Building a Garage in Cleveland

[jackcarliton]

Anyone in the NE Ohio region? A longtime reader of the forums, now am ready to take the plunge.

First quote for concrete $10-12,000 about gave me a heart attack, but there are some garage kits around here in the 6-8,000 range. I have a pretty firm budget of $15,000.

For that I hope to remove an existing 18'D x 20'W garage and cracked concrete, pour new foundation and pad, and have a stick built shell with doors. I want a 24'D x 40'W but am finding out that will probably be out of my price range. Now trying to see what I can afford. It seams that the concrete is the big variable. I can do the electrical myself and the interior finishing, but will have to wait for more funds.

The garage is in fine shape, siding directly on old growth studs but it is from the 20's and therefore the concrete and foundation are not up to snuff. The siding and bottom plate are near ground level. I do not know if it would be better to expand off of it or not. Seems a shame to get rid of 360sq ft of usable structure. I have heard of jacking up a structure to put a foundation and new pad under but do not know if that will save money.

Does anyone have any good experiences with contractors in the NE Ohio area? There are Amish builders in nearby counties that I plan to contact as well.

Thanks.

 

[JakeKohl]

At the risk of being a buzz-kill, if you are looking to tear down and haul away away your existing structure (and concrete) it will probably eat up at least half of your $15k budget. I hired a contractor to do the foundation and concrete work and put my 24x36 (2 story) into the dry and that was $45k (I had three other estimates from $60k to $75k). That's vinyl siding, windows, doors, and roof. The interior was bare studs with no electrical, no plumbing, etc. If I had built that as a one story, I imagine it would have been about $30-$35k for the same extent of work.

 

[jackcarliton]

Not a buzz kill at all. Thank you for the information. I know I probably do not have enough budget but that is the cash I have now.

I could tear down the existing myself and use the lumber for projects. Would pay for the concrete to go but that might shoot my budget as well. Only tricky thing would be the door spring.

I guess it is just a dream to see $8000 kits x 1.5 (labor) = 12,000 plus very expensive concrete = more than $15,000. I know that concrete varies by location but it sure seems to vary a lot. I would have thought that Ohio would be an affordable concrete region. Will have to keep collecting bids.

Is it just not possible to build a garage for $15,000 or even just a bit more?

 

[Mike K.]

Jack,

I'm in Medina & have built two. My first was 20 x 32 we built for about $8K. I my have some contractors for you.

Thanks,
Mike K.

 

[jackcarliton]

My first was 20 x 32 we built for about $8K.

Not with concrete and labor right?

I definitely will have to sub out the concrete. Except for lack of other workers I "could" build the structure but a framing crew would do a much better and more efficient job.

Once the shell is up I can do the rest of the electrical, carpentry and eventually finish work, but from a different time period and budget.

 

[rburke65]

Welcome from another Buckeye! The floor itself is about 12 yards....maybe $1400 in material. Of course that doesnt take in account labor, wire, or rebar, forms, sealer, etc. Don't know about the foundation specs. Do check out the Amish in your area. As far as your budget goes..... Well they are a starting point but they won't be your finishing point. You can add 50% if you are real lucky. Good luck?

 

[Mike K.]

Not with concrete and labor right?

I definitely will have to sub out the concrete. Except for lack of other workers I "could" build the structure but a framing crew would do a much better and more efficient job.

Once the shell is up I can do the rest of the electrical, carpentry and eventually finish work, but from a different time period and budget.

That included the slab. I removed the old slab myself & hauled it away. We hired three framers & supplied three free workers. Finished the roof, siding & inside ourselves.

Mike K.

 

[JakeKohl]

Jack,

I'm in Medina & have built two. My first was 20 x 32 we built for about $8K. I my have some contractors for you.

Thanks,
Mike K.

Woof...that's some serious penny pinching there! Was that recently or a couple of decades ago?

