# Building a 3 car garage pictorial



## JD3430

I like building garages. I usually set one up to build each winter or spring. This one got started late. Mid March. 
First picture is the site before I started.
Next is footings. Part of the job is to also take the existing 2 car attached garage and make it into living space. Incredibly, the existing garage slab had no footing or block wall under the front of the slab. So we dug a footing to support the old slab and new exterior wall replacing the old garage door. More to come


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## JD3430

So here we are in the footings phase rebar installed and pumping concrete.


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## JD3430

Next after footings it's time for our wall forms. And the walls poured and forms removed. Jumping jack for backfill compaction.


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## JD3430

And a picture of the walls with forms removed


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## mlappin

Looks like some pretty sandy stuff.

We have in the past mined some fill from town when doing grain bins to keep from having to mess with the clay too much. Takes forever for our soil to settle so if it needs built up best bet is to get some sandy fill that will actually pack.

Case in point, in the fall of 2014 I replaced the underground line from the wood boiler to the house, used a trencher set at 5", looks like I need to add some more topsoil again as it settled more.


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## JD3430

Next we begin framing. My customer had 2 requirements for garage. 
1. Clear span-no lally column poles to open car doors into and 
2. Future ability to add load rated space to 2nd floor 
So that required steel. 
Here we are with some of the framing in place and a crane to set the steel.


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## PaMike

70Kfor this project? Looks like it will be nice when its done. Never cheap though...


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## JD3430

PaMike said:


> 70Kfor this project? Looks like it will be nice when its done. Never cheap though...


Way more.
But there's also a huge front covered porch with decorative concrete floor and the existing garage gets finished into a hobby/art room.

Excavation, poured walls and concrete were high 20's alone....


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## PaMike

Wow! That's like a whole new mortgage...I guess that is half a house though...


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## JD3430

So on we march through the framing phase. We completed most of the framing in 3-4 days. Along the way, stone, vapor barrier, rebar on 2' grid and WWF. Then our concrete floor. The small room on the back is for the golf cart...of course!!


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## deadmoose

What makes it so pricey?


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## JD3430

You mean overall job cost, or concrete & excavating? On overall job, I don't think it is pricy. I never gave a overall price.


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## deadmoose

JD3430 said:


> You mean overall job cost, or concrete & excavating? On overall job, I don't think it is pricy. I never gave a overall price.


All of the above.

70 sounded sky high for here.


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## PaMike

Anymore that isn't skyhigh, or at least not in this area. I was guessing 70K for just a garage. I bet for all the stuff JD is doing its between 125K and 200K.

I am guessing if you checked around in your area you would find building is a lot more expensive than you thought it was...


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## JD3430

deadmoose said:


> All of the above.
> 
> 70 sounded sky high for here.


"sky high"?

Well, what can I say, I guess I've been ripping people off for 30 years. Maybe its my good looks that keeps me in business all this time..LOL

It's not just a stand alone 3 car garage.

3 car garage with breezeway connected to house. Have to turn existing garage into living space- have to move interior walls, floor joists over old concrete floor with insulation, new flooring for 600SF (crap that flooring is $6,000 bucks alone) install 5 new entry doors & 3 new closets. New garage has clear span steel in it for 2nd floor, floor joists pre-installed. 4th Garage bay on back for golf cart, 3 fairly nice electric overhead doors, 2x6 walls, Stucco exterior, electric sub panel in garage fed back to main panel in house. Driveway turn around area in front of garage is 60'x50' and must be repaved.

Its not a cheap, one floor vinyl sided box....

Materials & subcontractors for garage alone $75,000. Thats without me making a penny.

Rough breakdown:

Excavation & Concrete 27,000

Lumber & steel 14,000

OHD garage doors 7,500

Stucco 9,000

Roofing $4,500

Electric 2,500

Plumbing 1,500

Insulation $1,000

Paving in front of garage 4,000

600 sf Flooring in existing garage 6,000

Subtotal ~$75,000

The devil's in the details.....

Then theres a 8'x45' covered front porch.

