Has anybody here built their garage THEMSELVES?

[mudhog]

Still not finished, Expanding for the 3rd time. When I finish it will have more sq ft then my house. I built everything one nail at a time by myself except for the metal roof 20' long sheets, I hired a teen to help me lift them up for 2 days. and I had help with the pour, 2 slabs. The wife to come hold something for me but most of the time she was "to busy". I had to do a lot of extra work just to put one board up such as nail a temporary board up so I could set one end of the board on it while I climb up a ladder to nail the other end up. 3 or 4 times up a ladder for one board. I finished it once but removed the front to add more so it is work in progress.

 

[mudhog]

Oh its 80' by 32' with loft storage and all wired inside. The last picture is the carport up front but the back half will all be closed up, three side are done now just need to frame out and buy roll up doors to finish. I also added a lean to off the back for my tractor that is not included in 2700 sq ft. shop. I drew up my own plans too.

 

[mpire]

I'm planning on building my own shop at some point, but I'm not really in a hurry. I have lots of other challenges to take care of all ready. I do tend to volunteer to help friends whenever I have spare time. I have picked up a few skills over the years.

Framing, concrete forming and finishing, electrical, plumbing, tile, drywall, painting, window installation, drains, irrigation, refrigeration, blockwork, roofing, etc.

I'm always unsure the first time I do something, so its always best to practice on other people's stuff so you don't have to deal with the consequences of your own work. Most friends are happy to have any and all help they can get on these projects.

You can rent just about every tool you could ever need.

I still won't feel ready when the time comes, but sometimes you have to jump in with both feet.

 

[jives]

That's a nice looking building. Suits the garden.

Thanks. . . it has multiple purposes. The windowless wall is has a full sheathing under the boards of Advantec OSB flooring to serve as a 'bang wall" for the kids soccer and baseball and such. That is why there is no roof overhang.

The kids still in the house have little use for this, so at some point I'll remove that bang wall and add windows and turn the thing into some sort of greenhouse and potting shed for the wife.

The rough cut vertical siding was all bought locally from CL, windows and doors were all free (CL, and the builder of my house) or cheap from the "Re-Use-it" store. The asphalt roll roofing (lap roofing) was supposed to only last a couple of years until I roofed it properly, but 10 years and still mostly okay.

 

[Bolson32]

A 24 foot wide building is unusually easy to do. And cheap.

That's what I'm thinking. The cheapest bid I've gotten is $30k and that doesn't include doors and is done with Menards Lumber. I know the Concrete should cost between $5k and $6k. And I know the materials should be about $9000 before the overhead doors. This guy also insisted on 9ft walls(wouldn't go 10ft) and insisted on 2x4 lumber as he works by himself. He said he'd be done in a little over a week. I'm all for a fair price but $15k in labor over a week and change seems pretty spendy.

The moral of the story, I'll likely be doing it myself.

 

[ebonyswan]

...The cheapest bid I've gotten is $30k ...

Wish I was in your area. My cheapest so far on a 26x36 is 100k. No drywall, insulation, lights, siding at that price either.

Sigh. Definitely will be building myself, if I build at all.

 

[jabelding]

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=434831

Yes have built everything but the concrete work and installing garage doors. 28x36 did the design in Solidworks and made up plans for the entire building. Just finished the inside walls just need to complete the electrical, paint the interior walls and seal concrete floor then the inside will be done. On the outside, I need to stain the siding and install the trim and soffits. I have enjoyed the project but will be happy when I can use it!

 

[Chaz]

I contracted out the concrete work and the heating. The rest we did ourselves. Its 80 by 36.

 

[gtae07]

Hired out concrete pour, siding, shingles, drywall. Learned a lot, saved a lot, spent a lot of time.

 

[DalyArcher]

It's been a process for sure!

I built a 20x24 shop mostly using a "package" from home hardware. I really just went the package route to simplify the permitting process; the plans are approved and easy to attach to the permit without having to justify or explain everything to the inspector. I made a few changes from the package;
1) 2x6 instead of 2x4 walls
2) 10 foot ceiling rather than 8 foot - its a cabinet shop, I want to flip a sheet of plywood without worry.
3) double insulated 8' by 3' doors rather than a roll up for increased insulation and sound deadening.

I hired an arborist to down the two pines and a friend removed the stump and dug the foundation with his small (probably too small for the job) kubota. I wheelbarrowed 15 yards of crush into place (cannot get a vehicle to the rear of the property), compacted and built forms, layed all the rebar myself and had 6 guys from church help to wheel barrow and place 17 yards of concrete for the thickened edge slab.

I framed it all myself, got a lift from the neighbour to place the bigger section of walls and friend helped place the trusses. I hired out the electrical rough in. This is the only trade I hired. Bought a cheep coil nailer and shingled the roof myself. Got a screaming deal on a lift of hardi board and the decision was made to go with that rather than vinyl siding. insulation, drywall and paint chipped away at while kiddies slept and a friend from church helped finish the electrical.

