Trying to determine some costs

[premis]

Hey guys, you got a newbie on your hands!

I'm finally at a point in my life that I can buy a chunk of land and can put up a shop. My dad has a 4,000 square foot shop with 1,000 heated, it has come in so handy that I realized I need my own (my dad's is 120 miles away).

I'm trying to determine the cost of what I want, I'm hoping I can stay below the 20 grand mark. I plan to do a lot of the work myself and with a couple buddies, but some i will leave to the professionals. I'm building this in West Des Moines, IA.

I'm looking to build a 40X40X14. It will have one 12 high by 10 ft wide door and one 8 ft high by 20ft wide door. I will want to insulate it and probably do in floor heat. I also plan to build a loft in the two bay area that will come out about 15 ft and be 8 ft off the ground. I'll use that area to work on snowmobiles, fourwheelers, motorcycles, etc. I also plan to put a 2-post 9K lift in the section with the 12ft door.

So, a few questions...

Anyone know what it would cost to pay someone to pour a 40'X40'X4" thick slab?

How much more does in floor heating cost at install versus a couple overhead heaters?

What do you think about the siding? Should I go with vinyl or metal? Same with the roof, should I shingle it or put metal on?

Anyone know, ballpark, what this might cost me? What might it cost if i pay someone to do the whole thing?

Even if any of you have similar garages, if you could post up some pics and maybe the ballpark cost.

Thanks guys!

 

[Grumpy365]

A lot depends on location. You are looking to spend 12.50 a sq.ft. For everything including electrical, concrete, etc.?

Man that is gonna be tight.

I got concrete quoted 6 months ago for about $6.00 a sqft. poured and all i did was sign a check.

If you are just getting the slab poured with no additional driveway or parking pad, you only have 6.50 a sq.ft left to work with for the rest of the structure.

On that budget, it is going to be hard to get a building that size.

(I am going with a pole barn, just because of foundation cost).

Good luck.

 

[Licensed to kill]

I had a 40x40x6 slab poured in front of the shop last fall and it was $16000 but things do cost more here than most places. I priced out a pole shed 54x100x16 and it was ($10 sq. ft.) $54000 all I had to do is prepare the ground. That's with sliding doors, 36 foot electric bifold is extra and that does NOT include any interior finish. The price goes up per square foot if the building is smaller.

 

[premis]

Thanks for the replies.

I knew 20K would be tight, and I could probably go a little more than that if I needed to.

If I am going to build a standard frame garage do I need to have a foundation dug and poured? Or can I just pour a 4" slab and build the garage on that?

Would it be cheaper to just get a pole building built and then do the interior touches myself?

 

[Grumpy365]

Thanks for the replies.

I knew 20K would be tight, and I could probably go a little more than that if I needed to.

If I am going to build a standard frame garage do I need to have a foundation dug and poured? Or can I just pour a 4" slab and build the garage on that?

Would it be cheaper to just get a pole building built and then do the interior touches myself?

You have to talk with someone familiar with building in your area. dirt is different depending on location (and some times varies by location on the same lot)

I sit on expansive clay. The ground moves something awful. A foundation without. Piers and beams designed appropriately will last about a year or less.

If you are going to build on a slab, the proper procedure is to get a soil report, give the soil report to a engineer and have them design the slab, based on the structure and the ground. (my area requires this by code). I am not saying you cant pour a 4" slab on grade and build the TajMahal, you can, many have and were fine, it is just a gamble.

I am going with a pole barn, so i can get by with a floating slab. I cant afford to pour a slab fit for structural support.

 

[Falcon67]

I've been pricing out a 24 x 44. Doing all the slab work myself and estimating materials at retail brings it close to $10/sq ft and leaves some of the building unfinished. I know I can get better lumber pricing shopping around, but retail helps build some cushion into the project. I figured $120/yard delivered but I have not actually asked for quotes on that. With building the way it is here, I might get delivered and finish work for that. Maybe. But I have to do the forms and steel. Easier here than most places since all stuff around here is slab on grade with maybe a small 12" wide perimeter footer. I see lots of house foundations where they just scrape the grass off, set the forms and bring in a **** load of sand. Up north, you don't get that luxury.

 

[Grumpy365]

I see lots of house foundations where they just scrape the grass off, set the forms and bring in a **** load of sand. Up north, you don't get that luxury.

I agree, but things have changed a lot in Texas in the past 3 years. In august 2008 the STATE law changed .

FOR a home, you now are required by law to have 3 inspections ( these are inspections by an inspector of your choosing and who you are paying). 1. A foundation pre pour inspection 2. A framing inspection 3. A final completion inspection.

THIS IS STATE LAW (it doesn't matter if you are in the county or not)

I don't think a garage would fall into this, but i don't know.

 

[blue dog]

I agree, but things have changed a lot in Texas in the past 3 years. In august 2008 the STATE law changed .

FOR a home, you now are required by law to have 3 inspections ( these are inspections by an inspector of your choosing and who you are paying). 1. A foundation pre pour inspection 2. A framing inspection 3. A final completion inspection.

THIS IS STATE LAW (it doesn't matter if you are in the county or not)

I don't think a garage would fall into this, but i don't know.

You are saying that in Texas, there are only 3 inspections for construction of a home?

 

[Grumpy365]

You are saying that in Texas, there are only 3 inspections for construction of a home?

For residential construction in unincorporated area. YES

Building in a city or Town you may have more.

