Building a garage

[Taylor]

Were are you located?, I pour concrete for a living, one and only job ever, we have the largest contractor in the Quad Cities and also 7 others that keep us very busy but there is frost in the ground so this is our down time or until heat is in place for basements/garage floors.

As others have said concrete is expensive, anything you can due yourself will help, unless you are going to have heavy equipment on the concrete it only needs to be 3.5-4 inches thick, use wire mesh not fiber mesh, that stuff dont hold up

 

[trekfuel]

I need to build a 2 car garage. Not sure if I will build it myself or contract it out. I also need to have 10x50 washed aggregate driveway layed. Any ideas or construction advice you guys can give me. Prices or estimates also

go 3 car if you can swing it..... Room for more toys.


if you have to ask....... likely best to contract it

 

[jdbrown12]

My father and I put up a 36*40 in 2005 and it ran my dad about $30K and we did ALL the work.
That would be 2*6 walls, heated floors, central air, floor drains, piped air (compressor), 10' ceilings, 3 overhead/oversized doors with openers (2 front, 1 rear), R-38 insulation, 2 6' walk in doors, 2-42" LCDs with surround sound, full kitchen and bath...its a man cave. He spent another 7500 in concrete...about 110 cubic yards.

My mom bought an air matress for him for when he is in the dog house...

It would have been easily over $50K to have it contracted out...BUT +1 on getting someone to help if youve never done the work yourself. Its more than swinging a hammer and cutting wood.

Best of luck.

I know the only thing my dad would have done different was taller ceilings so he could have put a lift in...doesnt like the pit to much.

 

[Destin07]

If you're gonna do it yourself, make friends with a ready-mix driver. You have no idea how much concrete is thrown away. Concrete is around $100/yd here, and that's cheap.....
Amish/Mennonite folks do great work, and cheap. If there are any near you give them a shout, you won't be sorry you did.

don't know of many amish in memphis....just a bunch of contractors who half don't know what they are doing

 

[Destin07]

go 3 car if you can swing it..... Room for more toys.


if you have to ask....... likely best to contract it

I will no doubt have the driveway paved and the slab done by someone else. I know my father knows how to build this stuff hes just the kinda guy who mumbles about this and that until you start swinging the hammers. My back yard is only 70ft across. Its in East Memphis and was built in 1950's but just remodeled...I need to check how far off the fence i have to be also. I would like 30X30 but thats massive in the size yard I have....Maybe a 25X25 just built slightly higher and a lift

 

[Destin07]

My father and I put up a 36*40 in 2005 and it ran my dad about $30K and we did ALL the work.
That would be 2*6 walls, heated floors, central air, floor drains, piped air (compressor), 10' ceilings, 3 overhead/oversized doors with openers (2 front, 1 rear), R-38 insulation, 2 6' walk in doors, 2-42" LCDs with surround sound, full kitchen and bath...its a man cave. He spent another 7500 in concrete...about 110 cubic yards.

My mom bought an air matress for him for when he is in the dog house...

It would have been easily over $50K to have it contracted out...BUT +1 on getting someone to help if youve never done the work yourself. Its more than swinging a hammer and cutting wood.

Best of luck.

I know the only thing my dad would have done different was taller ceilings so he could have put a lift in...doesnt like the pit to much.

Great info.....I'm thinking a 25X25 would be a great size for me and just put a lift in on 1 side this way I could store bikes and 4 wheeler under the lift. I would not be doing the heated floor, bathrooms, TV's ect....possible central air and heat and that would be it. More than likely just a 25X25 with the lift

 

[aussiekeeper]

Use a 6 foot setback. That is normal building code for fire. If you don't want to do the mechanical, YOU be the contractor and get bids for the work individually, concrete, framing,electric,doors, windows, garage door, trim, etc.