A new garage door looks great and can increase your home’s value.
Courtesy of Amarr

A door to savings

Costco’s Garage Door & Opener Installation program may be the best improvement you make to your home

by WILL FIFIELD

A new garage door offers many positive returns. “Most people think about updating their garage doors because it adds style,” says DeDe Heggem, a real estate agent with RE/MAX in Arizona and Washington state. She says a quality garage door built with upgraded materials makes a home more secure and improves heating and cooling efficiency.

“It can offer an average return on investment of 85% to 90%, making it one of the best home improvement investments you can make,” Heggem says. “But when you sell the home, you almost can’t put a price on the value it adds, because the dramatic curb appeal it adds draws prospective buyers to further investigate.”

When it’s time to update your home with a new garage door, Costco’s Garage Door & Opener Installation program has a large selection of high-quality doors, all built with industry-leading materials—the kind Heggem says will pay dividends whether you intend to live in the home or sell it.

Two-in-one

The program is backed by two suppliers: Amarr builds garage doors and LiftMaster manufactures garage door openers.

Amarr, Costco’s garage door supplier since 2005, has built a reputation for manufacturing quality products since it began focusing on garage doors in the 1960s. “The strength of the [standard] hardware we use is considered an upgrade compared to many of our competitors,” says Val Sigmon, president of Amarr since 2017. He says the company’s garage doors are built in the U.S., with U.S. steel from Indiana.

LiftMaster, which supplies garage door openers for the program, has been in the business for 50 years. Its garage door openers include features such as ultra-quiet operation, integrated LED lighting, battery backup and integrated technology that lets you control, secure and monitor the garage door through the myQ app. Depending on the model you buy, some include a built-in camera that enables you to see your home is safe.

Great products, expert installation

“Having access to quality garage doors and garage door openers is crucial, but selecting the right door and installing it correctly is also critical for a successful upgrade,” explains Mark Fenick, who oversees the program for Costco. Costco’s Garage Door & Opener Installation program connects members with expert help through an Amarr dealer who can advise the ideal door for your garage, based on your home’s décor, your lifestyle and other considerations. The dealer will take detailed measurements, finalize the design and confirm the cost of the project with you, after which an experienced and appropriately licensed professional installer will come to your home to install the door. That means you end up with a great-looking garage door that functions just as it should.

“We handpick program installers from a network of more than 4,000 dealers we work with,” Sigmon explains. He says Amarr vets and recommends the installers, who go through a thorough screening process as well. “We have 60-plus distribution centers, so if there’s a problem, we will have local management we can send,” Sigmon says. Local managers will visit members with problems, look at their product and then consult with the installation company to resolve the issue quickly.

If it’s time for a new garage door, Costco’s Garage Door & Opener Installation program offers the utmost quality at true Costco value.

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