Where to start?

[MFlanagan]

Looking to put up a 40x60 shop/garage. I have the land and it is "almost" ready for building. Will need a little bit of final site work to get it perfectly level. My son is a mechanic and lives on the property as well so he is keen to have an area to work on the cars We have taken a look at some of the plans and pictures of buildings here and found a few that look just awesome! So we will most likely pick and choose from those to put together our design.

My question is really - where do we start? When I try to get an idea of what is possible for what price the first question is always "What is your budget?". I don't really have a budget as I have no idea what is reasonable to spend for something like this. I have had a few builders give me ballpark estimates and they have been anywhere from $100K to $200K+. Seems like a pretty steep price for a garage but I don't really know given the current state of lumber and steel prices.

So I guess I am just wondering if there is at least some level of estimating build costs? If I could just get a rough $/sqft range that would at least get me started.

I am in New Hampshire so we will have to worry about snow loads and such so I know that price will be higher due to that.

Thanks in advance to anyone that can at least get me pointed in the right direction.

 

[dcg9381]

My question is really - where do we start? When I try to get an idea of what is possible for what price the first question is always "What is your budget?". I don't really have a budget as I have no idea what is reasonable to spend for something like this. I have had a few builders give me ballpark estimates and they have been anywhere from $100K to $200K+. Seems like a pretty steep price for a garage but I don't really know given the current state of lumber and steel prices.

I'd guess that 100-200k for a basic red iron 40x60, dirt work, slab, and erection is about right these days. It varies substantially by geography.
Around here, usually building one of these involves 3 contractors:
1) Dirt work/slab
2) Buying the building "kit"
3) Crew to put it up

Remember, if you go up to a 16' eve, a 2nd story in that building is possible depending on how high your doors are.

I'd break it into 3 bids / parts.
1) Cost of the building materials
2) Cost of the site work and foundation
3) Labor to install the building.

 

[sjvicker]

I think you should identify the type of building you want first (stick, pole or red iron) based on the local designs you like. That will help you approach contractors that specialize in that type of building.

Are you looking for the max sq/ft per $ or are you looking for a higher end building that will match a house or be insulated?

 

[MFlanagan]

This will be well away from the primary residence so no need to "match". Looking more for function than anything else. We have a small farm here and have a tractor that will be stored in the garage and also have some "project" cars that my son is working on. Also want to put in a lift but my son will take care of that so just need to have the foundation be able to support the lift. Other than that I am not really concerned with it being insulated but I would imagine that we could do that after the fact if we decide it needs it.

 

[TractorJeff]

New Hampshire? NEEDS Insulation!
If they are continuing project cars and wanting to install a Lift, it will need Insulation else the best you will get is 8 workable months of the year.

 

[jack stand]

Morton Buildings can price the structure (built) price. They have a pretty big nation wide organization and dealers. They've been around for as long as I can remember.

 

[Frog1956]

This will be well away from the primary residence so no need to "match". Looking more for function than anything else. We have a small farm here and have a tractor that will be stored in the garage and also have some "project" cars that my son is working on. Also want to put in a lift but my son will take care of that so just need to have the foundation be able to support the lift. Other than that I am not really concerned with it being insulated but I would imagine that we could do that after the fact if we decide it needs it.

I am in the process of improving an existing 30x40 high bay metal building on a property I just acquired, Some lessons learned.

Before spending the big bucks, fully consider how the building is going to be used both now and in the future. It is almost always cheaper and easier to have major building components and utilities installed during construction than to rip then out and modify them later. In a new build there is also the possibility of rolling up all the improvements into the basic builders note and enjoying them from day one instead of paying for each out of pocket later.

When installing a lift. figure out where it needs to go and have the manufactures recommended added reinforcement, added slab thickness, and embedded anchor bolts (or better yet embedded sockets so floor will be flush if lift is removed) accounted for when the slab is being cast.

A dedicated single car grange door to access the lift away from the high bay access door(s) is very convenient if you have more than one project car.

A couple of concrete paved parking spaces adjacent to the the dedicated lift access door provides very useful additional exterior work space.

It is a lot cheaper (and a more energy efficient envelope is achieved) when insulation is part of the initial design and build rather than a later addition. Nobody wants to move all their stuff out of the building to install insulation at some later date. Also note that the insulation system is important to prevent condensation and control humidity in the building as much as to make the interior easier to warm or cool At the minimum, the interior of the roof should be insulated else condensate will rain down from the celling every time the roof cools down below the interior temperature.

Having a small (say 12x20) fully conditioned building constructed within the main building provides a comfortable workspace regardless of the weather. The space above the interior building can be used for mezzanine storage.

High bay LED lighting is very nice and you never have to worry about access to change the bulbs.

Consider where major equipment will likely be placed and locate power outlets and other utilities accordingly. Make sure to have plenty of power outlets and lighting over work benches. Add at least a couple of dedicated 30 or 50amp 220V circuits to the system for compressors, welders, plasma cutters, etc... If the plan is to use a lot of air tools, consider installing a hard piped compressed air distribution system. Do not forget to specify power outlets on the exterior of the building also.

A stove, refrigerator, utility sink, shower and restroom toilet are very convenient if the building is not immediately adjacent to the house.

Do not forget to consider cost and permitting time of utility hook-ups (power, potable water and sewerage) in the construction schedule and budget..

Hope this gives you some points to consider for your own building project.

 

[65Goat]

^^^

 

[mike93lx]

$100/ft for basic finished space used to be possible. Today? Good luck.

