You have decided that you would like to build a garage. A good idea, but before that happens, a number of choices will have to be made. We can now already reveal that there is also a lot to consider when building a garage, many choices you will have to make and unfortunately also many opportunities to make mistakes.

We would like to help you so that you can start this project well-informed. So you don't have to make costly mistakes. Of course, things can always go wrong, but it is in any case good to be as prepared as possible.

Why do you want to build a garage?

You have probably already thought carefully about why you would like to build a garage, but we would advise you to take a good look at it again. And try to figure out what you actually want with the garage. For example, is the garage only intended for the car or should there also be space for the workbench or camping gear, and should the bicycle also be placed in the garage?

It is very important to map out the wishes in advance so that it can be better determined how to build. For example, if there is a workbench in the garage, this means that time will be spent in the garage, making it more sensible to heat the garage and insulate it properly. But it is also important, for example, to place windows in the garage. And the next question is where exactly will these windows be installed and where should the workbench be placed.

Again, we cannot stress enough the importance of doing the necessary thinking yourself beforehand. Of course, you can work with a contractor who knows the business, but it is better to have done as much of the thinking yourself as possible.

TIP - If you want to make a living space of the garage, make sure there is a crawl space under the garage and there are cavity walls. This is to create a good air climate.

Prefabricated metal building garages, contractor or do it yourself, which is the best?

Prefabricated metal building garages are increasingly popular. The big advantage of these types of garages is that they are relatively cheap and quick to build. There is a lot of competition in this area and this also lowers the price.

Nevertheless, there are also serious drawbacks to prefab. The biggest disadvantage is that standards have to be used. For example, if you want to build a garage next to your house, the question is whether the prefab model also matches your house in terms of style. The metal building system lends itself much less to classical and traditional architecture. It is also not possible to make changes at a later time. Technical facilities must therefore already be worked out in the design phase.

Doing it completely yourself also has serious disadvantages. The costs are often much higher than planned in advance. In addition, the question is whether you are also able to finish everything professionally. After all, a garage is a long-term investment.

TIP - If the intention is to also put your car in the garage in the winter, make one or more drains and lay the floor in a slope towards the wells. Melting snow can then be removed.

The golden mean: metal building together with a contractor

As described above, there are drawbacks to all options. A good solution is therefore also to combine the different options. You can work together with a contractor and only use the contractor to carry out the job, but you do the management and purchase of the materials yourself. This way you save costs, but the work is carried out by a professional.

The easiest way is of course to outsource everything and go directly with a contractor who arranges the permits for you, etc. But here you also pay the main price. The contractor then not only earns on hours but also, for example, on the material. Choosing the right contractor is not always easy. That is why we give 5 tips in another article that you should pay attention to when choosing a contractor.

To give you an idea; if you were to arrange all the materials yourself, and let the contractor only do the executive work, you could already save up to 30% on your total costs.

We, therefore, recommend that you remain in control and purchase the materials yourself. What other reasons are there to remain in control:

Build your garage faster. If you purchase the materials online yourself, the materials can often be delivered to a location within a week. If a contractor has to purchase everything, this can even take weeks. A contractor often does not have time right away.

Build your garage more flexibly. If everything is ordered online, everything can be delivered together at one location. And because everything is delivered separately, customization can actually be ordered and delivered. If you choose prefab, you can only choose from limited sizes in connection with the maximums imposed by transport. Here too we see a disadvantage of a prefab garage compared to being in control.

TIP - Sometimes piling work has to be done before a garage can be built. Not sure whether to drive? Then a sample must be taken first.

Note: the five most common mistakes when metal building a garage

Metal building a garage is not easy. Of course, something can always go wrong even if you work with the 'best' contractor, but you can minimize the chance that something will go wrong.

We already have a lot of experience with customers who want to build a garage, with this in mind we have drawn up the following list with the five most common mistakes.

1. Extension or extension and the correct or incorrect permit

In the regulations, a distinction is made between extension or extension and extension. If your garage has a direct connection to your house, it is referred to as an extension or extension, but if there is no direct connection to the house (there is a separate entrance door) then it is referred to as an outmetal building. In the regulations, there are different conditions and rules for an outmetal building.

In some cases, a garage can be built without a permit, especially when there is a small extension or extension at the rear of the house, but it is best to check out Rapidset Metal metal buildings and follow the steps there.

The end result should not be that more than half of your garden is built up, including a possible shed that was already there.

TIP - metal building the garage may be permit-free, but that does not mean that you can 'just' saddle the neighbors with a kind of Chinese wall. Always consult with the neighbors first.

2. Never try to save on materials.

Always try to think about the long term when metal building a garage, including when purchasing the materials. A garage is something you still want to enjoy in the long run. So do not save on necessary materials, but choose materials that the professional also wants to work with.

For example, you don't want the roof to leak after a number of years. By choosing high-quality roofing, you prevent future leaks.

At the bottom of this page, we have listed all the necessary materials for metal building a garage for you. This way you can be sure that you are getting the right materials.

3. Don't choose the first contractor

Choosing the right contractor is difficult. After all, what do you base your choice on? Price? A good feeling? Speed? Perhaps you allow all these factors to play a role, in any case, it is important not to make a choice as quickly as possible. The cheapest and fastest contractor on paper may also turn out to be the most expensive and slowest.

