These homeowners were in a unique predicament. They didn’t have to replace their garage doors. They just wanted to…and the results gave them a bigger return on investment than they expected.

The house “before”.

This Ohio home is garage proud. In other words, the garage is the first thing you see when you drive up. It’s a pretty house, but in the homeowner’s own words, this huge focal point lacked “wow factor”. 

As they watched new homes being built around them, the owners noticed many had upgraded garage doors. That got them thinking, “What impact would new garage doors have on the look of our home?”

Clopay’s Door Imagination System lets you see new garage doors on your home before you buy.

Their search led them to the Clopay website where they used the Door Imagination System to upload a photo of their home and try on different garage door designs. They felt a carriage house door best complemented their home’s traditional style and decided on the Coachman Collection. 

Their original garage doors didn’t have windows, so the next question became whether or not to add them. A decorative arch detail above the garage door openings gave them the design cue they were looking for, and they used Clopay’s design tool to mock up several designs with either an arched top or windows. 

Clopay Coachman Collection Design 23, solid ARCH top

Clopay Coachman Collection Design 21, ARCH4 windows

Clopay Coachman Collection Design 22, ARCH3 windows 

The Clopay dealer took measurements and assured them that the windows would match the radius of with the existing garage door opening. He also gave them addresses of other homes in the area with similar Clopay doors installed so they could be totally certain that was the look they wanted.

When they submitted their garage door makeover photos to Clopay’s Foto-Finish Friday contest, the owners wrote: 

Unique garage doors on newer homes inspired these homeowners to upgrade their own curb appeal. Clopay Coachman Collection carriage house garage doors gave them the character and wow factor they wanted.

“We are very happy with our selection. The new doors gave our house the character and ‘wow’ factor we always wanted. The curved windows are a perfect complement to the brick arch opening. Our neighbors across the street said that before the change, they never even noticed the arch above the doors. The new doors gave our house the character and ‘wow’ factor we always wanted. Our appraiser also agreed, since our new home value is much more than the cost of the doors.”

Ten years ago garage doors didn’t rate as an important exterior design consideration, but that has changed. Replacing your garage door now ranks as one of the Top 5 home improvement projects nationwide and generates one of the highest returns on investment at resale, according to the Remodeling magazine 2015 Cost vs. Value report.

Garage door replacement ranks high for two main reasons: it is among the least expensive projects in the survey, and it improves curb appeal in a way that can affect a potential buyer’s first impression and, consequently, a home’s resale value.

Today, the range of garage design and material options is almost endless, which means you can get a door that not only secures your home and enhances its curb appeal; it can improve its energy efficiency at the same time. 

Carriage house garage doors continue to increase in popularity, representing 1 out of every 5 doors sold in North America. They are not just for historic homes. The variety of designs and construction materials make this look suitable for Craftsman, traditional, transitional, ranch, Cape Cods, tudors and other styles.

What is our homeowner’s take on the value of his garage door replacement project? He said:

“We had our house appraised several years ago when housing was down. Since then we made some improvements including the new garage doors, a new concrete driveway with increased parking, and a new furnace and air conditioner. The cost of the garage doors and driveway reflects the increase in our most recent appraisal. In our minds, the impact of the new garage doors on our home’s curb appeal played a role in the increased value of our home.”