Got a price back fo an addition

[Kevin54]

Well, the contractor finally got back to me with a price. This is for a 28 x 36 addition on to the front of my garage. From footer to completion, his price is $37,000. And that is taking the siding off of the existing garage, and he has Hardi-Plank figured in to cover everything so I can stain it to match the house.

Personally, I think it's quite high, but then again, a number of years back, what I did for $13,000, I was told it would have cost me $40,000 to have someone else do it.

And included in that price is all of the permits. I don't have to do anything at all other than watch the garage addition being built. It also includes 5" of concrete for the floor. It includes a vapor barrier underneath the concrete, and hauling off all of the asphalt I currently have.

Maybe it is in line with pricing today,. as it's been quite a few years since I have done any building. I know the prices of things have went up since I last built anything. Plus, if I go with him, I have free use of his BobCat. That will let me get my shed moved.

So what do some of you think? In line with todays pricing, or way out of line? One thing I do like is that I don't have to **** with any permits or inspections as the contractor will take care of all of that.

 

[Beemer533]

Apologies if I misinterpreted what you mean by "completed" , but I take it that, other than concrete, that price doesn't include any interior finishes, electrical, plumbing, insulation etc?

This post has been edited by the NSA

 

[Kevin54]

Apologies if I misinterpreted what you mean by "completed" , but I take it that, other than concrete, that price doesn't include any interior finishes, electrical, plumbing, insulation etc?

This post has been edited by the NSA

Correct, nothing inside done. That would be up to me to do that, which is no problem.

 

[gregtwojeeps]

Considering the way construction costs have risen in the last few years, he is probably not way out line. I am sure you could get him undercut, but what is a good night's sleep worth nowadays ? Means a lot to not have to worry over ever little detail to be sure it is being done right. At this price, hopefully the contractor is A1. Age brings acceptance of things, that used to make us crazy...

 

[nmk_61802]

$37/ sq ft for unfinished space seems about right. Finished is around 120-150 for builder grade and up from there.

 

[Beemer533]

Hmm, I guess I haven't put up a building recently, but that sounds expensive to me for a shell..

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[ddawg16]

No electrical? Insulation?

 

[APEowner]

That seems a tick high to me but construction pricing is very area dependent. The best thing to do is get multiple quotes.

 

[Ben Buck]

Make sure, license, bonding, and all that stuff!

You might want to check with Champaign Co. or Urbana inspection people that "YOU" don't have to have this inspected just for you, not the contractor to make sure things are up to code. Just my 02.

 

[joe6749]

get some more bids that sounds way to high. 3 years ago I had quotes form $23,000 to $27 to build my 24x32. I built it myself for $13,000

 

[BearsFan315]

Price does NOT seem that far fetched, considering all you have to do is WATCH. Yeah I am sure you can build it yourself for less than HALF of what they quoted, but what is YOUR time worth ??

 

[Beemer533]

$37/ sq ft for unfinished space seems about right. Finished is around 120-150 for builder grade and up from there.

I guess if you break it down to the sqft price, it doesn't seem as far out... Still $37k for a shell, more than I would have guessed.

 

[srmofo]

Sounds about right.

Call the local concrete supplier and you'll be blown away. From what I heard, the prices soared after they were required to switch their heating fuel

 

[ShadowRuleZ]

On a new home I was quoted $40/sq foot only drywalled.

 

[Falcon67]

$37/ sq ft for unfinished space seems about right. Finished is around 120-150 for builder grade and up from there.

My DIY 960 sq/ft ran me around $15 sq/ft. I figured we saved between $10 and $15 sq/ft doing it. So I'd say $37 sq/ft for contracted work is pretty decent.

 

[Kevin54]

Believe me, I know I could shave a lot off of that price if I could do a lot of the work myself. That's a real sore spot with me. But the contractor is a good guy, and I have known him for quite a few years. I have his quote, so I'll see just how bad he wants work, and see how he will work with me.

 

[Angelfire]

What are the other 2-3 bids coming in at?

You are getting multiple bids right?

 

[black00lightning]

Is this for wood structure or metal? If it is a wood structure totally finished on the outside, that is a good price. I'm having a 30' x 32' workshop built with a total brick exterior and just a shell on the inside for $63,000. That does include a 200a service panel and a full bath rough in. I will have to run electrical, insulation, sheet rocking, flooring and painting.

