FOR several years residents have turned to the Bermuda Garage Door Company for home accessories to meet a range of needs.

Windows, storm shutters and blinds draw many to the Devonshire store but even greater numbers are led by the selection of garage doors on offer.

Available in a range of colours, materials and styles, each lends credence to an often-overlooked premise ? when one considers what is stored inside, the most essential part of a garage is its door.

"People in Bermuda use garages for several reasons," explained Maria Rocha, the company's secretary and salesperson. "Some rely on them to protect their cars from the saltwater, the sun and the rain, but others use them for storage as well.

"They want to be able to protect certain items ? items that can't fit or that they don't want inside their homes ? in an area they can close off. They just want something solid to protect what's inside, whether it be their tools or their lawn supplies. Tools, especially, are a big thing in Bermuda and people tend to keep them in their garage."

Mrs. Rocha's husband, John, purchased the company three years ago. Having gained experience working at several companies on the island, including Bermuda Glass and Island Glass, he was eager to tackle his own business.

"The opportunity presented itself," she said of the buy. "The company was originally owned by a gentleman by the name of Charlton Dill. He sold it back in 2003 to John and John went into partnership with a friend, Carlos DeFrias.

"We don't just offer garage doors. We cover pretty much everything. We bring in and install windows and blinds, storm shutters and accordion shutters. But we do specialise in garage doors and there's always a big demand.

"Some people have the old fibreglass doors which they want replacing, some are doing additions to their home which include a garage and there are a lot of the new townhouses which have garages as well."

Although the standard size of a Bermuda garage door is eight by seven feet, the company has been asked to install much larger ones. One in Hamilton Parish measured 21 feet, and a future job will see them replace the doors to the Hamilton Fire Station on King Street.

The typical request places few demands on customers aside from choosing a door's colour and material and whether or not it is to be motorised.

"The doors come in PVC, wood and polyethylene. Some even come in aluminium. The number one colour demanded is white, but our most popular brand also comes in grey, cream and sand and we have another brand also available in brown."

Customers are able to spray paint PVC garages in the colour of their choice ? however, it isn't a move the company recommends.

"We don't advise it because the paint can scratch off," she explained. "Because of that, we like to keep the doors as they are manufactured unless a customer specifically asks for a different colour.

"They also have various window options. They can put a panel with glass at the top of the door and in it we can place inserts with different designs."

Such designs also enable more light to enter the garage, she added.

The price varies based on the material of the door and the options chosen. Those made of wood are more expensive both in initial cost and upkeep.

"Some people like the look of wood. They are expensive. We've put a few up at Tucker's Point Club ? some people leave the wood in its natural state, some paint it. More maintenance is required with wood than PVC and most people who opt for the PVC doors like that fact.

"However, new doors can last pretty much between ten and 20 years, if not longer ? unless, of course, someone drives a car through them."

The amount of time required for installation also varies.

"It all depends on what the installer runs into," Mrs. Rocha explained. "We like to do site surveys so we know in advance how long a job will take."

Bermuda Garage Door Co. Ltd. has five employees. Mr. Rocha, Mr. DeFrias and a third person are responsible for site surveys and garage measurements. Mr. Rocha installs the doors.

From start to finish, the process is a simple one, Mrs. Rocha said.

"Customers come in. They look at what brands we have and if they've brought in their own measurements, determine what size of door they need. We try to keep the two most popular sizes in stock."

explained that site visits are necessary as "each garage door is not made the same, the heights differ" and there can be construction issues which demand a degree of care.

"Sometimes old houses and garage doors in Bermuda still have Bermuda stone (which has a) wooden frame. Sometimes the frames rot and so we have to remove them and fix them up before we install the door. So we always make sure the opening is correct, that there's nothing hidden which will cause problems later."

Similarly, beams can also pose a hazard, Mrs. Rocha explained.

People who install doors themselves often return to the company, having run into difficulty because they haven't considered the impact a beam will have on the door's opening and closing.

"Some people have tried to install doors on their own. Many think it's straight-forward. It's not. There are certain factors we consider that they might overlook because they don't have the experience ? things that we would have picked up."