 

[8587GN]

Here we go again on how everyone thinks that the Amish are the best carpenters.......WRONG !!!!!!!!!!! I`m a finish carpenter and had to trim new houses that the Amish framed. Nothing was plump,square or even 16" on center,they are the worst around. The builders use them because they are cheap I wouldn't let them build me a doghouse. One house was so bad that the builder tore it down, and rebuilt it !
For your concrete, find a crew that might do on a Sat, on the side for a cash price

BTW, Grafton,OH here

 

[Aetsh]

Youngstown here

Nothing constructive to add except good luck with the build

Buckeye GJ'ers = thumbup

 

[ptgb]

Youngstown here as well...

Had my 24 X 32 built in the Fall of 2012. Total cost for building (including garage doors) with concrete slab (gravel, etc) was right under $15K. About 10K for building and 5K for concrete.

A lot depends on the style of build that you want. Mine was a hybrid pole barn/stick built combination. They build a pole barn foundation and then stick build on top of that. I used a builder out of Austintown Ohio (a Youngstown suburb). Was very happy with his work and it was done in a total of 6 days (concrete included).

Here is a thread I posted about my build so you can see the type of building I had built.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=196027

Good luck and depending on what side of Cleveland you live on, my builder may travel... who knows.

 

[jeffmoss26]

I am in Cleveland. I believe Corlett Garages is still around, though the lumberyard closed a few years ago.

 

[woodrail]

I built my garage over an existing asphalt "slab".

Like someone else said, mine is a hybrid pole barn stickbuilt. Basically, I have poles about 10' on center, trusses 24" on center, and infilled with 2x4 at 16" o.c.. It is vinyl sided. You can't tell the difference from conventional construction.

 

[Gary S]

You won't build for 15K unless you do all the work yourself and make it a simple building like most of the low priced kits.
Hiring it done will easily make that 15k into 45k if you aren't careful.

Do ALL the work yourself. Start by preparing the site and setting forms for concrete. Then, call a readymix truck and pour the concrete with your sweat, not someone else's.

After that, haul home the materials you need and start nailing.

If you do it this way, and get some of your materials on sale, you might get close to your 15k budget. If you hire it done, 15k won't do it.

 

[HammerMechanic]

I'm in the Medina area also. I had the Amish build my garage for what I thought was very reasonable for the size and what I wanted done. There are definately huge differences in the quality of different Amish crews. If you are thinking about using Amish go look at other buildings they have done.


Mine is a pole barn, and I waited for a year to pour the concrete so I could save up the extra money needed for the concrete. I ended up with 45 yards of concrete so it was a good amount of cash. Yours would be around 12 yards for just the building, I would bet your concrete costs will be around 4-5K.


Your best bet to save money if you are going to have the old building removed completely is do it yourself. Also if going that route, bust out your old concrete and remove it yourself. That will save you quite a bit in the cost.

 

[Falcon67]

I don't have a garage in Cleveland, but I'm building a Cleveland in my garage.

The only way to hit your budget is to keep your concrete costs under about $6K and do the rest yourself. All of it, including the demo. That would be tough. The existing structure could be saved probably, but you'd have to look at it from an angle of maybe expanding or adding on to it for more space. And that might not work out, depending on location and permits.

IMHO, It's not that hard to jack up a 18x20 and pour a fresh slab under it. Done part of that once here to save a old garage, just never bothered to replace the slab.

 

[jnyost]

Personally, I think the best bang for the buck is a pole barn. You could build it and do concrete on the inside when you get more cash.

I built a 24x40x10 for a hair over $10k with no concrete.

My 40x60 was close to $20k with another $10k in concrete.

Do the demo yourself. A lot of gravel pits will take the old concrete for free. They grind it and sell it.

Also, if you do your concrete in warmer weather you can save yourself the cost of adding calcium. I forget the exact price but it's $5-$10 per yard.

 

[jackcarliton]

You won't build for 15K unless you do all the work yourself and make it a simple building like most of the low priced kits.

Do ALL the work yourself. Start by preparing the site and setting forms for concrete. Then, call a readymix truck and pour the concrete with your sweat, not someone else's.

After that, haul home the materials you need and start nailing.