It is what it is


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## PaMike

I bought a 10 year old house across the street from the 15 acres I just bought from my dad. When people heard this everyone hit me up with "Why didn't you build a house on your 15 acres?" Its a simple answer. I can buy a 10 year old house that meets my needs, is still "modern" and "energy efficient" for WAY less than I can build a new home...


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## swmnhay

You eastern guys live in a different world then us midwest guys.Our labor rates are not near as high evidently.

I would think materials would not be much different in price??

You could build a nice house WITH a 3 stall garage here for around 200.


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## deadmoose

swmnhay said:


> You eastern guys live in a different world then us midwest guys.Our labor rates are not near as high evidently.
> 
> I would think materials would not be much different in price??
> 
> You could build a nice house WITH a 3 stall garage here for around 200.


1500 sq ft in town unfinished basement with 3 car attached brand spanking new are going well under 200 (with lot of course).


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## swmnhay

4800 sq ft,6 stall garage,3 doors 2 deep.300K


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## JD3430

Here a 1500 SF ranch with a small 2 car garage on a 1/3 acre lot (the few that exist) would run you 300K.


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## deadmoose

JD3430 said:


> Here a 1500 SF ranch with a small 2 car garage on a 1/3 acre lot (the few that exist) would run you 300K.


What would the lit itself run? The ones I was talking about would be on $15-25k lots (plotted off before the crash, probably foreclosed and or tax forfeited at least once since then).


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## IHCman

200k doesn't build you much of a house here anymore. Not since the oil boom. Even going with a modular home on basement or crawlspace gets to 200k pretty quick.

Have a few under 40 grain farmers in the area that built 500k+ houses in the last few years. Bet they wish they'd have waited now with the way markets have went.


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## Fowllife

I tell people to plan on about $150/ sf for a modest custom build house. That puts a 1500 sf house at $225k, minus the land. If you go on the cheap side you might get it done for around $125/sf.

Most houses being built around here are in the 2-2400 sf range, so you do the math. Quite a few new 3-4,000 sf houses going up to.


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## PaMike

Yup, two years ago they told me the exact same number. $150/sqft. We were looking at 2300 sq ft which equals $345,000! Another 40K just in subdivision fees and paperwork. Throw in some site work and your well over 400K... No thanks..I bought a 10 year old house. My next "house" is going to have axles under it....


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## JD3430

PaMike said:


> Yup, two years ago they told me the exact same number. $150/sqft. We were looking at 2300 sq ft which equals $345,000! Another 40K just in subdivision fees and paperwork. Throw in some site work and your well over 400K... No thanks..I bought a 10 year old house. My next "house" is going to have axles under it....


I may be building next year-with some luck and prayer...

Even without builders profit, I'm over 170/sq ft

I'm doing 6" stone exterior and hardwood floors- $$$. Hoping I can afford 4,000SF. I should just stay put...only live once...


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## swmnhay

JD3430 said:


> I may be building next year-with some luck and prayer...
> 
> Even without builders profit, I'm over 170/sq ft
> 
> I'm doing 6" stone exterior and hardwood floors- $$$. Hoping I can afford 4,000SF. I should just stay put...only live once...


You only live once but I wouldn't build a $680,000 house.Each to their own I guess.

Heck I just need a liveing room,bedroom,kitchen and a crapper.lol.


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## glasswrongsize

swmnhay said:


> Heck I just need a liveing room,bedroom,kitchen and a crapper.lol.


...and the crapper IS optional. I grew up with an outside one, but don't really want to go back to one. When I was drafting plans for my abode, I left a lot up to her but I demanded a urinal; I have one. 
I don't remember exactly, but I have 10-15$ per sq ft in my house and a truckload of beer and advil. 
73, Mark


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## PaMike

4000 sq ft? You moving in a family of migrants to help you on the farm? That's some serious house...and tax bill


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## Lewis Ranch

Your making to much in the hay business! Where can I sign up!?


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## Fowllife

I built my first house in '04, doing almost all of the labor myself I was in the $80/sf range with pretty decent finishes. That was with me doing all the site work as well but minus land. In my infinite wisdom I sold that a few years ago and bought a 1840's farm house. I will have about the same amount into it with renovations. I told the wife our next house will be a 1800 sf cabin down south somewhere.

