reasonable detached garage per sqft cost?

[tff]

I've received 2 quotes for a detached garage (waiting for a 3rd). I'm somewhat surprised by the cost of these quotes. One came in at about $85 per sqft and the other at a whopping $118. My scope does include insulated & finished walls, heating/AC, partial brick exterior, 1 garage door, 1 small door, 1 window, 1 frenchdoor, 9' side walls with 12' clearance in the middle (single story). I'm located in SC.

Thoughts or experience on would be considered expected?

(And I am thinking of cost savings... unfinished walls, less/no brick, no heating/AC...).

Thanks.

 

[ard]

Seems reasonable.

You are building a house. Without a kitchen or bathroom. And small- like only a few hundred sq ft?

 

[kd3pc]

I would say they have hit the range pretty close, given the options you have mentioned. Each of those adds another dimension to the project which means another skilled worker or special materials.

Best of luck.

 

[NUTTSGT]

No electric ? Finish the inside yourself. Never done it before, it's a good time to learn and a reason to buy a few new tools.

You might want to update your profile with that SC location for future reference.

 

[driftpin]

I just did a 1-car (limited by zoning) and I fell between your estimates, and had most of the work done, I sought the subs myself. New slab, bare building done (10' X 20' premanufactured, with 3/4" PT sheathing, vapor barrier wrap, 18 ga steel frame, Hardi-board siding); no bathroom; electric (100 amp buried service from house main disconnect, lots of 120 & 240 V circuits, exterior floodlights; overhead roll-up door, impact rated exterior passageway door I installed myself; 9000 btu mini-split 22.8 SEER; security bars on the two windows. Building designed to 175 mph HVHZ (high velocity hurricane zone) building code required here a mile from the Atlantic Ocean in south Florida.

As 'nuttsgt' said, do what you can under the local codes to reduce your costs. I'm still finishing wiring and preparing to insulate, which isn't as-important here in south Florida where we don't have the 120-degree shifts in a year, and weeks at a time below freezing.

 

[tff]

No electric ? reference.

Yes, includes 100amp 220/240 service.

 

[Firebird1971]

Ijust got a couple quotes and a 48x32 ,10 ft walls and 4 insulated doors,no wiring was $40,000.I am located in central wis

 

[Oldbear]

I'm running at around $65/sqft - but lots of the labour was free. I'm 32 x 28 ICF block, 12ft walls and scissor trusses. But my dad sells the block, my brother-in-law is an electrician, my nephew and friends build pole shed (tin work), my cousin operates heavy equipment, another cousin operates a cement pumper and I've been working just about every evening and most weekends for a year. Paying someone to build it from start to finish would have added thousands more.

 

[ard]

The size of the building is INCREDIBLY important.

85 a foot is a lot for a 10,000 sq ft building

Not bad for a 20x20 small garage

 

[Pathfinders]

tff, welcome to the site. Cost per sq ft sounds right.

 

[jetnow1]

I built my garage myself, no brick or A/C 24 by 30. Came in at almost exactly
$40 per square foot and all I subbed was the concrete and upgrading the house
electric to 200 amp and running 100 to the garage. Wired it from there myself.
If I was going to quote it for someone else it would come in close to your range.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Yes, includes 100amp 220/240 service.

Was curious as you didn't mention it. Pulling power from the house or adding a separate service ? I'd assume as most normal people the former.


What's your skill level ? Any friends in the trades that can do work cheaper or help you out ?

 

[stm317]

If you were building a metal pole building, those costs would seem pretty high, but for a stick built shop with typical foundation and that level of finishing, those costs probably aren't too outrageous.

 

[Ticketed2much]

I just got a quote back from a contractor, 52k for 31x31. No electric, water or insulation. Does include 10’ sidewalls, grading plus 4 loads fill, scissor trusses, radiant heat, 18’ and 9’ door and 4 skylights.