I do not see an option but to have the concrete done. I want a nice level, smooth slab with properly built footers, it is cold up here. I could form up and pour the footers but the slab will have to be finished by concrete guys so I might as well have them do all the concrete. Will have to pay, but hopefully not too much. Just got a lead from a friend who has relatives that do concrete. Says that they did their driveway and got a good price. That has nightmare written all over it but I am going to investigate.

I'm in the Medina area also. I had the Amish build my garage for what I thought was very reasonable for the size.

Yours would be around 12 yards for just the building, I would bet your concrete costs will be around 4-5K.

Your best bet to save money if you are going to have the old building removed completely is do it yourself. Also if going that route, bust out your old concrete and remove it yourself.

If I could get the concrete for a 24' x 40' for $4-5k then I would have them start as soon as the weather broke. I do not mind the demo. There is a lot of good wood left and could be re-used.

Once the concrete is there I have no problem framing up the garage. Could do everything myself until the trusses and then would have to call on friends.

The only way to hit your budget is to keep your concrete costs under about $6K and do the rest yourself. All of it, including the demo. That would be tough. The existing structure could be saved probably, but you'd have to look at it from an angle of maybe expanding or adding on to it for more space. And that might not work out, depending on location and permits.

IMHO, It's not that hard to jack up a 18x20 and pour a fresh slab under it. Done part of that once here to save a old garage, just never bothered to replace the slab.

Again, I sure hope to keep the concrete around $6,000. You are right all of the work would be tough but I think I could get enough assistance, paid and volunteer once the concrete is in.

I was talking to a friend today that recommended saving the existing structure as well. That really got me thinking that I already "have" a garage. I just need another or a bigger garage.

Now I have to start thinking about the possibilities of expansion an addition. When the snow clears, I will head out to re-inspect the footers. The sills and wood are in great shape, no rot. Things are a little slanted but nothing that could not be fixed. The only concern is the sill is almost at grade which is not good for water or a structure that I plan to insulate.

Personally, I think the best bang for the buck is a pole barn. You could build it and do concrete on the inside when you get more cash.

I built a 24x40x10 for a hair over $10k with no concrete.

My 40x60 was close to $20k with another $10k in concrete.

Do the demo yourself. A lot of gravel pits will take the old concrete for free. They grind it and sell it.

Also, if you do your concrete in warmer weather you can save yourself the cost of adding calcium. I forget the exact price but it's $5-$10 per yard.

I do not think a pole barn would pass code here but I will go talk to the inspectors.

Thanks a lot for the input and help.

 

[1955Jim]

I was in a similar situation. In 2009 I was going to replace a 11x20 garage that was built in 1938 and replace it with a 24x28. I went with a post foundation and standard stick construction on top of that. Exterior was vinyl with an asphalt roof. 16x7 insulated overhead door and a man door.

I demo'd the old structure and busted up and removed the old concrete myself. A quote I got from a contractor had $4k in it for removal of the old concrete.

I did the holes for the posts and got them ready. I then had a crew come in the evenings and frame it up. They also finished the roof. I did the siding and doors and trim work. I had seamless gutters installed too.

I had a friend and his father-in-law put down 15yds on concrete for the garage and driveway.

I think I had right around $13k in it at that point.

Granted, prices have gone up since then but I think if you do it smart and you're not afraid to do some work, you can do it on your budget.

Forgot to add this was done in Canton.

We sold the house and moved before I got it finished, so right now I am nearing the end of building a 30x40. I haven't been keeping a running tally of the cost so far but I guess I'm near $20k in it. One of these day I guess I will have to start a thread for it.

Another thing to keep in mind when choosing a framing method is if you want to finish the inside. A pole building doesn't save you any money if you want to finish the inside.

 

[rburke65]

I will agree with the above that if you are planning to finish the inside, you may as well just stud the walls....you are going to stud them anyways. You could jack up the existing garage, and put a higher footer to resolve the water threat. It's not that hard. Check out You Tube videos....I'm sure they are there.