garage builder recommendations in northern NJ

[madmaxnj]

I'm looking to have a 24x32 garage built on my property. I have the zoning approved. I am considering pole building, stick built, or semi-prefab.

The main thing I am looking for is a builder that will do the site prep work, the structure and the floor. When I've looked at the popular pole builders it looks like they want the site already prepped and they just put up the structure. I haven't contacted any yet, so maybe I just need to reach out to a few. But this is what I typically see on their websites.

There will be a bit of site prep work, as that area of the yard slopes down gradually and then a bigger dropoff going into a small drainage basin. So there will be some truckloads of fill (dirt, gravel, ??) needed to build this area up a little. And there is also a bit of heavy rock underground here. I don't know if there is any in the area I want to build, but that may be a consideration as well.

So if anybody has recommendations of builders that service this area, please let me know. Also let me know, maybe by PM, if you've had bad experiences and who to stay away from. There is a garage building crew out of PA that looked good on their website, like they'd handle what I'm looking for. But they have a few bad reviews on BBB and there is even an open thread up here about a guy having a problem with how low they poured his foundation. They needed to build up the area but didn't, and now this guy is having a problem. This is exactly the type of issue I don't want to have, so I'll stay away from those guys.

Thanks
Max

 

[bullnerd]

Hi Max.

I am down by six flags.

I used Pioneer pole buildings. You can not possible find a better company to do business with! They put up my 30 x 40 in less than 2 days.(no floor) If I did it again I would have them do the floor too, I tried to hire my own guy and he botched it a bit. If they do the floor maybe they can do the site work too?

I did have the site prepped, but in my case that was just scrapping off the organic matter on top.

I would contact them, let them send out a salesman, its worth it.

Also Morton buildings has a shop in NNJ, I bought my insulation from them. They are up around Phillipsburg I think.

My shop is in my sig, Still under construction.

 

[madmaxnj]

Bull, thanks for the reply. Pioneer was definitely on my list to look at. Something like this is what I'm looking at
http://pioneerpolebuildings.com/residential/project/24-w-x-32-l-x-10-4-h-id-200-total-cost-14898
24x32 with a large door, maybe 18x8, on the gable end. On the side facing the backyard I'd put 1 man door near the front, a window in the middle, and maybe a double door at the back. Then another window on the back wall and 1 or 2 on the left wall facing the property line and my neighbors back yard.

I do have a town height restriction of 14' that I will need to contend with. I need to find out how tight they are on that, because I think with 10' walls the garage will be about 15' overall. If I do end up going for a variance, I'll go for 12' walls and then close in the ceiling, but a variance is costly and no guarantee. So that would at least be a plan B at this point.

If I stay with 10' walls, I plan to keep it open at the top so that If I do go with a lift, the lift poles will go up between the scissor trusses.

What are things I need to consider as far is insulation, vapor barrier, etc, if I leave it open like that? At this point I don't really consider that I would do any serious heating or cooling, as I won't be spending a ton of time in there, but who knows. I have an extra window unit A/C that I would put in during the summer and turn on if I planned on being in there for a while on a hot day (or just work with the door open). I would think I want the ridge vent and maybe gable vents too. Maybe I'd even put in an exhaust fan on a gable vent. Likewise in the winter I'd probably fire up a portable heater if I was going to be working in there.

Is the double bubble vapor barrier a must-do if I leave it open (no ceiling)?

I see Pioneer offers foam insulation on the ceilings and walls, should I consider that as well.

This is going to be a big layout for me, so some of the larger insulation investments I see up here, like in your build Bull, are probably not in the cards for me right now. Maybe a future remodel, but not now.

So with that in mind, what are things I should and should not do? I want to start reaching out for quotes, but I want to have all my options known before I start bothering people.

thanks

 

[Mvpjeff106]

I would also recommend Lancaster Pole Buildings in PA. They did my recent build in NJ and I couldn't be happier. For a fee, I'm sure they'll do the whole job for you even though they "Usually" don't do site prep. They were super easy to work with and their crew was second to none. And No, I don't have any affiliations with them, just a very satisfied customer who is putting a good reference out there.

 

[Global Express]

I did a custom pole building recently at my house. I looked at all the big builders, including Morton, Graber, etc...at the end of the day it was way better using a local builder who knew pole construction. The big builders nickel and dime you to death for any "upgrades" I simply found far better value using a local contractor. The end price was very similar yet I got much more.

I did the site prep myself with a rented excavator (somewhat extensive but saved approx. $10,000) but from here the entire build took about 90 days.


<a href="https://ibb.co/d9KCab"><img src="https://preview.ibb.co/iRgfTw/IMG_6698.jpg" alt="IMG_6698" border="0"></a>

<a href="https://ibb.co/deX9MG"><img src="https://preview.ibb.co/ioBfTw/fullsizeoutput_6.jpg" alt="fullsizeoutput_6" border="0"></a>

 

[madmaxnj]

That is a beautiful building. How did you find a local builder for a pole building? I'm trying searching on the internet and not finding anything local. I have a recommendation from up here for one local guy for a stick built building I'll call for an estimate. But everything I find online is pole builders out of PA. I checked permacolumns website for builders, and same thing. They only have certified builders out by Lancaster and that area. Nothing closer to NJ. That's why I started this thread.

For the big pole builders in PA: Pioneer, Conestega, Shirk, Lancaster; I figure you probably get very similar quality, price and experience out of them. For me the big differentiator would be the guy that would do the site prep and floor, and then second what is the price with options.

Anybody know of local builders servicing the northern NJ area?

I just had yet another delay with selling my old house, which will fund this project. So another 2 week delay.

 

[skippydoo]

What town are you in? I'm in Sussex

 

[slowTA]

Wow... I could have been the original poster for this thread! Also in northern Jersey and I'll need some site prep as well.

I've had some e-mail with a few of the pole builders in PA also, but have only been on the phone with Lancaster so I'm leaning towards them. My next step is to find an excavator and have them look at my property to see if the slope of my property is workable at a reasonable cost (because everything is workable if you spend enough!)

Depending on where you are in north Jersey, I'm in the western part of Morris county, we could wind up with the same excavating company.

I also think it's a good idea to have the pole barn company do the floor even if they're working with the hole someone else dug.

 

[madmaxnj]

Skippydoo,
I just moved from Sussex County. I sent you a PM to see if you have any contact info for Quarryville, that you recommended on another thread. Did they do a build for you, or do you just know of them?

SlowTA,
I'm in Morris County too! I just moved down from Vernon. I have a 0.6 acre lot and have the zoning approved for a 24x32 secondary building. I think i'm going to go for a variance on the height thought. Only permitted for 14' max height. I'd like to go 16.5'. I've already spoke to the two adjoining property owners and they don't mind, but I know for the variance I'm open to others complaining about it.

As far as the site prep goes, I'd really like the builder to do that, so it is done to their satisfaction before they start building. I've read a couple of horror stories where the prep was wrong, someone started building, and then homeowner is in the pickle. I don't need that kind of grief. Even if the builder subs out the prep, its between him and the excavator (in my case, it needs to be built up a bit). So then it comes down to what material is brought in, how compacting is done, etc. Hopefully there is no need for a retaining wall in the back, but that's what I want the one stop shopping for.

I still have to do the whole variance routine, which will likely take a while. And if the variance is denied, that will definitely impact what I build. So I don't want to start calling builders now. But I do want to start lining up who I will be calling when the time comes, which hopefully isn't too far away. That way i can at least get on someone's schedule for early spring.

Thanks