How to build a garage
There are several ways to build a garage, but this article is focused on building a garage where a house exists. To begin, it is important to determine if you are building the garage attached to or detached from the house. Check with your local municipal zoning department to determine if there are ordinances in place that may allow only one or the other. Once the location is determined, decide the size of the garage and subsequently apply for a building permit.
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When the legalities are taken care of construction can begin. Typically, if you are hiring a contractor, they would be responsible for all of the above mentioned specifics. If your contractor doesn’t assume responsibility for securing a permit, find another one. If you are building the garage yourself, there are two options. The first is to build the garage with raw materials and a blueprint you design yourself. The second is to build with a garage kit.
Garage kits come in several different dimensions, most of which will suit the average person’s needs. If you are looking to build an over-sized or uniquely shaped garage, you’ll probably need to design it yourself. A garage kit typically includes pre-cut lumber or steel, trusses, trim, and exterior walls. It will typically not include roofing material, windows or skylights, utility doors, and more often than not, doesn’t include the overhead door or doors.
If using a kit, you should check the manufacturer’s concrete specifications and set your foundation accordingly. Further, check what options come standard and what is extra, bearing in mind that you may have to make modifications to a kit’s plans to get what you want. Other factors to consider when building a garage from a kit or from scratch include load-bearing weight of the roof if you live in a particularly snowy area, maintenance upkeep of the exterior walls, and whether overhead storage needs to be included.