In the yellow pages there are companies whose sole purpose is to repair or replace garage doors. I had a crack in mine due to an improperly installed door opener. They were able to just replace the top panel which was much cheaper than replacing the entire door. I would call a couple of those companies and see what they have to say about it.

I have done the same thing, you are not alone-most people will not even admit they have done this- you will only have to have the damaged panel(s) fixed. You can claim it under homeowners insurance.

I really did hate to admit it. It's buckled at both top and bottom so I bet I have to have a new door. I wouldn't hate it so bad by DH was in the van with me and I could have let him drive. It scraped his new van. The door people are out there now so we will see.

The door people came out and DH went home to meet them. They told him the door would have to be replaced. Then they gave him this story about how builders used too cheap doors and fittings and that he needed a better one and he took it hook, line and sinker and ordered a more expensive door. I think he was just too gullible. The door looked fine to me before I hit it and was only 5 years old. What do you think?

I think you should have been there when the door guys gave him the hook, line and sinker. You could have suggested that you go look (in person) at the display of doors. And then, hit the nearest home improvement store and gotten some free advice on door repairs. You normally have three days (business) to cancell a contract, any chance of that?

I did that, except going into the garage :(

The "repair" companies are really trolling for business installing expensive replacements.

The FIX is to whack the dent back straight enough that you can close the door, then insert a metal or wooden reinforcing piece (2x4? u-shaped metal with holes?) into the slot at the bottom of the door and run bolts through it to reinforce the panel and finish straightening. It's visible, but it was cheap and fast.

I know you are right. I should have been there but he has lots of leave he can take from work and I have very little so I had to let him do it. Now I wish I hadn't. One good thing though, I was going to pay for it and he wouldn't let me. Guess I'll pay for repair on the van.

You couldn't wack the dent out of this one. It was dented both top and bottom pretty bad. I think thats because once we got out of the garage DH kept trying to get the door up and down and it made it worse.

call your home-owners insurance agent before you do too much.

I used to work with a man who drove into his garage forgetting that his bicycle built for 2 was on top of his van!!

LOL. I'll try to remember never to put a bicycle on the van! We decided it best not to turn it over to the insurance company. We will save that for more excpensive disasters. The door was bent both top and bottom so had to buy a new door to the tune of $510. DH is happy with it because it no longer has a cat door in it. If he's happy then I'm happy since he paid for it.

If that van wasn't so tall it would have not happened in the first place - it is his fault !

make him buy a shorter van too.

Mikie, what a brilliant idea! I'll mention it to him.

Beverly I did the same thing only it was wood so all I had to do was get it back on track. Hubby never knew about it ha

DH & I have both done it. DH's time, our contractor/neighbor was able to bend it & spring it back into the track. Funniest tardy note for kids: "Their dad backed into the garage door & they were trapped inside." When I did it, I had to get a garage door repairman, who did essentially the same thing, for $75.