Garage Cost

[Tscott]

Ok, I did a search but didn't find a thread with many specifics. I would like to know what, On average, people pay per square foot of garage. I know its a difficult question to answer, but here is my story.

My wife and I just moved to a new town in North Florida. We have a house in Orlando, that we are trying to sell, but it is taking forever (its been on the market since June). We did not want to commit to a 12 month lease on an appartment, so we decided to live in our 26ft travel trailer until we get a house built. Right now we are living at a KOA, but we have 20 acres of land that we now own. We are planning to move the trailer onto our land within the next month or so. I have already built a pole barn to house the trailer under and mount a meter box on. We did not expect it to take as long as it is to sell our house. We are a little tired of living in the trailer and are kicking around the idea of building my garage and then putting a small studio apartment in it to allow us to feel a little more at home.

I want a building somewhere in the range of 40x60. This should allow me a full size shop and the apartment with room left over for future stuff.I would like the contractor to poor a slab and dry in the building, and I will be doing the interior work like plumbing, electric insulation, and framing of the apartment. I do not care what type of construction at this point, all I need is for it to pass hurricane codes. I want to speak with a few contractors, but before I do I want to be armed with knowledge. I just want a ball park figure on a roughed in building. If you know the cost per square foot that would help alot. Also include the extent of the contractors work (i.e. did he do it turn key or just part). ANy help would be greatly appreciated

Thanks,
Tom

 

[steve392]

Up here in the northeast my pole building (Morton Building) complete,turn key,with insulation, heat, electrical service, & concrete floor cost about $35 square foot.
Being down south, you may be able to save considerably on the insulation and heating requirements....

Hope this helps,

Steve

 

[Tscott]

Steve, Thanks for the response. Do you know if Morton would do a dry in only or do they only do turnkey buildings?

Honestly I was hoping to keep the building cost under $25,000. I know I may need to size down a bit for that to happen, but I will be doing the whole interior myself, so that should save a ton of money. I figure my main cost will be the building itself and the concrete floor. there should be no other real big ticket items.

And , as I sit here at my desk and do the math, I realize that I will pretty much have to lower my square footage to be able to do this. If I get the 2400 square foot building I want for the price I want it will be $10.41 a square foot. I dont think that is possible.

Anyway, Keep it coming I am looking foreward to the rest of the replies.

Thanks,
Tom

 

[cj7jeep81]

I'm looking to build the same size shop. I went to Menards and designed a pole barn with their software. For a 40x60 building with 14' 6" walls (~14' after concrete poured), 4 10'x10' doors (non-insulated), 2 36" entry doors, 5 or 6 windows, trusses 2' on center, metal siding, shingled roof, 12" extension on the roof on all sides, etc. ran about $15,500 for the materials alone. Figure at least another $4,500 for concrete (6" slab and $100 a yard), and you're at $20,000 for materials alone.

This doesn't count labor, dirt work, gravel, getting electric to it, etc. I'm hoping to be able to do a lot of the work myself and with family help, and my goal is $30k. I'd say if you're going to pay someone to dry it all in, $25k is going to be pushing it, but you might be able to.

 

[bens]

Morton did my barn as a dry in only for around $17 / sqft. 10' and 15' roof height. Does not include concrete (+$10k) or site prep.

Good luck with your project.

 

[junkman104]

I have about $14.00 psq in my 30x50 including site prep and concrete.

 

[Tscott]

Site Prep should be almost nothing, Iam on a very flat piece of land. If i dug the footers and put up the batter board, it would be almost perfect and ready to pour. I have a call into morton in gainseville, so I will have a few questions answered by them tomorrow sometime probably.


Thanks,
Tom

 

[The Money Pit]

You will end up paying more than you think. I WAY under budgeted my garage. Mine is 26x36 with a 12x36 room above with a stand up shower toilet and sink. I've also got a slop sink downstairs and two, ton and a half 13 seer units (one for up and another for down). I rocked the entire thing. 200 amp service and vinyl siding. It's been 20 months in the making and I'm not done yet. I would add about 20% more to the cost you estimate to have a buffer in case something unexpected comes up. Wish I had. That's one reason I haven't finished mine yet. No funds. Good luck!

