Decisions, Decision

[newgarageguy]

Hey guys let me first start by saying i've lurked/searched/read for a while. I believe my wife has finally approved with getting an detached garage. Now comes the decisions attached to our home we have a 24x24x8 which is more like storage and parking.

The detached I want to build is a 30x30 in the front right corner of my property. I have been looking for builders in my area (sanford NC) but they seem very very overpriced for what they are offering. one builder is offering a 24x24x8 for 13,900 which isn't too bad. I decided to contact him and ask him about something a little bigger 30x30x12 and he basically said it would not be economical to go any bigger than 24' truss wall he suggested perhaps a 24x40 instead.

Now what type of savings/price could I imagine to pay if I did the work (minus concrete and crane for trusses). My wife and I are BOTH in the military and it's pretty time consuming for us. I'm pretty competent when it comes to building and have most tools. For this home i've built over 1000sq of deck converted a bonus room to a theater room. So I think i can do the LABOR. sadly I don't have many competent friends to help with building.

Is the labor doing it yourself worth the savings in this economy. Any tips or tricks to cut cost (safely reasonably) I know there are a Ton of factors I would just like to hear some folks that have built there own and paid to have it built and would you do it the same way or change it up if you could.

 

[caper150]

Welcome,

I did all the work on my shop 32X40 myself and it probably only cost a few grand more than what you were quoted. That was for a complete shop insulated and sheetrocked with in floor heat. Research and see what you can find, lots of info here, I only wish I had Garage Journal before I built my shop.


Oh I had no knowledge before I started( still do ) but with help no matter what you can get it done. The only thing I didn't do was the electrical.

 

[6768rogues]

I would check the truss price myself. The price should be more or less proportionally higher for a larger span. Maybe the builder has a deal on standard 24 foot trusses or has some that did not work elsewhere. My 36 foot span has 2x4 trusses.

 

[2ndgenguy]

I am currently working on a 24x20 addition to my existing detached garage. I was quoted 18k from a builder to do it. That only included a structure with no finishing on the inside. I paid someone to do the concrete and did the building myself. I currently have about 4k invested in the build, and all I have left is the vinyl siding and the garage door. That does not include the price of the 56x10 drive i had to pour to get access to the new addition. My wife and I put the 24' scissor trusses up by hand. She helped me carry them over, then I would climb the ladder and lift one end up. She would hold the end I lifted, then I would go to the other end, climb the ladder, and put the other end up. A little tough, but if you plan ahead and use your head, you don't need a crane. BTW that price includes purchasing a coil roofing nailer to do the shingles, and two new ladders.

 

[2ndgenguy]

I also agree that the price of a 30' truss would not be cost prohibitive. Take a trip to the local big box store and price them for yourself. 24' trusses were about 50 bucks apiece for me, delivered.

 

[zmotorsports]

I haven't priced anything out lately but when I built mine in 1995 I got three quotes, one from a family member which was the most expensive, and the cheapest for a 34' x 34' with 14' ceilings was $50k. I didn't have anywhere near that much saved up so I decided to build it myself.

Trust me I am not what you would call a contractor or even a carpenter, I am a mechanic and don't enjoy doing carpentry work but I tackled the job myself with a little help from a few friends when needed.

It took me about five months to build from ground breaking to moving tools in. That was working on it every freakin' day after I got off work and 2:30 in the afternoon.

I hired out the concrete work because I had to have a pumper truck pump the concrete up and over the house but other than that I did it myself with like I said a little help on a few things.

I ran out of money about the time I was ready for insulation, sheetrock and lighting. My wife was awesome and insisted that I get a small loan to finish it or she said I would never be happy and probably never finish it once I moved tool in and started to work. I think she was right so I borrowed $5k to finish it up.

I moved into the shop Halloween weekend of 1995 and had the loan paid back by Christmas after getting some paying side jobs in the shop.

When it was all said and done for the entire build including the 5k I had to borrow which allowed me to install heavier insulation, sheetrock, tape/texture, paint and paint the floors I ended up right at $20k after figuring final bills.

After seeing a few of my friends garages that they had built over the last several years I feel pretty good about how mine turned out. I think I did every bit as good a job as any of those contractors that I had gotten bids from.

Mike.

 

[newgarageguy]

ok i really think i can take it steps at a time and pay as i go....now i just need a step by step for building a building lol Time to try to understand things like footers and slabs and walls and truss and everything else.......

 

[jw1968]

Around here(SW IN) the 24' deal with one major builder is for rafters spaced 4' apart, anything wider and they go with trusses and the price goes up.

 

[ambenz]

I say dream big and get the exact size you want! The garage will add to the value of the property as long as your thinking of staying put for about 20 years.
Go into hock if you have to, it will be so worth in in the end.
To comprimise is not what you wanna do.

 

[elevator joe]

Agree with previous post depending on where you live, consider in floor heat,enough room for your "cool workbench" floor drains for winter washing vehicles etc.(kinda fun spending someone else's $$$$$$$$$$!! HAVE FUN,GOOD LUCK,TAKE PICS!)

 

[ForceFed70]

You guys make my jelous. It's so much more expensive to build in my area.

My 32x40x12 with 12' attic room will end up costing me approx $60,000 by the time it's done.

And that is with me doing all of the gas, electrical, framing, windows, doors, insulation, drywall and interior finishing work myself! I had over $5000 in engineering, surveying, and permit costs before we even broke ground

Of course, in my neck of the woods the building code for a garage is basically the same as for a house (no pole building here) and you cannot buy a new house for under $450,000