Pricing for detached garage in new england help

[UglyViking]

Hey all,

Things are starting to come together for me which means I'm starting to look more seriously at building a garage. I posted late last year here introducing myself and saying it was 2-3 years out, I'm hoping I can pull the trigger sometime next year but time will tell.

That said I did recently start reaching out to contractors to get a sense of cost. So far I've reached out to a few but have only talked with one guy. Rough details below but I'm trying to get a sense of what cost per sq ft I should be thinking about here? I see prices range wildly based on the area you're in so hopefully anyone in the north east can help me out here.

Quoted build:

• 36 x 28 x 10
• 2x6 treated wood
• 5" concrete flooring with fibers (don't know if that's important)
• 1 bay has cathedral ceiling for lift
• 3 9' garage doors
• 2 windows
• 1 entry door
• unfinished interior, no electrical, no drywall

I did some quick math and saw I'm at $68.85 a sqft, let's call it $69 since nothing ever stays on/under budget. I get that I'm in NH so the excavation may be higher because of all the granite, but that still seems rather high. I like the look of the stick build and how it matches the house and all, but for the cost I'm wondering if steel is a better option, especially if I insulate it.

Looking for feedback here. I am reaching out to a few more contractors to try and see what the ranges are here, am I just being cheap and this is actually a good cost?

 

[Chuckster in NJ]

A pole barn is the "least expensive" way to go, so shop around for a pole barn builder...... Keep in mind the more items you add (EG: Over hangs, thicker floor, insulation, cupola, etc.) the price starts going up really fast.

 

[andyvh1959]

Good luck with your project. Costs must be much higher in NH than here in WI, but I assume your $69 a sq ft is a contractor complete turn key cost? I am building my 24x28 detached garage, I am the contractor and hired out some of the work. My cost so far including site prep, slab, hired framing, and all materials from Menards is at $30 per sq ft. That includes the insulation, siding, OH dorr, service door, basically a finished exterior when I complete the work myself. I'd assume to have my garage done entirely by a contractor would put me closer to $35,000.

 

[twistedstang]

I was just quoted $62 a square foot for the following in Michigan.

Stick build shell 30x24x10
Attic trusses 10/12 pitch 12" bottom chord
3 courses of block over the footings
T1-11 siding
2 insulated nice 9x7 doors

No insulatation, electrical, drywall

 

[UglyViking]

A pole barn is the "least expensive" way to go, so shop around for a pole barn builder...... Keep in mind the more items you add (EG: Over hangs, thicker floor, insulation, cupola, etc.) the price starts going up really fast.

I had not looked into a pole barn as I was under the impression that the flooring couldn't be done to support a lift and wouldn't last as long. I was surprised to find I was wrong on that. Hopefully I can get a quote for that much cheaper. Any idea about rough cost comparison? If a stick built will run me ~70k should I expect a pole to be 30k apples to apples? 50k?

Good luck with your project. Costs must be much higher in NH than here in WI, but I assume your $69 a sq ft is a contractor complete turn key cost? I am building my 24x28 detached garage, I am the contractor and hired out some of the work. My cost so far including site prep, slab, hired framing, and all materials from Menards is at $30 per sq ft. That includes the insulation, siding, OH dorr, service door, basically a finished exterior when I complete the work myself. I'd assume to have my garage done entirely by a contractor would put me closer to $35,000.

Cost is contractor hired and turn key outside of electrical. I know doing it myself would be cheaper but I've never attacked a project that large before and I am a bit worried that I would end up having to bring a contractor in to clean up my mess after.

I was just quoted $62 a square foot for the following in Michigan.

Stick build shell 30x24x10
Attic trusses 10/12 pitch 12" bottom chord
3 courses of block over the footings
T1-11 siding
2 insulated nice 9x7 doors

No insulatation, electrical, drywall

Seems like we are more or less in the same situation for cost, although you're getting slightly more features at slightly smaller size.

 

[Kaizen]

That’s cheaper then I would have expected. Especially if it includes excavation and concrete. Assume vinyl siding and shingles.
My 30x36 self built has higher end materials like wood shingles and metal roof and has got to be over 40k just in materials. My concrete with excavation and lots of fill was 12k (cheap).
If you have more time then money it makes sense to do as much as you can. Besides a shed this is the first building I have built.


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[Showkey]

Add interior finish, heat, insulation, Insulated doors/openers, few windows, Lighting and electrical........$50-60 becomes $100 per sq in a heart beat in many areas.

Get on the list now .........for a build in 2021. Neighbor called On a deck expansion and Screen room build.......4 calls all claimed they were booked 8 to 18 months out.

 

[nadogail]

Good Luck with your project.
I am not competent to offer an opinion on what a job in New Hampshire should cost, most probably because I have never been there.

IMHO, you should get several estimates, toss out both the highes and the lowest and average the remaining middle ones.

 

[yeldogt]

If you move forward -- make sure you get a price for the whole job ... you may pay a bit more for electric .... but drywall and insulation I find is actually cheaper when part of the build.

In my area (mid-atlantic) it's 150sf all day long for nice construction ... anything special ..more

 

[twistedstang]

Get on the list now .........for a build in 2021. Neighbor called On a deck expansion and Screen room build.......4 calls all claimed they were booked 8 to 18 months out.

Absolutley! I talked to my builder early last winter and I'm looking at an August build. Any builder that's not busy is a builder you dont want.

 

[ddawg16]

Absolutley! I talked to my builder early last winter and I'm looking at an August build. Any builder that's not busy is a builder you dont want.

^^ Truth ^^

Personally, for the size you want....if there is any chance you are going to finish the inside....(insulate, drywall, etc). The cost of those items is greater for steel and kills any price advantage.

 

[zoepop]

I'm in the middle of a 40x64 in southern Maine. I'll end up with about 70-75k in when I'm done. For Apple's to apples: 5' foundation wall, Anderson windows, cedar shakes and pine shiplap siding, 8/12 scissor trusses, 5 in slab with radiant. All work done by myself except concrete, roofing and insulation.