 

[Thumper68]

Sounds about right. I just did a complete cabin this summer 20x44 and not counting the well and septic we are at 63k.

This was for a family friend so we did it cheaper than I would have for anyone else.

 

[akdiesel]

Kevin

For up here that is a great price. Not sure about the expenses in your area.
I have not gotten quotes but I want a 600sf addition on the shop and I expect to pay your price for about the same finish work except electrical and plumbing included.
I will say I don't like to do business with friends or family. It seems someone gets **** hurt in every case and it can make bad relationships.
I am sure you know to get everything in writing to keep things calm later on.

 

[DEnd]

The price is probably a bit on the high side, but not terrible. It really depends on how much remodeling work there really is. New construction can be as low as cost + 20%, remodeling work runs anywhere from cost + 50-75% (or higher).

 

[jmiller_2308]

All I can say is things must be a ton cheaper in Ohio than MN. I have been struggling for more than a year to get a garage addition that is roughly 25x28 done and have had estimates for over $87,000 for a completely finished space to $46,000 for a space that is finished on the outside but nothing on the inside.

The worst thing is that when I picked a builder with the promise of getting started in July nothing happened. Time after time I got excuses about subs being busy or the truss guy not getting back to him. I really want my garage before the snow flies and he kept promising start and finish in Sept. Well, its Sept and still no shovels in the ground.

The guy avoided my phone calls until I finally managed to catch him last Friday. After a bunch of excuses I finally got him to admit that he hadn't even finished the plans that the truss guy needs to do his bids. He is now saying for sure it will be done in October but given my experiences I believe I won't have my addition this year. Hopefully I'll be able to find another builder that might be more interested in doing the work.

Good luck with your addition and I hope the builders in your area aren't fat dumb and happy, or just plain horrible businessmen, like the ones I keep running into.

 

[Kevin54]

What are the other 2-3 bids coming in at?

You are getting multiple bids right?

Multiple bids In this damn county you're lucky to get one bid. No one wants to work around here. I have tried all summer to get quotes from everyone I could think of, and even joined Angies List. Three came recommended from there and not a damned one called me back. It may be the fact that winter was especially long and maybe they are busy working elsewhere, but I've lived here for 21 years, and never can get anyone to do anything. ANd the ones who you can get to give a price....they just pack your *** with sand and bend you over before ramming it to you

Is this for wood structure or metal? If it is a wood structure totally finished on the outside, that is a good price. I'm having a 30' x 32' workshop built with a total brick exterior and just a shell on the inside for $63,000. That does include a 200a service panel and a full bath rough in. I will have to run electrical, insulation, sheet rocking, flooring and painting.

It's a wood building, block foundation and a 5" floor, no rebar, but fibermesh, and does include a vapor barrier. Plus a new roof over the existing garage. I may have failed to mention, but that also includes taking all of the vinyl siding off, and everything will either be cedar or LP Smartside. Not sure which yet. I did what I could afford back when I built this garage in '99, so I installed vinyl. Plus back then, I think I had $13,000 in it. It's a 28' x 36' with 6' overhangs on the front and side.

IIRC, back at that time, the concrete and block foundation was a little over $6000. So I would guess that price is now closer to $8000. I do know that some of the price that he has will come down though. Just like the vinyl siding, I can have that removed in no time by myself. Just like the roof, they are stripping everything off of the old garage, and there will be a new roof put on everything all at once. When I had the same amount done on the back of our house a few years ago, I think it was almost $5000 for the roof, so right there with just the floor and the roof, would be around $13,000.

He also figured in Hardi siding, which I don't know whether I want to go with that or not. I think cedar would be cheaper by a small amount. Also, he won't have to have a lot of gravel to backfill. The size of the garage takes up my complete width of driveway. The gravel under the asphalt at the time was a white limestone they used to sell around here. Not the gray limestone, but this stuff was pure white with a lot of stone dust. When they were redoing our road, the county ground up the entire road, then used that as a base. So every day, there was a guy running a huge Bomag Roller with a vibratory drum. I asked him if he could possible iron down my driveway. He spent about 45 minutes running back and forth on it, so it has a good base for concrete.

