ᐅ Building a garage?!

Hello.

As our house construction is gradually progressing, I wanted to start planning the garage (not part of the main contractor’s scope).

Basically, I am thinking of a garage about 4.5 x 7.5 m (15 x 25 feet).
It can be a precast concrete garage or a masonry structure (wood or metal are not options). I’m fairly flexible regarding the roof structure.

I’ve checked with precast concrete garage manufacturers (what a mouthful 😀 ), but usually the width stops at under 4 m (13 feet). A double garage starting at 5.5 m (18 feet) wide is too large for my space.

What other options are there?
Assuming one builds a masonry garage, how would you approach it? Contact architects? What kind of prices are typical (rough estimate)?

Thanks a lot for your advice.
Andi

Hello Andi,

Brisch schrieb:

I have now looked into precast concrete garages (what a word 😀), but usually they don’t offer widths under 4 meters (13 feet). Double garages starting from 5.5 meters (18 feet) wide are too large for me again (lack of space).

That is not entirely correct; you need to contact the suppliers/manufacturers directly. Your garage request is a special order, which – by the way – will not be cheap, as the supplier will need to obtain various permits/planning permissions.

Best regards

Normally, it should be possible to order custom sizes. Almost every company offers that.
But it’s true, it does become a bit more expensive.
Unless you actually do the masonry work yourself.

Phew... I’m starting to get tired of looking at garage brochures... I’ve lost count of how many garage manufacturers I’ve talked to or called by now... I stopped keeping track 🙁

Back to the beginning.

We are still looking for a garage manufacturer for a garage (carport as a last resort):
* LxWxH: about 7.6 x 4.6 x 2.5 meters (± 20 cm (8 inches) is not an issue).
* Groundwork has not been done yet because it’s unclear what type of garage it will be.
* Paving, concrete slab, or foundation is also still undecided (preferably a foundation).
* Wood or concrete (metal is excluded).
* With or without a door (as long as a door opening of about 4 x 2 meters (13 x 6.5 feet) is possible, I can retrofit the sectional door).

The only solid offer (under 20,000 €) we have received is from a prefabricated carport manufacturer in Munich... but it’s around 12,000 € (carport including cladding, roof, sectional door, door, excluding groundwork, including pad foundations and installation).

Does anyone here have any ideas on how we could move forward?
Precast concrete garages are quite difficult to transport on site due to their large width...
We only want wood if it’s more than just a simple “wooden shed.”

I even considered flying in bricklayers from Eastern Europe... but that’s a bit unrealistic 😉
Today I found a company from Baden-Württemberg (name similar to the comedian with the elephants ;P ) that offers precast concrete garages in the desired dimensions... but they don’t deliver to our area (50 km (30 miles) too far). The practical advantage would have been that hardly any groundwork was necessary... just smoothing the ground a bit and frost-resistant pad foundations, which I could have done myself thanks to the prefabricated floor... that would have been a dream...

Well, here I stand, poor me...
Do you have any helpful suggestions? Or is nothing feasible with these “requirements” and a budget of 15,000 €? 🙁

Good luck
Andi

Hello Andi,

Brisch schrieb:

Back to the beginning.

We are (still) looking for a garage manufacturer for a garage (if necessary, also a carport):
* LxWxH: approx. 7.6 x 4.6 x 2.5 meters (± 20cm (8 inches) is no problem).

Why did you choose such an unconventional dimension for your garage?

Brisch schrieb:

Precast concrete garages are quite difficult to move into place because of the large width...

That’s not quite accurate; they are assembled on site. Usually, strip foundations are required for this; pad foundations are not really suitable.

Brisch schrieb:

Do you have any helpful suggestions? Or is nothing feasible with the specified "requirements" and a budget of 15,000 euros? 🙁

The custom size is the issue; that’s also why I asked initially. I would almost say that a conventional construction of the garage would be similarly priced.

Regards, Bauexperte

Bauexperte schrieb:

Why did you choose such an unusual dimension for your garage?

That’s not quite right; it will be assembled on site. Usually, strip foundations are needed for this; point foundations are not very effective.

The unusual measurement is the problem; that’s why I asked initially. I would almost say that a conventional garage construction would cost about the same.

Hello Bauexperte.

Hmm, the only reason is the driveway paving, which is exactly 4.6 meters (15 feet) wide at the garage end... I’m not strictly fixed on the 4.6 meters (15 feet), it could be up to 20 cm (8 inches) less—though not much less, since I’d like enough space for the car and motorcycles—but also up to 40 cm (16 inches) more (my partner won’t allow much more, otherwise her “little garden” becomes too small 🙁 ).

In terms of length, I’m "relatively flexible," anything from 7 to 8 meters (23 to 26 feet) would work... just not smaller (space) or larger (my partner).

Most precast concrete providers, according to their own statements, transport the entire garage unit to the installation site... which is naturally a problem with this width, especially since our driveway is only 3 meters (10 feet) wide... and there is a 6-meter (20-foot) gap between our and the neighbor’s house, but unfortunately a non-removable 1.8-meter (6-foot) high fence stands in the middle 🙁 .

Do you have any other ideas, or should I just “give up” on this project with such a “limited budget”?

I’m even willing to pave the floor myself and put up a carport on point foundations... also doing the installation myself and then cladding it with wood afterwards. It wouldn’t even have to be a finished carport... I could get the material (wood) from the local sawmill if I can tell them exactly what I need... and that’s where the plan falls apart again (lack of a plan)...

Thanks for your help so far.
Andi