Having a baby mid build did hamper progress a bit, but it is nice having a purpose built shop. If I had the money, I would hire out the concrete, framing, electrical and siding. I want to build cabinets, not cabinet shops.

 

[1MtnGoat]

The only thing we contracted was the slab pour and finish. Here's the link to the build. https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=442273

 

[andyvh1959]

I'm into my 3rd garage build since doing my 1st way back in 1980. 1st was a 16x20, and I was the extra hands along with my father in law and his dad and brother.

2nd garage I was the contractor on a 28.5x48 garage project that used much of the original 18.5x20 garage. I hired out the basic framing, but I myself did the doors/windows, siding, roofing, finish work, electrical. I built that one for $10,000 in part because I bought a 26x40 garage, took it down and moved it myself.

Now as of last October I'm the contractor on my current 24x28 garage. I hired out the site prep, slab work, masonry work (two rows of 8"block around the slab), the basic framing including getting up the trusses. I finished framing the front and rear roof hips myself, got the roofing sheets up myself, roofing tar paper, overhead and entrance door, window framing, and now electrical and insulation myself. Come spring I'll finish the roofing, siding and finish trim work. Its a lot of work and much slower than you think it may go unless you are very experienced and know many of the contractor tips. But very satisfying when you get it done yourself. The picture is of my work last November before I got the roof sheets on and the OH door installed. I'm into the project for $19,000 so far.

 

[James-W]

Our garage is 24X36 and has a second floor as well. I got a concrete crew to come in and do the prep and all the concrete work. Then I am some friends built the garage. We put up the trusses and the plywood sheathing, but I hired the shingle done. I was planning to do the vinyl siding myself, but it got really hot and humid out. My friends would have helped me with the siding, but I decided to hire it done and save them from all the sweat and aggravation of doing the siding. While the siding guys were there I also had them wrap the trim and install gutters.

I also had to have a master electrician put in the new electrical service. Well, actually, a buddy of mine and I put it in and the master electrician just pulled the permit, pounded in the two 8ft ground rods, ran the ground wire, put in a light above the electrical panel, installed an outlet under the electrical panel, then contacted the city inspector that it was done. He charged $750 to do that and it took about an hour, at the most. But the city rules are that you MUST have a master electrician draw the permit and sign off on the installation. I figure I got bent over on that, but I had no other option other than to NOT build the garage.

 

[Stevee]

Excavation and concrete were hired out, everything else was done by me - with the help of some family & friends. 36X26, attic trusses for storage, fully insulated, heated by Modine HotDawg 75k, Hardie Siding...

 

[mrzoop]

I built mine over 2 years.

Excavation and concrete were hired out, but the rest was done by me and my family. Take your time and ask lots of questions along the way. It's the most satisfying thing I've ever done.

 

[andyvh1959]

I posted on this earlier, but forgot some details. I like to do things for myself as much as possible so I know all aspects of it, and how I want it done. With the recent build I hired out the slab, the masonry work and the basic framing, until I took it on myself to frame the front and rear hips, OSB on the roof and now the shingles.

In the process of framing the rear hip, I found I had to cut/fit each rafter even though both the east and west sides of the hip were the same. I thought I made one of my classic goofs in measurement. Come to find out that in hiring out those three parts, someone did not produce a square frame. The west wall is 1-1/4" longer than the east wall. Now, a 1/4", maybe even 1/2" off over 28' long I might understand. But not 1-1/4", turns out the north wall is not plumb. This was also evident when I installed the service door. I pushed in the pre-hung door until the brickmold was even all around and ran some screws in. Go to shut the door and its skewed, won't contact the door seal all around. So I had to reset the door plumb into a non-plumb wall.

Point is. I hired professionals, paid professionals to get what I got. Had I checked their work along the way I'd have found the issue. But I did not check the slab or two row of block diagonally before the framing started. I assumed it was right. Always check your work, and the work you pay for.

 

[ddurrett896]

Did everything except hired out the slab pour (finishing isn't fun and takes a while) and hired a crane to get the trusses up then we set them.

 

[Zaxxn]

Hired out the concrete work, did everything else after work and on weekends with my wife and the occasional help from family/friends when needed. Took us about 1.5 years that way for a roughly 30x60x14 with mezzanine, 3 bays, all equipment, heat, AC, electrical, water, etc.

Yes. I know. I have to update my build post. LOL. I have all the pics, just, you know, once the shop is operational, it's so much fun setting up shop and working in it

--Zax

 

[kaymccampbell]

I contracted the foundation and septic on my shop. Both were effed up and needed massive rework before we built the building. I'm still fighting that contractors effups. After that mess, we did our own everything else. No contractors allowed. It's much harder work than you imagine, but the satisfaction of designing and building your own shop/home is very great.