And the state inspections requirements get mercky. The Texas Residential Construction Commission was allowed to "Sun Set" so it went away. The over site of these inspections went to the County and the individual county had the option of accepting the task (as i understand it)

 

[CaptainRay]

Where you live may cost you a lot more. For a conventional building when you go over 24 Feet wide you will have to go with manufactured trusses, very expensive. I went with a SteelMaster 30X50X14 quonset building, cost me $8,000, I added C-channel for the base, I think it was about $1500 but it actually saved me money not having to put in the trough in the cement. I acted major shocked and said no way!!! when they quoted shipping fees and got free shipping. (shop around it's a very competitive market). I used a five bag mix for 3000+ PSI strength. Took 10 yards of cement for the footings, 28 yards for a 5 inch floor. $93 bucks a yard. Excavation cost me $640. Re- bar on 24 inch centers cost me $800. I can put the building up with a little help from friends to get it started and will actually do most of the work by myself. I expect to have it up in 2 weeks (probably optimistic). I save a lot DIY and not having a crew come in to build the building. Electric will run me about $2000 maybe a little more. So total cost will be about

If I had done a conventional building it would have been about $40,000. No permits or inspections where I live, but I still followed the plans, but over engineered to avoid the "Oh ****, I wish I had..." syndrome. 5 inch floor instead of the bare min of 4 inch. Still have to do insulation and get a wood stove for heat. No AC for summer, will just have to work early or late to avoid the heat, if it becomes a problem. A good spray on foam insulation should help avoid that most of the day anyway.

I even went with more Re-bar and cement, and not counting insulation and the wood stove, I came in under at the $20,000 mark. Even with stuff I forgot or haven't thought of yet, I'll still finish within my budget.

A door and end walls came with my building. I priced a roll up door when I was figuring out what I wanted to do, it was over $1000. I didn't get windows since the special made frames alone were too much. I do sheet metal work so no problem. Stay away from the fiberglass natural light inserts, they weather badly and deteriorate in just 5 years and are very expensive anyway. You can get away without windows if need be.

I got all my lights from a demolished hospital they salvaged around here, had the new green neon tubes too, I got a bunch, more than enough to do the whole shop and a paint booth for $100. I'll eventually build my own window and door frames from sheet metal (too expensive to buy) and buy conventional windows, maybe used ones if I can find them. I'll eventually add a conventional 36 inch walk through door on both ends, but I'm fine for now. There's a warehouse that sells building supplies not far from where I live that sells overstocked, damaged and salvaged materials like from wrecks. Really cheap stuff, I will price windows and doors there.

I don't know if that helps or not. I'm looking forward to having my shop up operational.

 

[Falcon67]

I agree, but things have changed a lot in Texas in the past 3 years. In august 2008 the STATE law changed .

FOR a home, you now are required by law to have 3 inspections ( these are inspections by an inspector of your choosing and who you are paying). 1. A foundation pre pour inspection 2. A framing inspection 3. A final completion inspection.

THIS IS STATE LAW (it doesn't matter if you are in the county or not)

I don't think a garage would fall into this, but i don't know.

I was mainly pointing out that because of the weather here and lack of a frost line, foundations tend to be a whole lot cheaper than in other places. It's still a good chunk of the budget even if you do most of the work.

Where I live, it's a $50 permit to build plus electrical. That's it. There are no inspectors on staff. The guy that handles public works might - have to ask. Our code officer quit last month and I'll bet a decent hamburger and fries the city won't try to hire another for at least a year. State law is fine, but in a small town with a small budget you do what you can do and the rest just has to wait. This isn't a rant, but Governor Good Hair and the boys in Austin don't send money out with the mandates. I'll go along with whatever City Hall says is good. My little 24x44 isn't going to show up on any radar, really.

Besides - inspections or not, if you cheap out on the foundation you are asking for long range trouble. I'd rather be into the foundation for half the budget and do without insulation and drywall for a while, rather than cheap out there. Finish work can be hacked out over time, like buying a couple of rolls of insulation every payday and such.

I will have to ask the guy that built my daughters house how many inspections they had to have and who did it. Need to call him anyway - wife likes the paint in our daughter's house and need to know the brand/color.

 

[Grumpy365]

I was mainly pointing out that because of the weather here and lack of a frost line, foundations tend to be a whole lot cheaper than in other places. It's still a good chunk of the budget even if you do most of the work.

Where I live, it's a $50 permit to build plus electrical. That's it. There are no inspectors on staff. The guy that handles public works might - have to ask. Our code officer quit last month and I'll bet a decent hamburger and fries the city won't try to hire another for at least a year. State law is fine, but in a small town with a small budget you do what you can do and the rest just has to wait. This isn't a rant, but Governor Good Hair and the boys in Austin don't send money out with the mandates. I'll go along with whatever City Hall says is good. My little 24x44 isn't going to show up on any radar, really.

Besides - inspections or not, if you cheap out on the foundation you are asking for long range trouble. I'd rather be into the foundation for half the budget and do without insulation and drywall for a while, rather than cheap out there. Finish work can be hacked out over time, like buying a couple of rolls of insulation every payday and such.

I will have to ask the guy that built my daughters house how many inspections they had to have and who did it. Need to call him anyway - wife likes the paint in our daughter's house and need to know the brand/color.

ya, I live in a 3 stoplight town (and 2 are at the schools), but they sometimes have dreams of grandure.

I have had foundation problems, so now I am a little paranoid.

My home foundation I built in 2007-2008 is overdesigned and it killed my budget.

Again, I reiterate just cause its law, dont mean you have to do it.

(Me, if it is my home, I want to know from a profesional what is right and what is wrong. I dont know all the modern building codes and its not my job to know. If its my garage, or a garage apartment, I will take the risk and go it alone.)