How Do I Build a Garage Addition?

Planning and Scheduling

• If you live in an area with weather problems, you will want to schedule your build for a time period in which the weather will be on your side. The best months will be early spring and early summer. More importantly, you will want to create detailed sketches of the garage you plan on building. If you are working with a general contractor, make sure that he has a detailed blueprint of how the garage who will look. According to Mark Donovan of Remodelingmyspace.com, these blueprints should have cross-sectional views of the garage, indicating the footing/foundation transitions as well as transitions between the walls and rafters or ceiling of the garage.

Permit Process and Costs

• When making any addition to your home, you must consult with the city to obtain permits. Often contractors will construct structures that have not been appropriately permitted. Do not allow this to happen because it can negatively affect the value of your home should you decide to do sell it in the future. Your general contractor should have the knowledge to obtain the appropriate permits for a garage addition.

  You will also want to consult with the general contractor about the cost estimate of the garage. You and your general contractor will develop a "bill of materials," which describes all the materials needed to build the addition, including the foundation and wood materials. Creating a bill of materials ensures that you can obtain a cost estimate at a home improvement store prior to constructing the garage. You will want to make sure that you have a "firm fixed" estimate of costs prior to construction.

Construction

• As with many construction projects, people often encounter unforeseen problems and impediments when building a garage. It is important to consult with your general contractor about having a scheduling calendar that reflects the expected tasks for the day. Scheduling out what portions of the build will be completed each day ensures that your contractor is diligent in finishing up the project. More importantly, this allows you to better mitigate any "schedule slips," which will invariably occur during the construction. Finally, the calendar forces the contractor to look ahead on the project, ensuring that materials are available when she needs them.