Hereford Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 Has anyone here added (or had added) an electric motor to a garage door so that it is more easily opened by the weak and feeble!?Our garage door is larger than a standard garage door and is wooden (and heavy). If anyone has done it could they post ball-park figure of cost please?Many thanksMrs H. (weak and feeble...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomoss Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 It might be cheaper to install a complete new motorised door than to adapt motor equipment to an existing door, especially if it is heavy, and you may not have any guarantee for something that has been modified. Even if you find someone that can do this, their guarantee is only of use if they are capable of fixing something they maybe couldn't do properly in the first place [:(]Brico Depot has units at a reasonable price, and they are fairly straightforward to install. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 Good advice, it would probably cost as much if not more for someone to motorise your existing door as it would to buy a complete roller door with motor assembly, OK it will still need installing but it should work out of the box, fitting operators usually involves some compromise and I have seen some real bodge ups in my time, some of them not even done by myself [:D]In any case you need to specify what type of door you have, single or double leaf, up and over, canopy up and over, sideways slidaway etc as well as the size and estimated weight, without those we would not know what type of operator to recommend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hereford Posted July 13, 2014 Author Share Posted July 13, 2014 Thanks for comments. The door is a wide single leaf up and over door. It was made for us by the menuisier who made all our windows frames. I will measure the width later, no idea of weight... It is a separate building to the house. The ceiling above is 15cm of concrete - it forms the floor for a study/sewing room above so was made extra thick to keep the heat in upstairs.At the moment the need for help with the door is not critical but may become so, hence the question as then we will have time to decide what to do.Mrs H. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 What your looking for is "Motorisations de Garage" and below is a couple of links to three well known DIY chainshttp://www.leroymerlin.fr/recherche=motorisations+de+Garage http://www.bricodepot.fr/carcassonne/search/node/Motorisation%20de%20garage?query=Motorisation+de+garage&pageSize=20&categoryId=navCatalogRootCategoryhttp://www.castorama.fr/store/rechercher4/Motorisation-de-garage?osearchmode=regThe basic rule is the more expensive the heavier the door they can move and the more 'clever' they are like some have sensors so when you drive out the door closes. If your door is made of wood then you want to get the one that lives the heaviest.Alternativly buy a 'roller' door which come in a bigger selection of widths. Watch the prices as some may look expensive but come complete with motor where as others require you to buy the motor. I believe I am right in saying you need the 'chain' type motor for these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 Up and over or canopy door?Does it have horizontal tracks?Does the door retract fully into the garage or does the front project a little forming a canopy.What counterbalance mechanism is currently fitted? I suspect that it is not up to the job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomoss Posted July 13, 2014 Share Posted July 13, 2014 Chancer just pointed out what I was about to mention.If it's an up and over door and too heavy for you to lift, this could indicate that the counterbalance springs or weights are incorrectly adjusted.Maybe you could look into this before trying to motorise the door. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hereford Posted July 13, 2014 Author Share Posted July 13, 2014 Up and over and it goes right into the garage i.e. flush with front wall. Yes it has horizontal supports. It is no problem, in fact easy, to open and is as steady as anything except: I have one dodgy shoulder and two dodgy wrists (am also only 5' 1" )and am not supposed to lift any weight. Because I am short (!!)I can hardly reach the top of the door to make sure it has gone right up. There is a very thick bolt too holding the supports through the ceiling. Able bodied, and younger, people would have no problem at all. Currently husband usually opens it but may well not be able to do so indefinitely.Thanks for all your thoughts, will do some investigating.PS It is 294 cm wide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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