I thought this was at the high end at $53 per square ft, but now I am thinking it’s fairly reasonable! I am planning on doing the electric and finish work myself.

 

[Bamafan]

I live very close to you and am just completing a 2 story carriage house with about 600 sq ft on each level. I went through the same bid process you did. Feel free to pm me if you want to see my list of contractors and bids or see the structure itself.

 

[trashmanssd]

Get that 3rd quote, I built mine last year in mass (which is expensive, lots codes and i am in hurricane wind zone also). Mine was 28x36 2 story with 36x16 walk up attic. all in I ended up around 125K which was expensive but I had a lot snags. I need environmental engineer for site plans as I was close to a vernal pool, also need plans from him to move septic system to make space for the garage, and had to pay to move septic system and replaced the leaching field tanks while it was out the ground. I went stick built with expensive vinyl siding, architectural shingle roof with a triple window dormer to match the house look, heat pump system for heat and a/c, paved driveway extension to it and replaced part of the shared driveway for the neighbors, wind zone stuff add 3-4K for shear walls with crazy amounts of nails per sq/ft and lots extra blocking and bracing.

 

[Dragfluid]

I never really thought much about what the sq ft cost was on mine before, so I dusted off the calculator. 42x72x14. Putting up the bare shell with 2 overheads and 2 man doors was $10.58. I already had the 40x70 slab from a previous building, so that helped some. That was materials and labor.
And I had someone pour the extra 12" around the perimeter. This is the only other labor that I paid someone else for. Everything else was by friends that "helped" in exchange for transmission repair labor. And the drywall hanging and taping by a former drywall pro in exchange for all mechanical repair. I did everything else, including running a trench for the water/sewer, and one for the electrical. The backhoe I borrowed from my son's work in exchange for some repairs on it.
I wasn't real **** about keeping track of the costs, but I'm going by what I had available in the budget. The apartment is 384 sq ft that includes a stairs going to an 8x12 loft.
That comes out to around $52.00 per ft. The remaining 2640 shop is $5.57 per ft.

Does any of all that make sense?

 

[tff]

Pulling power from the house or adding a separate service ? I'd assume as most normal people the former.

What's your skill level ? Any friends in the trades that can do work cheaper or help you out ?

I am pulling the power from the existing house meter.

Regarding my skill level... potentially high if i put the time into it
I am considering scaling back the scope and either doing more myself or contracting it out directly by me. Thanks.

 

[Hollywood D]

I paid $52sqft for a 24x30 and that included electric and spray foam insulation. I finished the interior myself.

 

[469 runner]

Are you able to act as your own contractor? You can save a substantial amount if so. I was getting quotes along those lines. I couldn't afford it at the time. So, I decided to get the work done as money allowed. I had the footers dug, hired a cement guy to pour footers, I did my own block work, called cement guy back to pour floor etc.....I saved many thousands. Plus it gives one the opportunity to shop around for the best prices of the materials, and labor. Way more control. Just handing over the whole thing to a contractor is the most expensive way for sure.

 

[Homerr]

tff, welcome to the site.

What is the size of your garage project?

That price range sound about right for low-end and high-end of market.

 

[zmotorsports]

WOW, if you guys are saying that $85-$118 per square foot seems about the norm or just slightly to the high side, I am glad I got the deal I did on mine @ $40/ft2. I didn't even end up doing as much sweat equity on mine as I had originally planned because my yard and landscaping project was taking so much of my time. At even the low side of $85/ft2, my shop would have cost over $250k, no way in hell I could have swung that.

 

[TurnipTruck]

I built my garage myself, no brick or A/C 24 by 30. Came in at almost exactly
$40 per square foot and all I subbed was the concrete and upgrading the house
electric to 200 amp and running 100 to the garage. Wired it from there myself.
If I was going to quote it for someone else it would come in close to your range.

Six years ago, I built a stick garage 24x52x10 totally by myself except for dirt work and mud/tape for exactly $40/sq ft in the expensive wilds of Alaska, and it almost killed me.
I will be paying for more labor on this next shop, so I’m not crippled for as long.

