Priced out of attached Garage...massive breezeway to Detached?

[asizzle10]

I have received 4 quotes for a 50 x 35 garage addition in PNW. They all are in excess of $300K. I have also received several bids for a detached garage the same size around $120K. This is just insane to me the discrepancy between the two. Nothing sticks out on any of the quotes, it's a pretty "basic build", no crazy elevation changes, 20ft gabled ceilings but no 2nd floor, no plumbing. I do not want a detached garage unless it can be attached and open to the current 20 x 25ft garage. This only works for me if the current garage is "open" to the new garage the full or close to 25ft.

Idea: Could I build a detached garage 5ish feet from the house. Then have an enclosed "breezeway" that is 25ft wide and 5ft long to connect the two? That seems like it would be significantly cheaper than trying to build the addition with all the tie ins. I would obviously need some large beams to cover the span of the 25ft openings on both.

Is this crazy? Could it work?

 

[theoldwizard1]

If you want to use the breezeway as additional living space, heating and cooling it will be a challenge !

 

[asizzle10]

not additional "living space". It just be connecting two garages which are not heated/cooled. So a garage breezeway!

 

[Old tool guy]

Does the side have to be fully open? With two columnns in the middle the spans are cut to 8 ft which is easy to work with. Or you could do a 12 ft span in the middle with a 6 ft span on each end.

 

[472scout]

Did you ask the detached guys if they are willing to do attached?

One cause of the higher price for the attached garage is that there are more regulations to deal with and a more complicated engineering and permit process.

For the attached option were you asking for them to knock out the entire connecting wall? That would be more money than a door
between the two spaces or even a 10 ft opening. Besides the beam you would probably need additional foundation work to support the concentrated loads.

Breezeway is possible, but how are you planning on dealing with the snow? You have to have a fire rated wall and door.

 

[Jayman17]

Gotta love living in the PNW, where everything cost sooo much! Good luck with your project.

 

[Model A Fan]

Where do you live in the PNW? There is Spane Buildings in Mt. Vernon that seemed to have (a few years ago) reasonable prices at $45/sqft finished. They may have increased their pricing since given the "COVID Surcharge" and all the other stuff Washington seems to keep adding in regards to taxes, permits, etc. Permitting seems to take forever in Whatcom County and costs are so exorbitant.

 

[asizzle10]

Does the side have to be fully open? With two columnns in the middle the spans are cut to 8 ft which is easy to work with. Or you could do a 12 ft span in the middle with a 6 ft span on each end.

Yes, it does have to be fully open for my family's use

 

[asizzle10]

Did you ask the detached guys if they are willing to do attached?

One cause of the higher price for the attached garage is that there are more regulations to deal with and a more complicated engineering and permit process.

For the attached option were you asking for them to knock out the entire connecting wall? That would be more money than a door
between the two spaces or even a 10 ft opening. Besides the beam you would probably need additional foundation work to support the concentrated loads.

Breezeway is possible, but how are you planning on dealing with the snow? You have to have a fire rated wall and door.

I've talked to a couple companies who said they don't do that. Yes, the whole connecting wall, 25ft which as you said required additional footings and engineering...but $200K additional worth was just crazy to me

We don't get a ton of snow so that shouldn't be an issue. But the breezeway will have it's own "sloped roof".

 

[jd_1138]

I've talked to a couple companies who said they don't do that. Yes, the whole connecting wall, 25ft which as you said required additional footings and engineering...but $200K additional worth was just crazy to me

We don't get a ton of snow so that shouldn't be an issue. But the breezeway will have it's own "sloped roof".

The 200k extra sounds like a contractor is trying to get rich off you. Does your state/local codes allow you to act as your own contractor and hire subs to do foundation, framing, roof, etc? Then you can save a lot of money, but the hassle and risk factor goes up a lot.

I would just go with detached personally. To me a garage is a place to escape the BS and drudgery of household drama.

 

[asizzle10]

Thats what I thought but I've had so many quotes and they are all the same. I'm really leaning towards this new idea the more I look into it

 

[Old tool guy]

Yes, it does have to be fully open for my family's use

It could be fully open with just 2 columns. Or are you looking for a wide open dance hall?

 

[dcg9381]

Idea: Could I build a detached garage 5ish feet from the house. Then have an enclosed "breezeway" that is 25ft wide and 5ft long to connect the two? That seems like it would be significantly cheaper than trying to build the addition with all the tie ins. I would obviously need some large beams to cover the span of the 25ft openings on both.

Why do you have to "enclose" it? It's a BREEZEway...

1500 sqft for $300k is "house money" not garage money.

Could the breezeway free stand and not be fully integrated to the house roof?

 

[asizzle10]

Why do you have to "enclose" it? It's a BREEZEway...

1500 sqft for $300k is "house money" not garage money.

Could the breezeway free stand and not be fully integrated to the house roof?

I want it enclosed so that between my 30 x 25 garage and then new 35 x 50 garage I have a massive unobstructed open space. And yes the breezeway can open stand with it's own roof, that's how I envisioned it. I imagine that would keep the costs down as well.

