Leveling the Playing Fields
Should the industry have mandatory standards?

A cell phone, pickup truck, some cash and a contractor’s license is about all you need to jump into the garage door industry.

Maybe that’s an overstatement. But while there are many qualified, trained professionals in the door industry, there is almost an equal amount of unqualified and untrained people hanging and servicing garage doors and operators. Commonly referred to as “tailgaters,” —cue pickup truck—these bad apples are spoiling the barrel. “Anyone can slap a sign on their truck and say they’re in the door business, which makes it difficult for the legitimate companies that have tons of overhead expenses to compete,” says Jeff Plyler, owner of Plyler Overhead Door in Erie, Pa.

Those overhead expenses can include workers’ compensation and general liability insurance, fleet maintenance, stocking product, employee paychecks and even taxes. “I’m constantly hearing about the guy that will install that same door for $300 less,” says Dave Moore, president of Chicago-based Secured Entries Inc. “They’re usually not comparing apples to apples, and the other guy doesn’t pay taxes because he isn’t legitimate. He’s working under the table and pocketing all his profits.”

This type of dealer is also usually gone within a year or two. “Their code of conduct is putting as much money in their pockets, then run as fast as they can,” says Phil Stapley, owner of Stapley Garage Door in Mesa, Ariz.

So how can the legitimate business owner compete? In a word: standards.

Raising Professionalism

Nearly every type of industry has at least one trade association. There are two in the door and access-control industry: the Door and Access Systems Manufacturers Association (DASMA) and the International Door Association (IDA), along with its educational arm, the Institute of Door Dealer Education and Accreditation (IDEA). In general, associations guide the industry, handle lobbying efforts, and provide professional development, education and training. In the more advanced industries—think automotive or electrical—associations also enact and enforce mandatory standards or codes of conduct.

Despite being a billion-dollar industry and a hot home-improvement item, there are no mandatory standards for the garage door industry.

DASMA, which is officially only a decade old after a consolidation of two long-time associations, the Door Operator and Remote Controls Manufacturers Association (DORCMA) and the National Association of Garage Door Manufacturers (NAGDM), has made considerable efforts in the arena of standards.

Run by a board of elected officials, DASMA has developed many voluntary standards for the door and access-control industry, some of which have also been approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), which coordinates the development and use of voluntary consensus standards. According to the DASMA website, the standards are created through a consensus process and all are voluntary. [Editor’s Note: Both DASMA and IDEA declined to comment for this article.] 

There are standards concerning terminology, fire-rated rolling-door assemblies, specifications for sectional overhead-type doors, and the most controversial, DASMA 116, the standard for garage door section interfaces. But all are voluntary—meaning dealers and manufacturers alike can simply ignore them. This makes room for the unscrupulous companies, who many say give the industry a black eye.

“It’s getting harder to sell these days as there are so many fly-by-night operations out there, and customers have been burned so many times that they’ve become jaded,” Moore says. “I have many clients that have initially been rough around the edges and cynical because of the experiences they’ve had with some of these guys that install doors out of the back of their pickup trucks.”

Many door dealers say the time has come for the industry to have mandatory standards. (See sidebar, Dealers Speak Out.) “Our industry doesn’t receive the credit it’s due, and if standards were in place it may raise the professionalism,” Plyler says. “We don’t receive the compensation that we deserve for what is invested.”

“Mandatory standards would weed out some of the guys working out of the back of their pickup trucks and under the table,” Moore adds. “It’s difficult to explain to a client why your price is $400 more than someone else’s, when you have to take your taxes and overhead into consideration.”

Plus, Moore says he typically hears from the same customer after the “pickup truck hack” has botched the job. “There have been times when I’ve had to recommend the purchase of an entire new garage door,” he notes. “That doesn’t make for happy clients, and gives the entire garage door industry a bad name.”

Overall, dealers agree standards would help raise the professionalism of the industry. “It would make everyone be held to the same high standards, and slow down the tailgate service tech from degrading our industry,” says Gregg Davis, the general manager for Southern Florida-based Broten Garage Door. “We should be certified to service and install doors. The same certification should be shown in order to purchase products from distribution centers or aftermarket suppliers.”

