Building Garage.

[Hotz]

My question is simple:

You even build your garage. (diy)

Your contractor built it.

Was ready.


Let's look at which most.....

 

[catsteve]

In my case (in Australia) I decided what i wanted.
Took my ideas to a draftsman who drew the plans.
I organised survey of the property.
I submitted plans to local authorities.
Then i contracted a builder to build it for me.

If i were to do it again, i would employ one company to handle the lot- start to finish. ie contractor.
i dont think i saved much money doing tasks myself and gave myself a whole lot of hassle. but i have exactly what i wanted.
If i could give one piece of advise - and you will read it 5000 million times on this forum - Build it BIGGER.

 

[zmotorsports]

We built ours ourselves with the exception of the concrete work. We hired that out, mainly due to the city demanding we have the footings 30" below ground level. I didn't feel like digging that by hand and standing forms.

I tried to convince them to let me do a mono pour but they would not allow it. I had to have footings 30" below the ground, then foundation and then I could pour the flooring. Personally I think it was a bit overkill but now I am glad it is built in that fashion.

My dad, older brother and brother-in-law helped me frame and sheet it. I built a transmission for a guy and he brought his boom truck in to lift the trusses up, traded labor.

I shingled, wired, insulated, sheetrocked, taped/mudded and painted it all myself. I then had a couple co-workers help me move my tools/equipment into it.

I got all of the permits, plans and other BS done and then broke ground by removing sprinkler system and sod on fourth of July weekend 1995 and was moving tools and equipment into the shop on Halloween weekend the same year. That was a busy as hell four months, we didn't do anything but build the shop, but I am glad I did and didn't hire it out. Total cost to build was right @ $20k which over a third of the cost was concrete work. I had bids to build it from a couple of contractors at the time for around $50k-$55k. By doing everything myself we were able to pay cash and not have a loan against it. We moved into the home in 1991 and it took four plus years to save up to build it because we did not want to borrow for the shop.

Mike.

 

[dirttracker18]

I did everything except the concrete and shingles. It was the same price to hire a roofing company as it was just for me to buy the shingles.

 

[steel 35]

I fit right in there had a concrete finisher along with a bunch of friends and beer, 30" footings but I borrowed a back hoe, paid for the insulation with install & had the shingles installed. I did the framing wiring drywall painting etc. 25X36X10 15K and 5 was just for the concrete trucks, been stacking stuff in it for 11 years but it only took two months to fill it.

 

[ddawg16]

I did everything except the concrete and shingles. It was the same price to hire a roofing company as it was just for me to buy the shingles.

That was exactly what I did as well.....roofing is one of those tasks that just does not justify your time...money well spent.

When I did the foundation for my house addition, I just used the concrete guy the contractor who did my garage used....my garage foundation was about the only thing I got hosed on.....lessons learned....

 

[Gary S]

I built all of mine myself. I've never found any local contractor that ever got any project done on time, or done right.
Doing it myself, it was a lot cheaper, done on time, and done right the first time.

 

[Falcon67]

From the ground up. More fun that way. Appraised at $25K, cost about 45% of that to build. I imagine to contract the whole thing would have been closer to 30K.

 

[KPSquared]

All me. I hired out finishing the slab, wiring, and shingles (the crew was here to do my house anyway)

So far everything else was me.

 

[Steevo]

I worked with a contractor to determine what size I could fit in the space available, then hired the contractor to do everything from submitting permits to building the building, finishing the outside and leaving the inside bare frame work.

I was living in California and having it built in Idaho, so couldn't really be there for the structure build anyway.

I then finished all of the electrical, plumbing, lighting, finishing of the inside, except for the sheet rock and insulation, which I subbed out to individual contractors.

 

[zmotorsports]

I built all of mine myself. I've never found any local contractor that ever got any project done on time, or done right.
Doing it myself, it was a lot cheaper, done on time, and done right the first time.

I didn't say the concrete contractor did it on time. That is a completely different topic. They did do a fantastic job and it was definately quality work but slow. I know I could have shaved probably a month off of the total build had I not had to wait for the contractor between footings, foundation and floor.

Fact is the contractor was taking care of the builders that kept him in business, not the one shop guy that would probably never use him again after the shop was built.