 

[ddurrett896]

I have received 4 quotes for a 50 x 35 garage addition in PNW. They all are in excess of $300K. I have also received several bids for a detached garage the same size around $120K. This is just insane to me the discrepancy between the two. Nothing sticks out on any of the quotes, it's a pretty "basic build", no crazy elevation changes, 20ft gabled ceilings but no 2nd floor, no plumbing. I do not want a detached garage unless it can be attached and open to the current 20 x 25ft garage. This only works for me if the current garage is "open" to the new garage the full or close to 25ft.

Idea: Could I build a detached garage 5ish feet from the house. Then have an enclosed "breezeway" that is 25ft wide and 5ft long to connect the two? That seems like it would be significantly cheaper than trying to build the addition with all the tie ins. I would obviously need some large beams to cover the span of the 25ft openings on both.

Is this crazy? Could it work?

Do you have any setback restrictions or detached building limitations? Where I live, a detached structures can be 20% of the house sqft OR 500sqft (whichever is bigger).

My house is 2K sqft so 500sqft was my max detached BUT I could build a 1,050 sqft attached.

 

[purplezr2]

Do you have a sketch of the tie in to the house of the attached version.

Does the attached have full footing vs detached with floating slab?

Electrical in both?

 

[CraigStu]

Maybe I am misunderstanding but, for what you want it seems you need to basically remove the outer wall of the existing garage. I can see that being a huge $ cost just itself. Maybe not $180k but....

 

[racecougar]

In order to provide more informed responses, it would be worthwhile for us to see the plans for each. I expect the foundation and roof tie-in's are a significant cost adder to the attached design. Do you have plans drawn up that you're receiving bids on, or is this all verbal with contractors?

 

[carcruse]

Around here, a detached garage must be a minimum of 10 feet from the main building/house. If that applies to your area, you would end up with a 10'x25' breezeway later.

 

[Stuart in MN]

My understanding is if you have a breezeway connection, the garage is considered part of the house so it will be subject to the same rules as if you built a regular attached garage. You may be better off just building it totally detached, then come back later to add the breezeway.

 

[danfromsyr]

here it's 6ft and the neighbors new garage isn't connected by a cover breezeway just for that reason
would have inflated the construction costs significantly

 

[asizzle10]

My understanding is if you have a breezeway connection, the garage is considered part of the house so it will be subject to the same rules as if you built a regular attached garage. You may be better off just building it totally detached, then come back later to add the breezeway.

Yes this is in line with my current thinking. Build the garage but do the site prep work so I can later add the breezeway. And yes, once the breezeway comes into play it is one structure.

 

[asizzle10]

Around here, a detached garage must be a minimum of 10 feet from the main building/house. If that applies to your area, you would end up with a 10'x25' breezeway later.

In our county code there actually isn't a minimum but fire codes come into play at under 3 ft which I don't need to worry about

 

[asizzle10]

Maybe I am misunderstanding but, for what you want it seems you need to basically remove the outer wall of the existing garage. I can see that being a huge $ cost just itself. Maybe not $180k but....

Correct, Remove the outer 25ft long garage wall, install 25ft beam across, add garage.

 

[carcruse]

In our county code there actually isn't a minimum but fire codes come into play at under 3 ft which I don't need to worry about

Yes, Fire Code is the reason for the 10' here. Surprised it is only 3' where you are.

 

[Youngandfree]

Correct, Remove the outer 25ft long garage wall, install 25ft beam across, add garage.

I'd do the breezeway.

 

[asizzle10]

Here is what I'm thinking on the site...Does this look insane? I was a bit off on the beam requirement as would need to be 35ft on the detatched and 25 on the house as we have have a mudroom we won't be opening up.

Additions are being done at 6-8 months in my area, permitting is crazy slow. Some of these pole barn builders say much quicker going through them and doing a detached, like half that time and price with lots going up in my county.....But would the breezeway nullify any of those time/$ savings? The breezeway would be a simple design design with it's own roof.

Unfortunately I can't build the detached and then finish the breezeway later. In my county I can only have like a 200sqft detatched structure so the breezeway would have to be engineered/incorporated at the same time so it's considered one .

 

[PCustoms]

Here is what I'm thinking on the site...Does this look insane? I was a bit off on the beam requirement as would need to be 35ft on the detatched and 25 on the house as we have have a mudroom we won't be opening up.

Additions are being done at 6-8 months in my area, permitting is crazy slow. Some of these pole barn builders say much quicker going through them and doing a detached, like half that time and price with lots going up in my county.....But would the breezeway nullify any of those time/$ savings? The breezeway would be a simple design design with it's own roof.

Unfortunately I can't build the detached and then finish the breezeway later. In my county I can only have like a 200sqft detatched structure so the breezeway would have to be engineered/incorporated at the same time so it's considered one .

Attaching a "breezeway" that size to the existing structure and opening the existing wall seems no different then building the garage as attached to start

 

[asizzle10]

That's what I would have guessed but after multiple bids on both attached and detatched we are at 150K in difference, now thats without the breezeway but I can't see that running more than $50K at the most...

 

[PCustoms]

That's what I would have guessed but after multiple bids on both attached and detatched we are at 150K in difference, now thats without the breezeway but I can't see that running more than $50K at the most...

I bolded the important part

Your "breezeway" is just a different name for an attached garage. Get a quote, I bet it's very close (if not more) to your original number