Install one 2-car garage door where there was two 1-car doors.

[Paul Winka]

I have an '60s house that has a two 1-car garage doors that I would like to convert to one 2-car garage door. The doors both lead to one large bay, that is, there is not a wall between the garage doors spaces. The column between the garage doors is just there for architectural flair. 

I got a bid from Overhead Garage door for $4800 for a new door, operator, remotes, and the labor/materials to remove the column, patch concrete where column footprint was on the floor, and install a beam. I am sure they'll do a good job as Overhead has a great reputation, but the price is on the higher end. 

I got another bid for $1975 from a lesser known company for the same job; the contractor was found through Lowe's. This price seems unrealistically low, but there are working with Lowe's so I feel I have some leverage. 

What I have gathered is that the new beam put in for the door should be a LVL beam? What are other questions should I ask before giving the go-ahead for this job? 

[Thomas S Blue]

@Paul Winka - The PE would discuss your needs, measure/assess the existing conditions, provide structural support options, perform the analysis, size the members, and prepare the plans. The project may be simple enough that no specifications set is required other than what can be included on the plan sheets. That may also be the case with a statement of work and bid documents. It also depends on whether the engineer would oversee, inspect, and certify the work. Your local jurisdiction may adequate inspection services to suffice, but the engineer would probably be involved. (I have been very involved throughout the whole process on some projects and just in the discussion/design portion on others - the simpler the project, usually the less my involvement - which is probably obvious.) I am not in Missouri - so guesstimating - typical billing rates for a PE doing this type of work would likely be in $90/hr-$140/hr range and it would probably be about 4 to 12 hours of work (depending on existing conditions, needs, certification, location, etc). A local PE that does this type of work regularly, probably has the analysis routines set up in spreadsheets or other software, templates set up in CAD and word processor, and knows what local inspections department will require.