garage thoughts, suggestions, and dreams

[alternet]

I have been wanting a garage for nearly 'ever' and my 82 yr old mother states, "will you get a garage before I die".

Anyway, I am coming to realize that my dream'ish garage is not going to be possible because costs keep going up and general work on my 1949 house; if i would have built 6 years ago I would have saved like $6000. My dream'ish garage for my space is a something like a 26x30x9, with garage doors on the eve side (rear alley location, not daily driver garage), a 6x30 lean to type porch in the yard side, with a shed dormer at least on one side with the attic type room upstairs. It would be used for Jeep parking and projects, no lifts or fabricating, and music/band equipment storage use, along with all the normal junk for my young 3 boys, wife, and I (i don't have much free time with 3 preschool aged boys). I would like to finish and insulate inside, eventually, but not constantly climate controlled like a house.

I just like the concept of stick frame and foundation, but do I just get a cheap metal sided/roofed post frame pole building (i don't like seeing day light inside the building with the metal siding, it just doesn't seem right). Should I forget about stick frame, should I forget about an upstairs area or dormer, should I forget about the porch, it all adds up. I could go smaller with an upstairs 24x24, or larger one floor 30x32. I have several quotes and while a post frame is cheaper, if i don't want metal siding and roofing there goes a lot of the initial cost benefit. I like the Perma columns for pole buildings, but that adds $6000. (and I live in a city, not rural).

The least expensive stick frame would be from some amish (i live in PA), but they don't do the concrete work. I don't know anyone either. The days of generations past were a bunch of guys would come over and build a garage together seems to be non-existent now, everyone is so busy around here and wouldn't sacrifice their time (or at least my friends, maybe I just need new friends).

$20,000 is my nice do-able price right now. I am looking for some thoughts and suggestions from you experienced garage people out there. Anything?

Thank you for your time.

 

[Wadd2]

#1- Don't ever stop dreaming! I've dreamed for 16 years about having my dream shop and never thought it would happen but this year it did. I was nowhere near ready for it and truthfully didn't have the money but circumstances made it a necessity so I did it. Had to adjust some things financially but made it work. I also have kids and mine are 8 and 11 both boys so spend a lot of time and money taking them to all their activities since they're both heavily involved in sports. I put up a 33X46 Pole building. I didn't use the permacolumns but instead trenched footings and used brackets that were wet set into the concrete. No wood ever touches the ground since the columns are all on top of the concrete. I insulated mine with the 2" insulation and I absolutely love my building. I think you would too. My price for my base building without concrete was $21,000. 33X46 with 12' ceiling ht. inside. That includes 3 windows, 2" insulation, a 12X10 insulated door and a 8X16 insulated door both with openers. Mine is a Cleary building but I hear in other parts of the country it's hit and miss with them. Around here anyway, other good buildings are Astro, Lester, and Morton.

 

[JCQuick]

I'm in the process of getting estimates myself with a 20k max range. I have 1 quote for a 28x32x12 steel building of 11K I figure the slab will be $2500.00. Thats with me doing all the labor except the concrete.

 

[Zeke]

The dormer and porch seem to lend this job to a stick built, but as a contractor I have zero experience with pole buildings. Also, the extras will be just that, extra. I don't personally see the need for a porch at a garage, but I'm not you. Maybe an awning would work in place.

I like the idea of a shed dormer but obviously that and the desire to have a loft space will not allow truss construction. I don't know the orientation, but I think I'd avoid the dormer facing south.

I wonder if the Amish know of a concrete person. Seems to me they would have worked in tandem with a few. Concrete seems to be expensive because of both material and labor. You need a few people to get a good job. You never want to get behind when finishing concrete.

However, unless you plan on totally staying on the sidelines, I think you can save some money. You need a contractor and a finisher which is really 2 finishers if the contractor works. With a power trowel, that's all you need to stay on the job after the truck is gone. See if you can get some temp help that the contractor will agree on using to get the concrete placed. Probably need 3 extra guys while the truck is there.

Other ways to save money are in the doors and windows. Buy carefully and install a single door with a single opener. I think you can get up to 18' wide for a fair price. If you offset that, you can have 6' of side storage/shop/play area.

 

[1930artdeco]

I saved some money by finishing two walls myself. That is an avenue to consider-cheap labor, i.e. you finishing things. It may take awhile longer but if you don't have the money right now....

Mike

 

[rsanter]

If money is an issue then you have to ask how does the money come. Do you save little by little over years or do you have a small pot every year from a bonus?

You could do the foundation one year, do the framing, roof, and outer skin the next year and then finish the interior the following year

Bob