Barn/Garage Building in Maine Shock

[Kyle241]

We are planning a move to our house on the Maine coast and while it does have an attached garage, it's not sized for my Kubota. I had a local contractor who built my attached garage last winter quote me a 32'x40' and a 24'x32' as I would love the former but with other projects to pay for, e.g. new kitchen, etc., I need to watch the budget. Anyways I thought for a 24'x32' with no insulation, no finished interior walls (open to studs) with basic electric and three doors (2 on front 1 in back) and a foundation, I would be looking between $25,000-35,000. Well I got my quote yesterday for $61,500??? The 32'x40' was $101,000!!! Holly moses prices are out of whack in the state of Maine! Now I need to look for alternatives as I need something and really did not want to build it myself due to time constraints but it appears I may have to. We don't have a Menards in the NorthEast as I know many get quotes from them nor do we have the Amish (I wish). I'm just stunned by the quote right now as I don't see how a stick-framed 24'x32' with attic trusses unfinished inside would ever get to that price as that is something like $84 sq/ft. Any other Mainers on here that have suggestions?

 

[dave1949]

That is out of whack somehow. The foundation type and amount of dirt work needed will make a big difference in prices, but that's ridiculous.

I suggest you wait on the garage build, if that is possible, until you are more familiar with the community and can ask around for builder recommendations and get multiple quotes.

I see ads for very cheap basic garage builds that start around $6K for a normal 24'x24'. I wouldn't buy that standard, but even upgraded I don't know how you get to $61K.

 

[newbury]

That price looks good.
FOR AN UNFURNISHED HOUSE!!

I've been looking into getting a small 24x24 garage built in Northern Virginia. Prices seemed to be running around $50/sq ft.

Some links:
How To Rough Estimate Cost To Build Garage
Concrete Prices - How much does concrete cost? - The Concrete Network

 

[murphy1244]

I just had a small Barn built and I had prices from 16k to 26.5k Keep getting bids

 

[PeterK]

Seems WAY too high especially for a basic garage. For my barn, I bought a post & beam kit from Owner-Built House, Cabin and Barn Kits from Shelter-Kit® in New Hampshire. Mine is a 24x24, 9'6" ceilings and a 12' ceiling in the loft. It was too small after a couple of years and a couple of car projects so I added another 14x24 addition a couple of years after building the initial barn. Of course, it's diy and there is a lead time to get the kit but here in Maine, we do what we can ourselves and save our $$. It was WELL worth the effort for our project. Basic kit in '97 was around $13K. probably double that or close now. The addition was a structurally cloned design of the 24x24 which I did totally myself. It's much more rewarding that throwing money around.

(in the gallery, my build is album K-055 if you're interested)

 

[dave1949]

PeterK,

That is a nice building. Is that on a floating/alaskan slab or frost wall?

 

[wolftree]

Kyle241,

I would seriously look into building yourself or having built a polebarn with treated posts set on 4 foot centers and steel roofing and siding. You can leave off the siding for now and add as you can. Leave yourself plenty of height for adding gravel base and concrete later. Almost any style built by studwall can be built with pole. Add a loft if you wish even in a dutch or monitor style.

 

[jim44]

A 40 x 30 barn around here runs about $25/sf. Plus foundation of course.

 

[madmax12]

Check out ezgarage.com

 

[hr3]

Your going to have to shop the prices hard because of where your building,, Kennebunk and Kennebunkport are some of the highest cost areas to build in Maine,, The Bush's and the Rockerfelers all have places in that area.. Permits alone will be an arm and a leg,,