I'm currently working with a couple on their house design, about the same size and budget JD is talking about. If they have the coin more power to them. Me, I would rather live in a shack and put that coin on an 80.


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## somedevildawg

Fowllife said:


> I built my first house in '04, doing almost all of the labor myself I was in the $80/sf range with pretty decent finishes. That was with me doing all the site work as well but minus land. In my infinite wisdom I sold that a few years ago and bought a 1840's farm house. I will have about the same amount into it with renovations. I told the wife our next house will be a 1800 sf cabin down south somewhere.
> 
> I'm currently working with a couple on their house design, about the same size and budget JD is talking about. If they have the coin more power to them. Me, I would rather live in a shack and put that coin on an 80.


Always welcome in Dixie.......

I find myself in a dilemma that I'm sure a lot of people find themselves in......empty nest, whole lot of house to take care of for just the wife and I......would much rather take care of 1700 sq ft. I have three bedrooms and two bathrooms upstairs that seldom get used. At one time about 7 yrs ago, I dint have enough space.....now I hear echos


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## JD3430

Lets not forget, some of us are married and have wives who may/may not have high earnings. 
Makes a big difference.
I'm definitely downsizing.


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## swmnhay

JD3430 said:


> Lets not forget, some of us are married and have wives who may/may not have high earnings.
> Makes a big difference.


have her buy you a new tractor then.


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## JD3430

swmnhay said:


> have her buy you a new tractor then.


I'm not THAT poor. Haha
I'm just saying our combined income helps with housing expenses.
I hear you do pretty well???


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## JD3430

Moving right along- got roof on early this week. We re-roofed the existing garage first. Now working the pent roof into the existing roof. 
Been rainy so we've moved inside and started some wiring and plumbing, too.


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## Tater Salad

You know what this means........You MUST have additional Farm equipment to fill it !!!!!!


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## JD3430

Tater Salad said:


> You know what this means........You MUST have additional Farm equipment to fill it !!!!!!


Not for me Tater. I'm building it for a customer.

But I DO like the idea-er of extra farm equipment!!


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## mlappin

Not to sidetrack this, but I know we also have others that do remodeling or other contracting.

Nails or screws on subfloor?

Remodeled the kitchen years ago, left the original 2x6 oak tongue and groove and overlaid with new subfloor, used floor screws, have a few squeaks now. Is this common since we left the original or do I actually have a few screws working loose? The original floor was rescrewed down as well.

No problems in the bedroom, but that was new treated floor joists then a layer of treated tongue and groove plywood then another layer the other direction since this was all over a crawlspace, all was glued and screwed.


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## slowzuki

Anytime the humidity of the wood drops after a fastener is installed you have a chance at squeeks. Oddly enough like with drywall pops the longer the fastener the more problems.



mlappin said:


> Not to sidetrack this, but I know we also have others that do remodeling or other contracting.
> 
> Nails or screws on subfloor?
> 
> Remodeled the kitchen years ago, left the original 2x6 oak tongue and groove and overlaid with new subfloor, used floor screws, have a few squeaks now. Is this common since we left the original or do I actually have a few screws working loose? The original floor was rescrewed down as well.
> 
> No problems in the bedroom, but that was new treated floor joists then a layer of treated tongue and groove plywood then another layer the other direction since this was all over a crawlspace, all was glued and screwed.


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## JD3430

mlappin said:


> Not to sidetrack this, but I know we also have others that do remodeling or other contracting.
> Nails or screws on subfloor?
> Remodeled the kitchen years ago, left the original 2x6 oak tongue and groove and overlaid with new subfloor, used floor screws, have a few squeaks now. Is this common since we left the original or do I actually have a few screws working loose? The original floor was rescrewed down as well.
> No problems in the bedroom, but that was new treated floor joists then a layer of treated tongue and groove plywood then another layer the other direction since this was all over a crawlspace, all was glued and screwed.


I like a quality subfloor glue and a 10P ring shank nail. I like to angle the nails slightly out of the nail gun.
My own house has TGI's and they're a wide nailing surface and virtually no expansion or contraction so squeaks are non existent.