Realize that a contractor will visit you for weeks, so choose a contractor who thinks along with you and with whom you are aligned. In addition, you should pay close attention to:

Whether the contractor is affiliated with Rapidset Metal metal buildings.
Or the contractor works with subcontractors. When working with third parties, the chance of delays is greater.
What references the contractor has and try to view these references.
Whether there are items on actual costing in the quotation. The fewer items on the subsequent calculation, the better.

TIP - To avoid unforeseen costs and other uncertainties, record all agreements. However small these agreements may be.

4. Consider a large amount of material

Logistics is an important part of any construction project. In fact, an enormous amount of material is needed and this amount of material is not easy to move with a single wheelbarrow. Take this into account. For example, it is wiser to have the material delivered instead of picking it up yourself.

In addition, it is unwise to order material at various places, this may be cheaper, but this can also cause logistical problems. For example, if one material is already there, but the other is not yet.

5. Don't make the garage too small

However crazy it may sound, it often happens that a garage is built too small. For example, when a new car is bought and it turns out that it does not fit in the garage at all.

As we have said before, it is important to know what you are going to use a garage for. In general, the more functions a garage has, the larger it becomes. Please note that it is not possible to build a huge 'shed' because in most cases you have to deal with local residents and then things such as spatial experience, shadow nuisance, etc. also play a role.

What does a metal building a garage cost on average?

It is difficult to indicate the exact cost of metal building a garage, of course, depends on the size of the project, but on average (for a size of 15 to 20 m2) metal building a garage will cost approximately $15,000 costs.

It is therefore difficult to indicate what metal building a garage will cost in your case, as there are many factors that determine the final price. To give you an idea, the main factors are:

Size of the garage
Choice of material
Insulation
Foundation
Finishing level

What does it cost to build a garage if you order the materials online yourself?

If you arrange the materials yourself, you can save up to 30% of the total costs. A contractor also earns on the materials if he has to order them for you. So if you arrange the materials yourself, this can save you a lot. Do you want to know how much you would spend on metal building materials? Then use the construction calculator.

The big advantage of ordering online is that we work with the lowest price guarantee. This means that you cannot buy the materials cheaper anywhere else. In addition, a volume discount also applies, the more is ordered, the lower the unit price of the material. In this way, you are guaranteed the lowest price for your equipment and therefore the lowest price for your extension.

In addition, deliveries can also be made faster. It takes quite some time before contractors have purchased all the equipment. If you choose to order online yourself, the materials will be delivered to the location within 5 working days.

TIP - Some knowledge of the material is important, also on the internet. That is why you can use our chat function if you have specific questions about the material, for example, if you are not sure which grout to choose.

What materials do you need to build a garage

metal building a garage is a big job, which requires a lot of materials. At rapidsetbuildings.com we have all the necessary materials for metal building a garage available. And the lowest price guarantee applies to all materials. Below we indicate per category which materials are needed. If you have any questions about the materials, please contact us.

FOUNDATION

A solid foundation is of great importance. After the foundation has been poured, the floor can be poured. Make sure that there is a foil between the concrete and the sand so that the poured concrete is not absorbed into the sandy soil.

Spruce beams and battens in various thicknesses.
High-quality uses metal construction film.
Construction steel mesh in various widths.
Concrete bars with the correct length.

WALLS

A garage can consist of an inner wall and an outer wall, but this is not necessary. For example, if you choose a single wall, you will probably choose masonry bricks. Do you want a separate interior wall? Then you could choose an interior wall of cheap concrete blocks, for example.

Sand-lime brick, masonry bricks, or concrete blocks in different sizes.
The right Portland cement.
Masonry cement, adhesive, and masonry mortar available.

TIP - When choosing the materials, maintenance costs are also important: stone requires much less maintenance than wood. Also, consider the painter's costs.

ROOF

The materials we offer in this category are only suitable for a garage with a flat roof.

Pinewood.
Underlayment or OSB plates.
As a top layer Nebiprofa smooth 6m1.

FINISH

In terms of finishing your garage, you can choose from various fascias, eaves, and window frames. These finishes are not necessary but give your garage more appearance.

Frames are available in wood, metal, steel, or plastic. And you can choose between a model with a wicket door, a garden door with sidelights, sliding doors, or a double sliding door. All variants can be found in the window frames category.
In terms of finish, you can choose from four types of fascia: wood, plastic, trespass, or rock panel. All variants can be found in the fascia category.
The last important finish you can choose is the roof edge, you can choose from an aluminum roof trim or a zinc bead. Both variants can be found in the eaves category.

All materials listed above can be delivered within five working days. This means that if you order now, these products will be delivered to your location within five working days. This allows a garage to be built very quickly.

Are you ready to start metal building a garage?

You need extra space and you would like to build a garage, in this article we have tried to summarize all the steps you have to go through to ultimately achieve a 'perfect' garage. Of course, every situation is different and you may have questions that have not yet been answered in this article. That is why you can contact us every working day via Whatsapp, chat, or e-mail.

We hope you are ready to start metal buildings in your garage. Good luck!

Author's Bio: 

Rapidset Metal Buildings is an innovative and creative partner in pre-engineered metal buildings, specializing in complex panel shapes in a metal frame or metal buildings for homes and utilities.