Despite the unfortunate name, the iDrive from Wayne Dalton has served us well. Came with the house so can't really comment on installing it :) It is quiet and doesn't shake the house.

Residential Garage Door Openers at Wayne-Dalton

This looks similar to Liftmaster 3800. They claim to do this first.

video

Can't help you on that one as I didn't do the install. but I did watch the fellow do one of the doors and it didn't look difficult - just loading the door (spring) took some arm strength, but that hold true for any type of opener.

Interesting. I am going to have one of the local sales reps for one of the supply companies out to the house and will pick his brain, and will file a report.

I have generally heard that an epoxy floor is the way to go--is that right? I think we'll be able to get a drain into the floor, and I have heard that the epoxy is easy to clean and holds up fairly well.

Maybe the epoxy has gotten better over the years, but the epoxy that I once used lifted and needed redoing regularly. I would go with tiles.

Belt drives are the quietest and most expensive. I got a Genie Excelerator, a screw drive, which is almost as quiet. It's selling point is that it opens about twice as fast as normal (closes at standard speed). Almost 2 years and so far so good.

:iagree: I have bad experience with epoxy as well. It does not last that long. My extensive research in this area has revealed that frost proof porcelain tiles are the best. And you have to use inverted T-shaped metal plates where there are guided joints/cracks in the floor to avoid cracks in tiles. My guy quoted $3.50 /sq ft ($2 labor + $1.50 for tile)for tile floor which is not bad.

http://www.xoutpost.com/off-topic/lo...h-options.html

you can also use an uncoupling membrane such as Ditra or Ditra XL under your tiles, essentially creating a floating floor and eliminating any crack issues. Schluter makes it, found at www.schluter.com. It will add around $1 sq/ft onto the install cost, but well worth it.