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## mlappin

Humidity shouldn't play much of a factor, with the wife's health problems if required we'll run the A/C as long as it takes to keep the humidity down in the summer, also have two de humidifiers in the basement that help tremendously and have a whole house humidifier for the winter, have no problems keeping the summer and winter humidity levels within ten points of one another.

I have a framing nailer and was thinking of using the ringshanks on the next floor. I like how the coating on em glues em right to whatever there driven into.


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## JD3430

Definitely ring shanks.
Test them out. Nail a ring shank and a smooth nail 3/4 down with your hammer, now try to withdraw them with claw. You'll see a difference.


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## mlappin

I worked in shipping in a place once, usually had to custom build shipping pallets.

Regular ole smooth nails driven by hand took nothing to knock apart, smooth nails out of a nail gun took considerably more effort as they had that red coating that acted like glue when driven in by a nail gun, with the ring shanks driven in by a nail gun and the coating you were more likely to destroy the 2x4 before you ever got em apart, with the coating and ringshank half the time you'd pull the head off the nail before it ever let loose.


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## Shetland Sheepdog

Lookin' at 4&1/4 for 28x48 ranch with finished basement, and 28x28 2 stall garage, and that don't include the lot, which we already owned!!


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## JD3430

That price makes sense


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## Shetland Sheepdog

Couple of "extras", geothermal heat/ac = 27K & well/pump system to support geo = 12K!

At 77 years young, I'm DONE with OWB!


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## JD3430

Make sure you check your "payback period" on that. Sometimes it's 5 years. 
Some of the newer HVAC systems, if they're natural gas fueled, are very efficient. 
We have NG here at the house. We tied all possible appliances to it and our fuel bills are dirt cheap.
If they made a NG toaster, we'd buy it.

Can you orient the house for solar on roof? Or is that not your cup of tea?


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## Shetland Sheepdog

House is south east, but not into solar, especially these "free" deals! Unfortunately, NG isn't available to us, but propane is fuel of choice for all uses available, stove/oven, on demand water heater, back up heat, clothes dryer, whole house stand by generator. On demand domestic hot water will probably be pre-heated by geo.


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## JD3430

Picking up on an old topic. I forgot to post pictures of the finished product. 
Here it is.


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## mlappin

Shetland Sheepdog said:


> Couple of "extras", geothermal heat/ac = 27K & well/pump system to support geo = 12K!
> 
> At 77 years young, I'm DONE with OWB!


39K would buy a lot of firewood, just saying.

The winter after we got rear ended my back was a hot mess yet, bought cheap loads of firewood at the hay auctions and cut what I could, still came out cheaper than NG, but older house, older furnace.


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## mlappin

JD3430 said:


> Picking up on an old topic. I forgot to post pictures of the finished product.
> Here it is.


Nice job.

Neighbors are building a new house, guy is a national electrical contractor, did his time as a marine and doesn't trust banks as they are tied in too close to the feds, paying out of pocket as he has it, is a three car garage but more like a 4 or 5, lots of room between the bays then the floor is stress core concrete as it covers the basement/safe room. He also has stress core over the very large front porch, basement under that as well. My friend was moving some of the dirt on that project, had to find somebody else to pour the basement as they didn't have enough forms, the back wall of the basement that also goes under the garage was 104' feet long.

I know whats he going to do, bring in potential clients, wine em, dine em, take em to a Notre Dame game and write off as much as possible to business, just like he's doing wit the monstrosity of a pole barn thats already there, 1/3 for the nags, the middle third is storage, and the other third is his "office".


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## Shetland Sheepdog

mlappin said:


> 39K would buy a lot of firewood, just saying.
> 
> The winter after we got rear ended my back was a hot mess yet, bought cheap loads of firewood at the hay auctions and cut what I could, still came out cheaper than NG, but older house, older furnace.


In all fairness, the bulk of the well cost would still be there, even without the geo-thermal!
A lot of our thought process is to make the investment now, while we have the resources, which will reduce future operating expenses.


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