Garage Quote - your thoughts

[grissom]

Here is a quote I got last spring and it works out to $60.00 sq ft. I spoke with the contactor last week and he said that prices have come down to the $55-$59 sq ft range

Plans & Permits $1100.00

Excavation of footings, tree removal and ground prep $2550.00

Concrete Foundation incl. steps for man door and 4' garage apron $5250.00

24x28 garage, 9' walls, T1-11 siding, 50yr comp roof, 16' x 8 insulated door, 36" steel man door, 2 4'x4' vinyl windows, high density insulation and sheetrock, full wiring inludes interior and exterior lighting, attic access ladder and sheeting in attic for storage $23,706.00

Complete working bathroom - toilet,vanity, 32" prefab corner shower stall, 12" tile floor and 24x36 window $5,700.00

Interior/Exterior Painting $2200.00

$1000.00 due @ signing
$10,000 due when tree is removed and dirt work completed
$10,000 due when structure is up and water tight and secure
$10,000 due when sheet rocked and painted
$9506.00 due when job is completed

Total $40,506


This is in the Sierra Foothills of California
The area where the garage is planned is sloped with the high point being the left front and the rear being almost 24" low, a perimeter wall would be built and then the inside be filled in compacted layers of road base. The garage floor should be done up in rebar and a min. of 4" thick for the concrete

 

[PAToyota]

First question would be whether there are more detailed specifications than that? Items such as the doors, windows, and plumbing fixtures could vary widely. Are you getting the "bargain basement" items or name brand stuff? Personally, I'd want to make sure of the products I was getting before agreeing to things.

Similarly, what thickness of sheetrock and what level of finish? Seeing that it is "just" a garage, he may be assuming a lower grade than you are expecting. Primed and painted too?

Final question would be what is included in "full wiring"? Again, "just" a garage may have a couple lights and a few outlets. If you're using it like many of the people here are, that would be entirely inadequate.

 

[Falcon67]

I'm not from CA but from being on here for a long while and watching programs that do work in CA, that sounds relatively reasonable from here. Probably 10~15K less in Texas, depending on where it was sited. Probably about the same in Midland thanks to the oil boom. Prices are through the roof on everything out there.

 

[GTO]

If you GC it yourself and do some of the labor,ie, roof,windows,siding,you can save some $$.
I built a 22'x28 in 2007 for well under $20K(no bath)
I saved alot on labor by doing the roof,helping with the siding and doing the electric and laying rebar in the footings.

Good luck