A letter I sent with zero response...
I wish I would have…read morelistened to my instinct when I learned the Military / Veteran discount wouldn't apply to for the zero cost trip charge. Should have known that a 73 year old veteran wouldn't''t matter. In retrospect... I felt like a target.
Throughout the process, I was informed at each stage and notification of a defect that the repair would extend a "full lifetime warranty" through A1 Garage. The salesman asserted, "everything, the complete system." However, I have since discovered that this statement may not be entirely accurate.
During the installation and the sales pitch, I was assured that the pricing and cost were comparable to those offered by the majority of garage door companies in the Phoenix Metropolitan area.
I initially agreed to the cost of the garage door opener. Subsequently, the defects and the "marketing" tactics became apparent.
What commenced as a $1,500 garage door installation transformed into a series of unfortunate events which they wouldn't state until the technician got to that point.
Based on national pricing data (and Phoenix specifically tends to operate at the lower end for garage door work), here is how the invoice compares to typical market rates:
Item I Paid vs Typical Market Rate
Trip/Service Charge | $59.00 | $50-$95 (normal) *** Military Discount not applied. Was charged for the trip.
A1 Garage charged for...LiftMaster 6690L opener, installed w/ accessories: $2,065.35
*The typical pricing in Phoenix is: $900-$1,200 installed (including keypad, extra remote, wall control -- same accessories I received)
A1 Garage charged for.... Max Life double spring + drums + cables + bearing plates: $1,414.98 + $175.70 + $203.47 + $180.75 = $1,974.90.
*The typical pricing in Phoenix is: $700-$1,200 for a comparable *full* premium (80,000-cycle) bundle including drums, cables, and hardware.
A1 Garage charged for.... Shop Supply Fee: $204.96
*** Typical pricing Usually a flat $10-$30, or a small percentage -- this is unusually high
A1 Garage charged for....Total $4,105.46
*** Typical pricing $1,650-$2,500** for equivalent work
Bottom line ... Based on these ranges, I paid approximately $1,600-$2,450 more than a typical fair-market price for the same opener and spring/hardware package -- roughly 60-140% above what comparable full-service installs tend to charge.
A few specific points that stand out:
- The opener alone is priced at more than double what other installers quote for the same 6690L with the same included accessories (2 remotes, keypad, wall control, battery backup).
- Springs, cables, drums, and bearing plates were itemized separately rather than bundled -- most shops quote these as one package, and even priced separately your total for that group is well above the high end of national ranges.
- The $204.96 "shop supply fee" is a notably large flat charge; many companies either waive this or keep it in the $10-30 range.
I wish I could have or should have had 1-2 competing quotes from local independent garage door companies.
I did contact A1 Garage Door Service with zero response.
Be careful... very careful... A1 Garage Door Service is 140z over priced comparable to other garage door companies....