What did you guys pay per SF for your garages? -- just got a shock!!

[goodfellow]

Just got the shock of the year when a General Contractor quoted me $110/SF for my 3 car garage build ... and that's just a one level unit. This garage may cost more than my house 

I may have to go prefab or metal if these are the going rates, and will most likely contract for the site work and electrical hookup separately. Wow, this just turned into a real challenge.

Anyway, I haven't been in the garage buying mode for many years and i know prices are up, but I didn't expect them to be that high. If any of you guys built a garage recently, please let me know what you paid for your place.

[skfarmer]

i have not, even though i should.

i do know that anything requiring treated or dimensional is out of sight. if you can hold i think prices will drop but when?

[slip knot]

I had a 36X50 metal building put up in 2000 for $25K. just the shell. My neighbor was telling me that he got a quote for similiar sized building this fall and it was $80K. I may need to revisit my insurance coverage.

[Lookin4_67GalaxieConv]

My stick built garage, 32' X 24' cost $21K bare in 2007.  Add to that electrical, two retaining walls, epoxy floor, and some other stuff and it was about 29K total.

[DeadNutz]

Our stick built RV garage with a mezzanine in the back with 16' ceilings cost us just under $43 per sq. ft. in 2011. The demand was still very low for lumber and contractors at that time so we did very well on the price. It is 30 X 55 or 1650 sq ft cost right at 70K. It had to be stick built and resemble the house design in order to build it exactly 10' from the side of the house and matches the length of the garage and house.

[34Ply]

I just got a price for a cement slab so we could add on our screened in porch in central FL. The addition was to be 8' by 16', 124 sq ft., 4" thick with 8" by 16" footings but the guy wasn't sure about that as there is no frost here and all it had support a screen enclosure. Are you ready for this? $5,200, so I call the guy up and said that's got to be wrong and he said that's the price. My neighbor had a 12'x20' put up 4 years ago by the same guy and paid $4,000 for the whole thing. Called others and they were all outrages. I was a contractor for 40 years but I can't do it myself in our development. I need a licence to do it. All that means is you work for a license screen guy and he can have 20 guys on the job without a licence and he never shows up but they can do the whole job. You got me by the pricing now days.

[fatfillup]

I haven't priced anything yet but am budgeting $100k for a shop if we have to build one.  I would rather find a property with an acceptable shop with a house that needs up grading

Ray, I assume your price was for a finished garage and electric.  I know the price is a shocker but get what you want as you will be spending a lot of time out there and you have worked hard for it

[john k]

In 2013, had my garage built by a local steel building erector.  I prepped  the ground,  they put in the 4 foot footings, poured the 6 inch floor.   Put up the whole building with 2 windows, 2- 8 ft. Garage doors,  fully insulated with 4 in. foam. .  No wood in it.  24 x 30, for 13,000.  To make it 5 foot longer would have upped the price almost 5K.  The company is still going great, expanding,  Hardsteel.  $18.05 sq. Ft. and I thought it was kind of high.  Of course this is in rural Nebraska,  did not need a building permit.  And it is too small of course. 

[RustFarmer]

COVID has caused a huge demand for Lumber.  People are working from home, kids are schooling from home, and everyone wants a bigger house.  Even small homes are up.  People want out of cities and apartments.

Lumber is at an all time high.  The price is DOUBLE what it was PC (pre covid)
https://finviz.com/futures_charts.ashx?p=d1&t=LB

FinViz is a great site to check out the varying relationships between commodities and investments.
https://finviz.com/futures.ashx

When you and Heiny sell your old homes, you should do well.

[RustFarmer]

Do you have room on your site for two outbuildings?  Maybe build a cheap metal pole barn first.  Then build a conditioned space shop later.

[goodfellow]

Do you have room on your site for two outbuildings?  Maybe build a cheap metal pole barn first.  Then build a conditioned space shop later.

I'm actually looking at metal buildings as well. Technology has changed, and metal building with proper insulation are a viable alternative to stick built. I will have to do more homework, but it's in the feasible region. I figure I can build a fully insulated metal building for a little over half the price of the stick built version.

[RustFarmer]

You may want to put foam board insulation under your slab, and PEX for radiant heat in the slab, even if you don't plan to heat that way initially.

[skfarmer]

Do you have room on your site for two outbuildings?  Maybe build a cheap metal pole barn first.  Then build a conditioned space shop later.

I figure I can build a fully insulated metal building for a little over half the price of the stick built version.

I think you just found your answer.

[RustFarmer]

I don't think you have Menards in your state yet.  They have a great web site for designing pole buildings.  Might be good for price shopping.

https://midwest.menards.com/postframe-web/redirect.do#/home

I see they do have stores in West Virginia.  They have good prices.  Very competitive

[eborcim]

VersaTube (and others) look interesting for metal buildings.  https://www.versatube.com/