He's also thinking that he can change the pitch of the roof from a 4/12 to possibly a 5/12 because of the difference in rafters from the existing garage to the rafter length on the new addition. Since I'm limited on height, I'm going with scissor trusses, and I'll put in a 4-post lift that has wheels. That way I can move it over to the center of the garage and get use of the height with scissor trusses.

As far as being a legit contractor, he's been around for years, lives right down the road, and has built numerous homes around the town and county. He would have no problem with any inspections at all. Plus he would be supplying any drawing for the permits. Basically all I would really have to do is pull up a chair and watch them all day long.

I thought the same thing that the price was high, but considering how everything has went up in cost, and when you break it down just like the cost of the concrete work and block work, the cost of putting a new roof on, I guess things don't seem too far out of line. If I could build it myself, I'd be all over it, but sadly I can't do that anymore

 

[carcajou]

Go for it! And take lots of pics for your GJ friends.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I've been meaning to comment on this, but I get taken away every time I try to read the thread.

I've heard that the hardi-board is very labor intensive, how much more is that adding to the cost ?

 

[Kevin54]

I've been meaning to comment on this, but I get taken away every time I try to read the thread.

I've heard that the hardi-board is very labor intensive, how much more is that adding to the cost ?

That's what I don't understand and need to talk to him about. He has down Hardi Board, but says Cedar would cost $4500 more. I would think that he has those figures turned around. I would think the Hardi Board would cost more.

 

[mikec35]

Removing the asphalt and siding (labor to remove and haul off,) grading and excavating, 5" of fibermesh concrete, hardiboard and new roof over the existing garage. Add all that up plus building the garage. Sounds like a decent deal to me.

 

[38Chevy454]

Including the demo work and then being essentially turn-key the price of $37/sq ft seems to be a decent price to me. With the trouble you have had getting contractors to even call to provide a bid, and you already know this guy, seems you should just go with it.

 

[Beemer533]

I've been meaning to comment on this, but I get taken away every time I try to read the thread.

I've heard that the hardi-board is very labor intensive, how much more is that adding to the cost ?

Just curious, but I am not seeing why Hardi board would be more labor than wood?

The main issues I have heard is that it is generally very messy unless you use the shears or guillotine to avoid the dust issues... But not that it takes longer to install.

A friend of mine did his house with the version Loews sells; it came pre primed (he decided he didn't like any of the factory applied colors) and it sounded like it went in pretty easy.

I haven't installed any myself, so I am just wondering..

 

[TAMPAGT07]

I've been meaning to comment on this, but I get taken away every time I try to read the thread.

"They're coming to take me away ha-ha, they're coming to take me away ho-ho, hee hee haa haa....."

(I don't know why this Dr. Demento song popped into my head when I read this..)

 

[coljar]

"They're coming to take me away ha-ha, they're coming to take me away ho-ho, hee hee haa haa....."

(I don't know why this Dr. Demento song popped into my head when I read this..)

I'm not sure if the price is in the ballpark with today's market, but I do know the inside of my new garage(pole) has nickel and dimed me to death. All those little things add up along with the big cost.

On another note, I remember the month that song came out in '66.

 

[jwhcars]

I'd check with your insurance co. on the cost difference of insuring cedar over hardi -board.

 

[Kevin54]

I'm not sure if the price is in the ballpark with today's market, but I do know the inside of my new garage(pole) has nickel and dimed me to death. All those little things add up along with the big cost.

On another note, I remember the month that song came out in '66.

On one hand, I think the price is kind of high. On the other hand, when I start breaking the cost down into groups like roof in one group, concrete and foundation in another group, stripping siding off and replacing and putting all new siding on in another, a 16x7 garage door in a group, a man door and a couple windows, then the framing itself........once everything is broke down into separate categories or groups (group is the wrong word) then it doesn't seem like such a high price, or at least it doesn't seem to be QUITE AS PAINFUL

I'm almost positive I'm going to pull the trigger on it. I did email the contractor last night about the cost of Hardi vs. Cedar, and also explained to him that the gravel will be cheaper due to having some seriously packed gravel underneath the drive already. I also told him that if it saves a little money, I will pull the siding off myself.

