Price per square foot

[rktinc]

Total price materials and labor guess per square foot.

I am pretty experienced with handiwork, cars, farming, and a few other things but I like to get as much feedback as possible for my garage project. I know geography changes things a lot but if you read this please put down a quick guess in $ per square foot for the following garage project:


Stick Built
36'x50'
8/12 pitch
2x6 9-foot walls
asphalt shingles
concrete lap siding
4" concrete floor with footings
no approach required
three garage doors

no sheetrock, uninsulated, no plumbing, no HVAC (basically a nice looking shell for a residential neighborhood.


$25/square foot? $50/sqauare foot? quick and dirty guesses would be appreciated.

I understand the general nature of my question but I am just curious as to what a quick poll will yield. Please note the area you live in.. east, north, south, west etc.

Thanks
RKTINC

 

[holdover]

maybe not exactly what you want but here is my build.
40 X 60 with a 16 X 56 lean-to attached
6" concrete extra reinforcement where 2- 4 post lifts are
1/2 scissor truss for clrnc., 1/2 std truss, 5/12 pitch outside 3/12 inside(scissor trusses)
2X6 construction on 16" centers 10' walls
fully insulated
4 Anderson windows bought new on Craigs list
all wiring in cndt, Square D breaker panel, 200 AMP UG feed, everything ground fault, extra runs for compressors and welders, all lights and 2 ceiling fans
t-111 stained siding 5/8"
OSB walls & ceiling inside painted
9' X 16' garage door with opener
work bench across back wall
no outside paid labor except to pour & finish concrete (.50 sq ft)and $2000 to my son's construction company to place purlins and steel roof (bad knees can't climb)
Built in 2008-2009 (material cost are about the same)
total to build $28454

 

[Voi]

40 X 60 with a 16 X 56 lean-to attached

6" concrete

total to build $28454

That's crazy good. Is there slab under the lean-to as well?

Do you have a build thread?

 

[jw3571]

My bids for my project were way more than that. I'm adding on to my existing garage with another 2 car. Nothing too fancy but it will be completely sheet rocked with a sink, drain, and upgraded lighting as well as a heating unit. Mine is done is done in brick. My bid works out to $137/psf.

 

[retfr8flyr]

What is your location? Build costs vary greatly in different parts of the Country. I doubt you will find anything for much less then around $100 sqft and that's for just a basic shell, like you are describing.

 

[zoominomad]

In my area $100 sqft seems way off base given the OP said no sheet rock, no insulation, no plumbing, no hvac. If we were to say $100/sq ft, then a 40x60 would have an average cost of $240,000.

In my area of the south you'd be well below $50 sq/ft. Looking at cost, I'm guessing I could have a local contractor build a garage for around $35-40 sq/ft.

 

[Zeke]

If you're looking for a WAG at an average price I'd say 75. Around here (Los Angeles) it's more.

 

[2level]

A 1800 sf shell with hardi-type lap and 9 foot walls would be pretty easy to hire out for $19-29K labor and $25-29k materials in most of the Northwest (forget Seattle). So $25-$33/sf.

 

[redsand187]

What is your location? Build costs vary greatly in different parts of the Country. I doubt you will find anything for much less then around $100 sqft and that's for just a basic shell, like you are describing.

Yeah, $100 sqft is ridiculous. There are new construction homes here including land selling for around $100 sqft. Granted we are in a low cost market, but no way a shell would cost that much. (Eastern Washington)

Around here, it would likely be $35-$50 depending on the quality of materials.

 

[sublimate]

$80-100/sqft once you figure in all the other details (landscaping, driveway, permits, etc).

Please note the area you live in.. east, north, south, west etc.

Why don't you put YOUR location?

 

[TurnipTruck]

$40/sq ft super insulated and finished inside, no labor, including dirtwork

 

[rktinc]

Thanks guys. I enjoy the comments and considerations. I specifically wanted to exclude location in order to get the variances in US costs. This is a rural midwest build so I am hoping to be around $30 per sq ft. I can finish the interior, complete electrical and paint interior and exterior after a contractor gets everything closed up.

 

[Steevo]

My 24 x 40 stick built, 2x6 walls with 12' ceilings, 5/8" sheetrock everywhere, full bath, plumbing, heating, insulated (R60 ceiling, R21 walls) 4" slab inside deep frost wall foundations, insulated doors (10 x 10 and 6 x 8), 100A electrical and receptacles everywhere, including all lighting and fixtures inside, Stucco and brick front and vinyl siding around the rest, 10/12 pitch roof with 30 year asphalt shingles, over all it came to $52 / sq. ft.
This was in South-Eastern Idaho in 2009.