 

[chaingang]

Site Prep should be almost nothing, Iam on a very flat piece of land. If i dug the footers and put up the batter board, it would be almost perfect and ready to pour. I have a call into morton in gainseville, so I will have a few questions answered by them tomorrow sometime probably.


Thanks,
Tom

Morton builds a great building but they are very pricey. They quoted me 27K for a complete dried in building, no site work, concrete, electrical or interior finishing. This was 30x40 with a 12 ft eve. It did have an insulation package and 2 roll up doors but it was their midgrade building.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Check with your county code people, they may not permit construction of garage apartments, my county in GA won't and we are pretty rural. That said, if this is a garage with doors you can drive a car thru, you will have to build a 2 hr or better fire ceiling throughout to meet IBC requirements.

Charles

 

[Baer]

A couple months ago, a builder in PA quoted me a general range of $40-45/sf stick framed, with standard finishes but not including any paving. Just another data point for you.

 

[thefairlaneman]

I can not figure the cost but I strongly sujest that you get a copy of the local codes first. I built my garage myself except pouring the slab for approx 30% of what the construction companys were wanting, 22/32 feet basic shell cost me about 8k in materials and this was 7 years ago,

 

[PAToyota]

Doing it yourself usually saves 40% to 60% - the usual rates for labor and markup.

 

[Tscott]

I am fully capable of doing it on my own. The problem is that the only help I have is my wife. she has been pretty good so far, but I really cant expect to get much help from here even when she wants to. She is just not as capable or as strong as I am and therefore I end up doing all the work with her doing things like handing me tools and running to the store. That is the reason I want to get at least a roof up and a slab down. The rest I can handle on my own, after all I've been doing things like this on my own for 8 or so years now.

Tom

 

[mjribeiro]

On purpose I stopped keeping track of my build costs. The only thing I outsourced was the pouring of my floor. I didn't trust myself and friends to get 34 yards as smooth as I wanted. What I did learn on cost, was to expect 25-30% overage. I know use that percentage on all my home projects and it has been working pretty good. 25k should get you most of the materials you need, but not all. My firiend did a miracle truss bulding that size for an initial cost of 16K, Then add doors, plus concrete, plus all the electricals. It adds up quick.

 

[Inetmonkey]

As they say: "Location, location, location."

For a turn-key detached garage with electrical service in the SF Bay Area, I paid about $75 per ft^2. It pinches, but I like where I live.

 

[S351r]

hello
i live in longwood fl just outside of orlando as you know.3 years ago i had a 35x45 concrete garage with 12 ft walls 3 doors 1 16x8 and 2 10x8 with what is called an attic truss so i have a second floor which is 12'w x45'long and 7'6 ceiling height with a concrete slab of 55' x 15' in front and about another 20'x35' slab connecting the house and the garage that my wife wants to put a roof over to make it a screened porch all the concrete work cost me 35 thousand the trusses were 3900 and the second floor decking materials cost 2100 the 50 year shingles were 2700 to get the trusses set and the second floor decked and the roof shingled cost me 4900 in labor.I had hardie board placed on my gable ends with cost 1900 in materials and 1500 in labor.aluminum gutters and soffits cost another 1800.the three garage doors which are 2" think insulated with metal on inside with a coated door track by raynor doors which i like alot cost 5200.I did all the electric. i still have not had the ceiling drywalled do to i still have not installed my ac the reason for insulated doors.the total being aproximately 59,000 and that does not include my favorite garage item which is my dual post rotary lift cost of which is priceless actualy 5200 but worth every penny!!it was the reason for the garage in the first place. sorry so long but i hope this helps i wish some would have told me in advance i had no idea when i started and boy was i surprised but for me and my wife it was money we reallydid not have, well spent.