Raising A Barn Or Garage This Spring Requires Winter Planning

BROOKFIELD — Realizing that you need more parking and storage space is easy. But selecting a builder, and understanding everything that goes into building a custom garage is actually more involved than most people think, according to the pros at The Barn Yard and Great County Garages office in neighboring Brookfield.

That may be because today’s garage no longer necessarily serves only as a place to park your car, but a place for a workshop, apartment, studio, exercise room among many other endless possibilities, said Everett Skinner, the company’s owner.

“The preparation for building the garage is what takes the most time,” he said in a recent release. “Between deciding what the garage will be used for to where the garage will sit on your property all takes a substantial amount of time and consideration. If you are planning to build a garage to be completed this spring, you can start the process as January.”

Mr Skinner offered a few tips on the process:

First, decide on your budget. “Not sure on how much a garage will cost you? A custom two-car garage will start around $20,000 and upgrades can quickly add up,” he explained.

Having a maximum budget helps keep clients from overspending, and will force them to stick to what they actually need. “Also keep in mind you will need some type of foundation for the garage, whether it be concrete or pressure-treated,” he said. “A foundation for a typical two car-garage will start at about $3,800.”

Next, decide on placement. “You’ll need to decide where it makes the most sense to place the garage on your property,” Mr Skinner said. “You’ll probably need to consult with you local building/zoning and health departments to be sure the location and size of the garage you have in mind is in fact available for your new building.”

Every town has governing codes that limit distances from property lines, existing structures, and the road. Existing ground conditions are also important to consider. A flat, level site will be easier to build on than a steeply sloped site requiring a great deal of fill.

Then, decide what size. “The average size for a two-car garage is 24 feet long by 24 feet wide,” Mr Skinner said. “The average size for a three-car garage is 24 feet by 36 feet.”

But when considering size, he said, it is important to consider the extra space needed for a workbench or additional storage.

“If you are like most, visualization will help,” he said. “Stake out the size you think you will need. Once the area is created, analyze whether or not it will be enough space for your individual needs.”

For some, the best way to double storage space is to add a second floor to the garage.

“This is ideal for storing boxes, seasonal items and other items you don’t need easy access to,” Mr Skinner said. “It is also very common to turn this upstairs space into a finished living apartment.”

Clients may want to plan for additional space for future expansion.

“Allow some extra space for the additional tools and equipment you are sure to collect,” he said. “Remember, however large you make the garage, you will always find a way to fill it up sooner than you think.”

Next, decide on a reputable builder. “Building a garage can be a complex job, so it is important to hire a reputable, knowledgeable, and licensed contractor,” Mr Skinner advises.

The Barn Yard, with showrooms in Brookfield, Windsor Locks, and Ellington, has served the Northeast for more than two decades and can customize a project to suit almost any need. Starting with an initial consultation, Barn Yard consultants will walk clients through each necessary step of the process.

“Unlike many builders, The Barn Yard takes extra steps to ensure successful completion of your building, like providing full sets of engineered plans to ease the process of obtaining the proper permits needed from your town,” Mr Skinner said.

He added that it is extremely important that the materials used (e.g., lumber, doors and windows) are all premium grade to ensure the structure that will last many generations.

“Avoid contractors that insist on using particle board, plywood, low grade lumber, and especially uninsulated windows and garage doors,” he said. “This will not provide you with a quality structure; it only saves on construction costs for a substandard builder.”

The services offered through The Barn Yard eliminate the need to hire any other outside contractors, since the company provides design, site work, excavation, and concrete foundation services.

Finally, you may want to decide today. “Many people know they want to have a garage built first thing this spring,” Mr Skinner said. “However, many do not realize that since each property and homeowner is unique, the planning and permit process does take time.”

The ideal time to contact a choice builder is before mid-February to begin the design process and schedule your building date before the spring rush begins. Anyone interested in finding out more about The Barn Yard’s product line and services is invited to visit one of their Connecticut locations, call 800-628-2276, or check the company’s website at TheBarnYardStore.com.