Some dealers say standards should go beyond installation and products and address business ethics, too. “There should be standards about how we conduct ourselves with our customers, as well as the quality of work we do,” Stapley says. “Everyone should adhere to those kinds of standards in order to upgrade the overall image of the business. We’re all responsible for the image we project. Without those standards, we’ll always have the shady types out there changing their names, how they operate and who they work with.”

The Standards Police

While many advocate mandatory standards, most question how it would be accomplished. Dealers say there are just too many variables, including who would determine what the standards are and how to ensure compliance.

In the majority of industries where standards are mandatory, associations take the lead—creating and enforcing the standards. Also, there is typically a “certification” process, such as the one in the automotive industry.

Currently, IDEA offers door dealer accreditation, which includes training in insurance, legal, safety and health, and sales and marketing, among other topics. There is also certification in specific areas—residential installer, commercial sectional door systems technician, rolling-steel fire door, and train-the-trainer certification.

“The IDEA system of dealer certification is an example of a good program that works,” says Ken Martin, president of Salt Lake City-based Martin Door. “Dealers must receive education and pass tests showing that they have a level of expertise and experience in their field. This can help protect the public from unscrupulous dealers who prey on unsuspecting consumers.”

Stapley is currently working to become IDEA-certified. “It’s not an easy thing to do,” he says. “In order to get the certification, you have to prove yourself, and there are many levels you have to reach.” But the effort is worth it, he says. “Getting certified means my company operates at a higher level of standards.”

Some dealers, however, do not see the value of the IDEA-certification program. “I am not IDEA-accredited mainly because I feel it’s hard to get across to a customer how that really benefits them,” Plyler says.

Instead, dealers say the associations need to take certification and accreditation to the next level. “Companies should have to prove that they’re capable of providing the work they claim they can,” Moore says. “I’d like to see IDA regulate that somehow in the form of a license that should have to be prominently displayed in the place of business, as well as being available for the client to peruse.”

Stapley also suggests the associations put pressure on the home-building community and insurance industry to work with only certified companies.

Plus, training needs to go beyond manuals. “I would love to see a training course that’s not a DIY CD,” says Jim Kelly, owner of The Garage Door Group in Millersville, Md.

The industry as a whole should then reach out to the homeowner. “There should also be a public education blitz, so that people have more of an idea what their expectations should be when dealing with a garage door company,” Moore says. Enacting standards is only the first step.

Enforcing compliance will be tougher. “In any industry, or in any government or court, a law or a standard is only as good as its enforcement,” Martin says. “If there is no enforcement, the standard only helps those who support it.”

Most agree, however, that the industry should govern itself, rather than an outside source, such as the government, stepping in. “The standards should be determined by industry members by consensus,” Martin says. “It’s probably better to let an industry govern itself, rather than having the government step in and decide for us.”

Martin says the key to keeping the government at bay is by being pro-active as an industry. “The court system has access to all public standards and uses them as guidelines, so in that way some enforcement happens already. Enforcement systems are very costly because it’s like setting up a police force with inspectors, expert witnesses, judges, etc. Why add unnecessary cost to our products? It’s better to self-govern.”

Minding Manufacturers

Talk of mandatory industry standards isn’t aimed solely at dealers, either. Many in the industry believe manufacturers should comply with mandatory standards as well. “The manufacturers will complain out one side of their mouths about the low-grade installing companies, but on the other side of their mouths, they have distribution centers everywhere and they’ll sell to anyone with a roll of twenties. That lands squarely on their shoulders,” says Brace Lake, co-owner of Mr. Martin Garage Doors in Buena Vista, Calif.

Lake says he can recall numerous trips to distribution centers (DC) where he wasn’t asked to show his contractor’s license. “They’re not checking to see if licenses are up to date, not checking insurance, and not making sure the guys selling doors are real companies.

“It used to be in order to purchase doors, I had to buy a truckload. I had to be a legitimate company with a warehouse and some resources,” Lake adds. “Now, you can drive up to a local distribution center—and with a few hundred dollars in cash—buy the product, then go straight to the jobsite and install it.”