I'd love to be in the position to tell him to go ahead and I'll write a check and never look back, but at times, especially when I hear the word "thousands of dollars", the old poop shoot starts to tighten up

 

[bazzateer]

My 600 sqft 'shell' cost me £25/sqft which equates to about 40$/sqft. So yours doesn't sound too bad Kev'.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Just curious, but I am not seeing why Hardi board would be more labor than wood?

The main issues I have heard is that it is generally very messy unless you use the shears or guillotine to avoid the dust issues... But not that it takes longer to install.

A friend of mine did his house with the version Loews sells; it came pre primed (he decided he didn't like any of the factory applied colors) and it sounded like it went in pretty easy.

I haven't installed any myself, so I am just wondering..

I don't know for a fact, just I've heard it mentioned before. Between the cutting and using check guages to get the correct overlap on the planks. That's why I asked about it.

 

[Angelfire]

Multiple bids In this damn county you're lucky to get one bid. No one wants to work around here. I have tried all summer to get quotes from everyone I could think of, and even joined Angies List. Three came recommended from there and not a damned one called me back. It may be the fact that winter was especially long and maybe they are busy working elsewhere, but I've lived here for 21 years, and never can get anyone to do anything. ANd the ones who you can get to give a price....they just pack your *** with sand and bend you over before ramming it to you

I ultimately did my project, which included a home addition, by acting as my own General after I got 3-4 bids from generals. It was significantly cheaper. However, then you're into the space of hiring subs which are even worse for getting prices from let alone getting them to do the work on time. It all worked out but I spent an awful lot of time managing them (which I pretty much expected given I was a once off general for them). I didn't have a single category that I subbed out without a minimum of 3 bids and most had over 5. I will admit, many of them took a few phone calls to get them out to give me a price.....then the haggling started. I've done enough construction to know how to roughly price stuff and used that to my advantage when dealing with folks. I purchased many of the materials myself and got better deals plus I didn't have to worry about a lien after the fact. I was also able to break out the items I'd do myself without having to negotiate with a general. I found bids ranged from the impossibly low to the outrageously high. I went with the middle bids. It did take me about a month or two to get all the bids together...and you're right, some folks just never bothered to call back, even after multiple calls. Others were ringing my phone off the hook hoping I'd hire them. Hit or miss I suppose.

Overall, it was a great experience and I'd do it again but beware if you go down this route, it can be an awful lot of work and a bit of frustration too!

 

[buzz4041]

Kevin what did you decide on for the ceiling height on the new one ?

 

[laser3kw]

In this damn county you're lucky to get one bid. No one wants to work around here. I have tried all summer to get quotes from everyone I could think of, and even joined Angies List. Three came recommended from there and not a damned one called me back

the song remains the same...
Numerous people I talk to had similar experience when trying to build. No response to phone call, showing up drunk, never showing up....
Man! you must of been desperate if you joined scAngie's list!

 

[c6matt]

I got quotes for mine that I thought were too high and ended up GC my own build. That said for the effort the $ seems reasonable, esp considering the fact its an addition and not a fresh build.

Oh, I would say have them atleast throw some wire in the concrete, even with the fibermesh.

 

[Gerald O]

I paid $57K to have my 32x24 with loft shelled in. That was using all top-grade construction materials: 2x6 walls, 11' ceiling, 24'x16" tall I-joists on 16" centers for the loft floor, zip-system sheathing, hardi-plank siding, gutters all around with underground drainage, 6" slab with rebar, brick on foundation, lots of insulated windows, 150 amp electrical service, two 9x8 insulated garage doors with high-lift, 3 man doors, and attached to main house via a small mudroom with matching finish.

If you figure just the garage square footage which is 768' that's $74 per square foot. But if you add in the loft and mudroom, which is an additional 500 square feet or so, then that is about $44 per square foot. No interior finish. Not a bad price for a highly over-spec garage build.
My garage build

I've been spending the last 6 months working on the interior myself. Full bath, electrical and HVAC. I've got about $6000 more invested in materials and equipment, and countless hours. If I had to contract out the inside finish it probably would easily double the garage cost.