it is opposite the back of a row of houses back gardens. Because everyone has so many cars these days they now park their cars there which leaves me about 10 feet to get the car in and out. I did ask my neighbour a few years back if he could not park there so I could use my garage but he still does. Interestingly my three children converted their garages in to rooms as so many people do now. I am beginning to think that a garage is a luxury now.

[Malc]

12 minutes ago, Glyn Jennings said:

I am beginning to think that a garage is a luxury now.

Glyn .........almost every house I've owned until now has had a garage, sometimes a big big double garage too ....  and I don't remember ever keeping a car in there, ever 

Once I had a double carport AND a huge 3 car garage and the carport was good, the airflow was brilliant and I kept a car under there for sure ..  the cats loved sleeping up on the rafters too .....  enjoying the sea breezes out of the rain ...  and the sunshade of course on those rare occasions  .....  back in the day 

My cars too are now roadside and I don't mind one jot, nestling up against my neighbours Bentleys and the like .........  a safe road to park on is good and if neighbours won't behave .  as in your instance then well, .......... 

...............just make their life hell for a while and they'll shortly understand to be more neighbourly towards you 

( maybe buy yourself an old banger and park it in the spot they actually use for themselves .....  they don't own that space presumably ? or indeed park your newly acquired old banger right outside your own garage doors possibly  )

sorry, I've got too much thinking time going on here 

Malc

[Glyn Jennings]

The thing is my neighbour is a nice guy and we get on well although we don’t socialise. I guess he’s not going to give up his parking space just for me. Bizarrely at the time when I asked him he said  he would but then never did. I am at a time in life where I want to live peacefully so I don’t let it bother me. No stress live longer is the plan.

[Ala Larj]

Looks a good job. I’ve toyed with the idea of changing ours but not got around to it. I wouldn’t park in it anyway as it’s become a sort of workshop/wood store. Fortunately we have locked gates to our drive so don’t worry about leaving our cars outside. Have never understood the logic of two doors. Both our cars would fit inside but getting the gs in would always be a precarious manoeuvre!

[Malc]

12 hours ago, Ala Larj said:

Have never understood the logic of two doors

probably a 2 for 1 offer a the time 

Malc

[Lexiguy]

17 hours ago, Ala Larj said:

17 hours ago, Ala Larj said:

Both our cars would fit inside but getting the gs in would always be a precarious manoeuvre!

 

It's pretty tight for the SC, had to remove the door handles to get it in!

The plan tomorrow is to remove and take 4 inch off the back of cupboards.

[Lexiguy]

5 hours ago, Malc said:

probably a 2 for 1 offer a the time 

Malc

The offer was probably a bog of deal 🤣 

( Buy On Get One Free)

[steve2006]

Mine’s just a single garage but plenty wide enough.

The problem was the length! The Mercedes S500 was too long so it had to be extended out, the LS430 just fits also but I fitted wooden stops on the floor.

I can’t get my fingers between the bumper and wall when the car is in and the door just clears the rear.

[Lexiguy]

Hi Steve

Looks like you have the same problem as me with the legnth of your garage. 

I like the wood blocks but also considering how good the tennis ball suspended from the ceiling would work.

There is something nice about getting a warm dry car out of the garage on a morning!

[Ken Timbers]

 

12 hours ago, Lexiguy said:

I like the wood blocks but also considering how good the tennis ball suspended from the ceiling would work.

I had to use a dangling tennis ball when I was garaging a Porsche 928: I had literally half an inch clearance on the left when entering the garage and less than an inch front and back when the door closed. The wide doors on the car meant a tight squeeze on getting out of it, too, which was what finally defeated me—I had to take my coat/jacket off before going into the garage, and I wasn't getting any slimmer! But the tennis ball worked well.

[Lexiguy]

Hi Ken 

Yes its a nightmare struggling out of narrow spaces in a low car with long doors.

Or reluctantly parking in a carpark where the spaces are narrow, leaving the car praying not to return and find creases in the panel caused by people who aren't  considerate or careful.

Anthony

[Herbie]

Whenever I hear of small garages I always think of this guy:

 

 

[Andy B]

My garage is just about long enough to get my NX350h in but it's a very tight squeeze.

So that I can get the car as close to the rear wall as possible (driving forward), I came up with the following contraption....

It's a piece of hardboard to which I have attached some foam cylinders (for want of a better word - it's the type of stuff that is used to insulate exterior pipework). As well as providing some cushioning, as the car "squeezes" up against it the foam is compressed which makes it move slightly - that way from within the car I know I have reached my limit.

[Fortunately the most protruding part at the front of the NX is the number plate so hopefully not too expensive to fix if I overdo it a little]

Might be a solution for others.

[malcolmw]

I position my LC in the middle of a double garage (so I can get out!) and use house bricks on a carpet to act as the stop at the front. I can generally get position to within 2 cm using this scheme as I have found the tennis ball on a string method to be a bit hit and miss with no firm stop point.

The NX sits on the drive...

[Lexiguy]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and ideas!

Hi Andy

Not very pretty but it appears to work effectively for you.

Hi Malcolm

I like the sound of two bricks placed in exactly the correct position, that might be a winner!

Anthony

[duamondfigaro]

Removing that pillar must have been a game-changer for you. Finding the right builder can definitely be tough, but it’s awesome that you finally found someone through a friend.
Choosing the right garage door brand, fitters, and style can make a huge difference. Glad to hear it all worked out and was worth the wait. For anyone else in a similar boat, I'd say check out https://portlanddoorsandlocksguy.com/ for garage door repair and installation. Doing your homework really does save you a lot of hassle and cash.