What equipment should I check on a garage door company’s installation trucks?

Walk the trucks with the seller and open every compartment. Note the body, tires, shelving and any lifting or clamping gear. Ask for service and inspection records, and compare the odometer with the story you were told. Check for rust, leaks and signs of patchwork repairs that could point to higher costs soon.

Then look at the specialist kit. Garage door work involves heavy panels and tightly wound springs, so ask to see the winding bars, clamps, drills and ladders, and whether the gear looks well kept. Ask how often tools are replaced and whether technicians own their own. Worn or borrowed tools change what you will spend after closing, so write down anything you would replace in the first season.

Finally, trace ownership. Ask for registration documents and any loan or lease papers on each vehicle, and confirm that nothing is pledged to a lender that you would have to deal with. An equipment appraiser can price the fleet independently, and a lender may want that before financing the purchase. Ask a mechanic who does not work for the seller to look at the trucks, so the opinion on condition is independent.

Key takeaways

• Open every compartment and compare what you find with the equipment list.
• Ask for service records and look at how the springs gear and ladders are kept.
• Confirm who owns, finances or leases each truck before closing.
• Have an independent mechanic inspect the trucks.