building a garage?

[mattvivslivesou]

I am looking at building a 24'x32' 2-car garage detached with a loft in the CRE (Lusby). We have the room to do so because we have one of the older lot with over an acre on flat land. I know that I am going to have to get building permits from the county along with approval from the Ranch club board before I start construction.

I would like to build as much of the garage as possible; I’m very handy with tools and such. I do know that I’m going to contact someone to pour the cement foundation. I plan on running electric out the garage (220v/50amp service).

Legally, how much of the building process can I and can’t build myself?

What is some advice for those who have built their own garages?
How much did you spend and what all did you do?

 

[limblips]

I am looking at building a 24'x32' 2-car garage detached with a loft in the CRE (Lusby). We have the room to do so because we have one of the older lot with over an acre on flat land. I know that I am going to have to get building permits from the county along with approval from the Ranch club board before I start construction.

I would like to build as much of the garage as possible; I’m very handy with tools and such. I do know that I’m going to contact someone to pour the cement foundation. I plan on running electric out the garage (220v/50amp service).

Legally, how much of the building process can I and can’t build myself?

What is some advice for those who have built their own garages?
How much did you spend and what all did you do?

I believe you can do it all but every aspect will have to be inspected by a licensed person and signed off. Building codes are weird sometimes so be careful. I would do as you say, have the footings/slab contracted out. The framing can be done by you, the electrical is something I would contract unless you are savvy in electrical code.

 

[BeenSpur'd]

I believe you can do it all but every aspect will have to be inspected by a licensed person and signed off. Building codes are weird sometimes so be careful. I would do as you say, have the footings/slab contracted out. The framing can be done by you, the electrical is something I would contract unless you are savvy in electrical code.

My husband and I were the contractors when we built our farmhouse. He took the electrical exam to try and pass to do the electric himself. He is an aerospace & oceanographic engineer and could not pass it even after studying for it for a month so we had to hire an electrician to do it. If you can't pass the exam you can still do the work yourself if you have an electrician who would be willing to inspect it for you and sign the paper work that has to be handed in, then the county will inspect it also and sign off on it.

 

[Magnum]

I am looking at building a 24'x32' 2-car garage detached with a loft in the CRE (Lusby). We have the room to do so because we have one of the older lot with over an acre on flat land. I know that I am going to have to get building permits from the county along with approval from the Ranch club board before I start construction.

I would like to build as much of the garage as possible; I’m very handy with tools and such. I do know that I’m going to contact someone to pour the cement foundation. I plan on running electric out the garage (220v/50amp service).

Legally, how much of the building process can I and can’t build myself?

What is some advice for those who have built their own garages?
How much did you spend and what all did you do?

I was talking to a guy at my jobsite who is building one in St. Marys. He was telling me he bought a package kit from 84 lumber that sounded like a really good deal. Everything from studs, trusses, siding and roofing. Sounded like a good deal to me, might be worth you checking into :shrug:

Not sure about your local county, usually a contractor must pull certain permits for the process. Check your counties wenbsite, usually I search for permitting within the county. They usually have a list or section - When is a permit required. Since you will fall under needing a permit you can then look at the requirements to pull the permit, how and who must perform the work. One thing that might help is if you get a garage kit they would probably come with engineered drawings to make things better for permitting.

 

[glhs837]

Yep, the 84 kits are not a bad deal. I would upgrade a few of the components from the base, myself, but they should be willing to do that without a quibble. The base kit comes with blackboard as sheathing, I would dump that stuff in a heartbeat, go with either osb or plywood. Shigles is another place I would upgrade. If its going to be insulated, a very cheap upgrade is going 2x6 instead of 2x4.


When it comes to your pad, it might be worth, given the size of your garage, adding a couple extra feet in height, and adding footers for a two post lift. These are things that dotn add a lot of cost, but cost huge to add later.

 

[Vince]

Had a 2.5 car Cape Cod style garage built a few years back. Cost 28K. No isolation or drywall. Don't do the electric yourself. Get a licensed electrician and even then Calvert inspectors are real picky on small stuff. They wouldn't let me run the small wiring for my garage door opener in the same hole as the regular elect wiring. Had to cut all separate holes through the studs to run that small wire. Calvert inspectors are tough.

 

[GWguy]

I was talking to a guy at my jobsite who is building one in St. Marys. He was telling me he bought a package kit from 84 lumber that sounded like a really good deal. Everything from studs, trusses, siding and roofing. Sounded like a good deal to me, might be worth you checking into :shrug:

Yep, the 84 kits are not a bad deal. I would upgrade a few of the components from the base, myself, but they should be willing to do that without a quibble. The base kit comes with blackboard as sheathing, I would dump that stuff in a heartbeat, go with either osb or plywood. Shigles is another place I would upgrade. If its going to be insulated, a very cheap upgrade is going 2x6 instead of 2x4.

I did that in NY many years ago, got a 24x24 garage kit and used it to build a barn. 84 was good about swapping out certain components we didn't need for other parts. Had a foundation poured and we did the rest. Substituted T-111 for the siding. Examine the wood you get carefully. Don't know if things are different now, but 84 didn't always use the best grades of wood. Found a lot that had to be returned for wood borers and such.

 

[mattvivslivesou]

I haven't looked into much details yet. But does a garage need to be Drywalled before the finial inspection?

The garage is going to be detached from the house.

 

[Vince]

I haven't looked into much details yet. But does a garage need to be Drywalled before the finial inspection?

The garage is going to be detached from the house.

No. I got a final and mine still isn't drywalled or insulated.