 

[MNMike]

I am just finishing up my 28x32x10 in floor radiant heat, stick built garage, I figure it is $25-$27 Sq ft. Subbed out slab, shingles and siding. Everything else was done by me and buddies.

Good Luck,

Mike

 

[bmes1982]

My attached garage I built is just under 1,700 sq. ft, it came it at about $25/sq. ft. I did have some guys do side work for part of it and some of the construction I got a pretty good labor rate on. Even if I would have paid full price for that, I don't think I would have been above $35/sq. ft.

 

[Donzi camino]

I am in the middle of an 800sq ft. detached garage. Its Stick build and will be finished with drywall, a bath and 500Sq. ft. loft. I'm doing the hardi board and just finished the metal roof myself. If all goes according to plan it will come in a $40,000, so $50 dollars a ft.

 

[chargermann]

...finishing up on a 40' x 50' detached garage/rec room in Ocala FL. General Contractor priced at $55 a SF.
CBS to 13', 5/12 scissor truss, 3 insulated roll-up doors (one 12' motorized), 16' x 36' covered patio, 12' x 40' interior 2nd floor loft (planned for storage), 480 SF sheetrocked rec room/bedroom w/bath (riser only), fully insulated and full gutters/downspouts.

I'm installing the low voltage (CCTV, Ethernet, CATV) cabling and terminations, interior painting, interior floor tile, trims, bathroom fixtures, water supply, epoxy garage floor coating (thanks Armor-Poxy) and cultured decorative stone w/ decorative foam bands.
Outside the Contract with my GC (and that $55 SF cost) is full ELE (200A service separate from house (195') - $10k), A/C (2-9K head Mitsubishi mini-split - $4800.), Septic ($2500.).

Wish I could post pics??? I no longer use Photobucket, therefore, suggestions greatly appreciated.

 

[JA5544]

I just had a 24X32 built. 2-9' doors, one walk through, 100 amp sub panel, insulated, osb walls, stucco over block on foundation. From dirt work to finish and it cost me ~$32/foot. This is in Tn.

 

[gtr1999]

Previous owner paid about $17 sq ft in 2003, today it is $89 sq ft

 

[Dragfluid]

...finishing up on a 40' x 50' detached garage/rec room in Ocala FL. General Contractor priced at $55 a SF.
CBS to 13', 5/12 scissor truss, 3 insulated roll-up doors (one 12' motorized), 16' x 36' covered patio, 12' x 40' interior 2nd floor loft (planned for storage), 480 SF sheetrocked rec room/bedroom w/bath (riser only), fully insulated and full gutters/downspouts.

I'm installing the low voltage (CCTV, Ethernet, CATV) cabling and terminations, interior painting, interior floor tile, trims, bathroom fixtures, water supply, epoxy garage floor coating (thanks Armor-Poxy) and cultured decorative stone w/ decorative foam bands.
Outside the Contract with my GC (and that $55 SF cost) is full ELE (200A service separate from house (195') - $10k), A/C (2-9K head Mitsubishi mini-split - $4800.), Septic ($2500.).

Wish I could post pics??? I no longer use Photobucket, therefore, suggestions greatly appreciated.

You don't need PB or any other 3rd party **** to post pics here. Just d/l them directly from your computer. Make a folder for "garage pics" or whatever you want to call it, and when you go to post a pic, just hit "browse" and direct it to the folder.

 

[haneyrm]

I’m at $55/sf for 30x30x10 all block with hip roof, 18x8 door, man door, attic trusses, drywall ceiling, painted block, epoxy floor, electrical and plumbing. This is in south Florida so all built to hurricane codes. I was quoted about $10/sf less for stick frame.

 

[Ro_Ja Boy]

I'm building a 308 sq ft garage and have gotten quotes in the $108 range for the actual work without GC fees. We will see if I can get those costs down.