I do know what you mean though.

Mike.

 

[Free Willie]

Wanted it turnkey, couldn't afford it that way.
Builder (friend of mine) did frame , stairs and screwed the roof on. I (with help from wife and friends) finished it - siding, electric, insulation and interior panels. Contractor did doors.
It sucked but was well worth it.

 

[LennyTheLizard]

I'm having contractor do all structural work and close it in. This is mostly due to I try to do too many projects, and if I try to build this shop myself, it will probably take months. Once the building is finished I will do all the wiring / interior finishing myself.

 

[Angelfire]

I had mine built while having an addition to the home built. I've acted as my own GC on both accounts. For the addition, I hired out the concrete, framing, roofing (TPO so didn't want to try that on my own), electrical, mech, and plumbing (can't do those as a homeowner here). For the house, electrical, mech, plumbing, etc... are doing complete jobs. For the garage, I had them do the bare bones - concrete, frame the structure, roof it, and put in minimal electrical just to satisfy the permit. Once I complete the addition (hopefully soon! I'm getting worn out!), then I'll go in and do up the garage properly myself. As for on time, most of my subs have done a pretty good job keeping up with my schedule. The garage was certainly done on time but we've had a few delays on the addition but it's all good.

 

[bacpacker]

I had a neighbor do my grade work (same guy who dug my basement). Then had a builder put up a 24x40 pole barn. I'm still working on getting it wired and concrete poured. Cost about $8k so far.

It's nothing to brag about, but it serves it's purpose just fine.

 

[BWS]

Part of our shop/garage is almost underground.....it was built/used as a spraybooth.Which isn't the point.........

I dug it out with a big honkin azz Super K backhoe.Not having the time(or cash) to do any building at that moment,it had to chill for 6 months or so.....One side is 10' plus in the ground,so there was a rather significant pile of dirt.

I staged it right smack in the middle of the layout....for one very good reason.My 4 kids were all little at the time and we created a "Magic Mountain".The pile I think was around 14 or so feet high......bigazz pile.We carved out a spiral "track" aound the whole thing.They'd take a bigwheel and fly down the mountain.

Think that was the best part of the whole build.....they still talk about it,haha.

 

[creativecars]

I’m proud to say I did it myself and 90% of the time it was just me. Built a 22x56 3 level shop, (no concrete it the 44x22 portion yet) and a 12x45 addition to the house to combine roofs. I did have a crew put on metal roof on house and shop so they matched and another guy to use his crane to stand up trusses/poles. 100+ year old house that had been added onto many times. Paid cash for materials along the way.
Learned how to backhoe to dig footings and lower level of shop. Poured footings, Laid block, filled block with rebar and cement for shelter area. Metal framing like a pole barn but with 4x4 steel tubing, sheathed with 1/2” OSB, vinyl siding to match the house, wood framed in office area, electrical, plumbing, ect.ect...

 

[1/2 Cup]

Every thing bar the concrete...............

 

[Hotz]

I thank everyone so far .... Good stories for me ... Because I will make my own garage ..

Waiting for more information from all ...

ps. What is this symbol (K) did not find the meaning nor the origin (Sorry)

 

[NUTTSGT]

I had help with the concrete on my garage refurb but everythingelse I have done about 95% myself. Although my garage was built when we bought the place, I have refurbished alot of it.

The house garage, I did about 85% myself along with help from family and friends.

I marked the first choice in your poll.

 

[BMW Rider]

I built my first garage myself, built my next (current) garage myself then added an addition onto it my self. I did of course have plenty of help with the heavy lifting and such, but I was the main source of labour.

 

[BlackLead]

"k" means "thousand". Borrowed from the metric. $8k is 8000 dollars.

 

[mdkingsley]

A mix of both Me and the contractor. I did all the dirt work on the pad and retaining wall footer and backfill. My son in law and his dad built the retaining wall. The contractor built the structure and the concrete was done by a seperate contractor. I built the loft and finished all the insides, including wiring with the help of my dad a few others.

 

[Hotz]

"k" means "thousand". Borrowed from the metric. $8k is 8000 dollars.

BlackLead....Thanks for attention...Good luck...