I paid a contractor to do everything up to fully enclosed and finished outside, and did the rest myself (elect, plumbing, lighting, etc.), then paid someone else to sheet rock/tape, and I finished inside (trim, paint, etc.).

 

[bczygan]

What are you going to do with all the WAG's (Wild Assed Guesses)?

Most people fixate on the lowest number they find, and decide that is what it should cost.

This is without any real detailed drawings, specifications or selections.

So SF prices are useless.

If you are serious about your project, you will work it the other way around.

First, determine your budget. How much cash, borrowing and sweat equity are you winning to invest? Put real numbers on each of these categories.

Next, do your planning. Find out what you are allowed to do based on your zoning.

Finally, based on the above, draw up plans, specifications and make selections for the proposed project.

Only now, can you get bids, check prices, do takeoffs for materials and put together an accurate estimate of the cost.

You will adjust either the scope of the project or come up with additional funds to finalize what you are going to do.

 

[black00lightning]

My to-be-built 960 sqft workshop is costong me $68 / sqft. That includes matching brick on all 4 walls, 200a service, 12' walls, 30 shingles on a 6/12 pitch, 2 - 3060 wibdows and 1 single garage door. It will be plumbed for a complete bath. Bare walls, no insulation or sheetrock and bare minimum electrical and lightning. 4" slab and no driveway.

 

[sean Buick 76]

Instead of asking us for wild assed guesses based on your mystery location just get quotes from your local contractors and go from there.

 

[John in OH]

Total price materials and labor for a contractor to build the shell of my 34' x 54' shop (check out my build thread for more details) in eastern VA in early 2011.

Stick Built with prefab attic trusses
34'x54'
7/12 pitch
2x6 10-foot walls over 2' block foundation w/ brick veneer
steel roof over OSB sheeting
OSB veneer with vinyl siding
4" concrete floor with footings
6' apron in front of garage & passage doors
two 10' x 10' garage doors
one 36" passage door
nine double-hung windows
38" wide interior stairs to second floor
3/4" T&G sub-floor on floor of 12' wide x 54' long second floor
compressor room enclosure under stairs
gutters & downspouts

No sheetrock, uninsulated, no plumbing, no HVAC, no electric (basically a nice looking shell for a residential neighborhood .... pretty much just what you are asking for ... approx $33/sqft.

 

[Zeke]

I see the wisdom of getting some WAG numbers for budget purposes only. And to see if contractors are anywhere in the ballpark. Then it is time to do the detailed planning once the budget is funded.

 

[holdover]

Voi

"40 X 60 with a 16 X 56 lean-to attached

6" concrete

total to build $28454
That's crazy good. Is there slab under the lean-to as well?"

That is without the lean-to poured, when i first did it it was for parking my tractor and farm equipment and was left with a dirt floor, but a few vehicles later I decided to pour it, which is going to be done this month, it should take about 16 yds +/- at about 4-5" or so, cement here is 110 yd finishing will be about 750 or so, they'll have to use their "Georgia Buggy" to get the cement to the back 2/3. the back 16 X 16 part is going to be a tool and storage room. lathe , drill presses, welders, jacks etc is taking up too much of the wall space. I am a retired contractor so the cost is low all the labor was free except what was stated and beer and burgers goes a long way with friends when it came to some of the heavy lifting, I wouldn't want to have to pay a contractor to do this. The hole was dug with my case 580 and dump truck. No build thread, but if you search my name you'll find all kinds of things related to this garage.

 

[bczygan]

I see the wisdom of getting some WAG numbers for budget purposes only. And to see if contractors are anywhere in the ballpark. Then it is time to do the detailed planning once the budget is funded.

Zeke,
Been thinking about it....and you are right.

As a preliminary step, just to get a very rough idea of what ballpark different types of construction fall into, and see if that scares you away from the project altogether, rule of thumb numbers, or typical costs for your area are useful.

They should be thought of as a range, rather than a specific price point.

At one time here in MI, the typical house we built cost $75-$100/SF. It started out closer to 75 and ended up closer to 100. What it is now, I have no idea.

Experienced and current builders should have an idea of current costs for what they typically build in their area.

But customers tend to focus on a particular number, no matter how much the scope of the work changed, so we never gave them one to focus on.

Bill

 

[rktinc]

Thanks Steevo My exterior quality will be similar to yours. I will finish the front in brick, side the rest and skip all the sheet rock and plumbing and HVAC so I think I can be in around $40k on my 1800 sq feet space. Thanks for your input I really like your garage.

RKTINC in Kansas