Insulate it well, including the slab.

If someone can't give you data without knowing your budget, they are trying to play with the price.

 

[MFlanagan]

Quarter of a million dollars for a garage... No land cost, no appliances, no plumbing... This is depressing. LOL

 

[mike93lx]

Quarter of a million dollars for a garage... No land cost, no appliances, no plumbing... This is depressing. LOL

You aren't just talking about a garage. You are talking about a building with a footprint larger than most houses

Have you priced concrete lately? Get ready for a shock there

 

[manwithtools]

Yeah, 40 x 60 x any height is not a garage, it's a "Building"

 

[MFlanagan]

Point taken that this is a good sized building. I just didn't expect the kind of numbers being thrown around. I'll take the feedback given here and see if I can get a few quotes to see where I am at. Might just have to scale it back.

 

[mike93lx]

Point taken that this is a good sized building. I just didn't expect the kind of numbers being thrown around. I'll take the feedback given here and see if I can get a few quotes to see where I am at. Might just have to scale it back.

I recently went through a big project (pool) and also didn't know what it would cost. I sat down with a designer and we talked about the dream list of options, from which he built a quote that we could then whittle down from. It gave us all the options at once instead of scraping together the minimum then having to ask about each thing later on

 

[anomm701]

Morton Buildings can price the structure (built) price. They have a pretty big nation wide organization and dealers. They've been around for as long as I can remember.

Morton customer service is

 

[larry_g]

You mention tractor storage and working on cars. Define your needs and wants. Then set your priorities. In my mind you want to spend a bit more on the shop and go cheap in the storage area. Consider a good smaller shop and a lean to on the side to store the farm equipment. The smaller shop is easier to heat and cool, can have better facilities. The storage area needs only meager lighting and a couple of outlets for a battery charger or maintainer.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[jack stand]

Quarter of a million dollars for a garage... No land cost, no appliances, no plumbing... This is depressing. LOL

I think that is very inflated estimate. Wait a little until this wild spending takes out the economy. Things will come down.

 

[racecougar]

I'd start by defining exactly what you want included in the design, then shopping for a contractor(s). You mention 40x60, but what height? Number and size of doors? Windows? What type of construction? What type of foundation/slab? Stem wall? What style of trusses? What sheeting material for walls (inside and out), roof, and ceiling? Soffit/eave sizing? Gutters? Are you including electrical and plumbing? Insulation? HVAC? And so on. Determine what you want, then start shopping for it.

 

[jack stand]

^^×2
And if you're not sure, educate or at least familiarize yourself with these terms and methods!
As with any major investment, an informed customer will benefit all involved. As a guy in the building business, I can tell you that as customers go, one that can "speak the same language" and relay to me what he wants really helps the whole process to where there's a happy ending for all.

 

[ycgoat]

I started the same process a few years ago and started with a spread sheet listing all of the features;
Land, clearing, road, power, water, sewer, comms, slab, building, insulation ...
Then researched estimates for each using the middle to high averages. Rising costs put me a bit over budget but still with in my margin of error (using the highest averages).

I wanted a 40x60 Americana Barn style garage with lean to storage on both sides, but that was not in my budget. I settled on a 30x80 metal building. There is not much I can do about my available cash at this point, so managing expectations has been a challenge.

If I was to do it over I would hire a builder to manage all of it, for me balancing where on the land to build, put well and septic, plus the types and size of each all with in my budget has been difficult, and I think would have turned out better for the same cost had I contracted to a Pro. I hoped that the sub contractors and building Officials would have been helpful, but they all wanted me to say exactly what and where vs giving me options to chose from.

 

[MFlanagan]

This is all great info. Thanks! I have every intention of getting very specific on my wants and needs but I am also respectful of people's time and wanted to just get an idea of what I was looking at. No need to have a builder come out and sit with me to go over details if a base building is well beyond my means.

Is there a general consensus on built from scratch vs kits that I would hire someone to put together? Also what about pole barn style vs metal buildings? I have been watching lumber futures prices and they have come down significantly off their highs but steel seems to be staying up. I don't really have a preference as the metal buildings look just fine to me.

 

[racecougar]

This is all great info. Thanks! I have every intention of getting very specific on my wants and needs but I am also respectful of people's time and wanted to just get an idea of what I was looking at. No need to have a builder come out and sit with me to go over details if a base building is well beyond my means.

Is there a general consensus on built from scratch vs kits that I would hire someone to put together? Also what about pole barn style vs metal buildings? I have been watching lumber futures prices and they have come down significantly off their highs but steel seems to be staying up. I don't really have a preference as the metal buildings look just fine to me.

Are we talking about red iron or tubular steel with regard to metal buildings?

You can post-frame or stick-build a "metal building", too.

 

[MFlanagan]

Love the garage! That is along the lines of what we are looking for.

 

[racecougar]

Love the garage! That is along the lines of what we are looking for.

Thanks. That is a 30x60 with 12'7" ceiling height. Full foundation poured 12" deeper than code with a 6" stem wall. 4" pad. R-19 batts in the walls and ~R-55 blown fiberglass in the ceiling. Two 16x8 insulated overhead doors with high lift tracks, one man door, and six 3'x4' low-e windows. I think I ran a total of 52 duplex outlets in the building, plus 220V for the welder and air compressor. I'm skipping over a bunch of features, but this should provide a general idea. I paid a contractor to pour the concrete and erect the shell (outer skin only), and I did everything else. All in cost was under $55k in 2018-2019. The concrete and shell was right at $45k or $46k.