In addition to stricter control at DCs, Lake says manufacturers should require dealers to attend training classes, purchase a set quantity of product, and then follow-up to make sure the product is being installed correctly. “They need to take responsibility,” he says. “They’re selling a product to a dealer. They’re telling the consumer that the dealer is fully qualified and capable, licensed and insured.”

Some also believe manufacturers should be required to follow stricter manufacturing guidelines. “With mandatory standards, every manufacturer has more of a binding guideline or framework for their products,” says Norbert Fritz, president and CEO of Hoermann Inc., a manufacturer of residential doors and operators. “Consumers and homeowners can not only assume, but also be assured that the product which they buy complies at least with the minimum standards and features to comparable products.”

Hoermann is the U.S. division of German- based Hörmann, where manufacturing standards are much stricter. “In Europe, the government of a country sets the standards because the government is responsible for consumer safety and protection,” Fritz notes.

For example, in Europe every product must comply with the EN 13241-1 (product standard) and be marked with the “CE conformity mark.” The doors also undergo rigorous government lab testing including resistance of water and wind penetration, safe opening and operating forces.

Garage door dealers, on the other hand, are not required to have any kind of official certification or training. “But if a garage door dealer installs a door and an opener, he’s liable for the whole operation, not the manufacturer,” Fritz says. “So a door dealer is always better off if he joins product and installation trainings offered by the manufacturer.”

Brent Brown, sales and business development manager for Texas-based Overhead Door Corp., says because most U.S. manufacturers test their own products—including R-values—and every one uses a different test, there is no uniformity in the United States. “If we use one standard test, tested by an outside firm, we would have better, comparable products, giving consumers exact R-values and, ultimately, the end user a better choice in products when building,” he says.

Lake would like to see mandatory standards for manufacturers go beyond R-values to include hardware, paint, finger safety, wind-load, life expectancy of springs, steel strength and more. “They should have a list of five or 10 points of comparison,” he says. “This would give dealers, literally, a comparison not created by a marketing company but by an unbiased group.”

Looking Ahead

Despite the fact that current industry standards are voluntary, they’re still a benefit to dealers and the industry as a whole, Martin says. “In the case of our industry, there are cases on record where courts have used the ‘voluntary’ standards to aid in making decisions,” he points out. “Even though there are no ‘garage door police,’ it’s very wise to follow the standards to avoid liability and protect against lawsuits.”

In addition, some believe mandatory standards are on the horizon. “It’s just a matter of time before we see this industry adopting some of the standards from Europe,” Fritz predicts. “Since a lot of U.S. manufacturers are already doing business in Europe, many already have at least one or two products that meet the mandatory European standards.”

Until then, door dealers will continue to operate under their own ethics. “We can only hope that most of us continue to take the high road,” says Russ Wunderlich, owner of Wunderlich Doors Inc. and Wunderlich Rolling Doors LLC in Joliet, Ill. “There are many who do, and many that do belong to the fine trade organizations that exist today.”

A contractor’s license is typically required in order to purchase products from suppliers. However, the criteria for obtaining a contractor’s license varies from state to state. Some are lax; while others more stringent. Many require applicants to pass written exams, but some tests are open book and multiple choice. Some only require the applicant registers the company name with the state board. In some states, dealers must show they have some industry experience and training. Other states require a bond fee. Even license renewal varies by state.

In California, there are 43 different types of contractor’s licenses, including general and specialty contractors. But they are not required to carry general liability insurance. So if a contractor damages property and doesn’t carry liability insurance, the homeowner could be stuck paying for any damages.

North Dakota, on the other hand, doesn’t require applicants to pass a test. The only requirement is proof of liability insurance and workers’ compensation insurance if the company has employees.

In many states, garage doors and operators aren’t even listed under the types of specialty contractor’s licenses available. Washington does list overhead/garage doors under its specialty listing. Nevada, for example, has a category for installing bowling alleys, but not garage doors. Florida requires applicants to prove they have experience and/or accredited college-level training.

For more on state requirements, visit www.contractors-license.org. 

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