SMALL Polebarn costs: $45,000+??? YIKES!!!!

[Bob_Skurka]

I've been given the greenlight by the lovely Mrs_Bob to build a 2.5 car garage. I have some special requirements to meet neighborhood building code, it must match the architecture of the house, and it cannot use steel roofing or walls. Basically it has to look like the house, and use materials similar to the house.

So I have been getting bids on pole barns.
-Cedar clapboard sides.
-Basic lighting inside and out (nothing fancy)
-wall mounted "blue flame" natural gas heater (just for when I am in there working)
-Size is 24' by 28'.
-2 insulated steel overhead garage doors.
-1 36" steel utility door.
-6 windows roughly 2' by 4'.
-Roof is going to be slate, however the price of the shakes is NOT in the bids, only the labor to install the roof is in the bids.
-brick on the front wall only, and then only from the ground up to 36" above the ground
-finished interior walls & ceiling
-insulated

So I get in touch with a builder who lives near me and goes to my church, he is a dealer for "WICK" buildings. We talk, he takes a photo copy of the note, tells me he can "stick build it" or he can save me some money by using a Wick Building, which is a Pole Barn construction method. He says using the pole construction would save me 25% to 30%. I tell him that sounds good to me.

He calls me back and asks if it would be OK to use "NOVA BRIK" instead of regular brick, as it will look similar, but cost less. I tell him OK.

He then says he is going to reduce the windows from 6 to 4, again to save money.

He then gets back to me and says the bid is $45,200. BUT it might be a little more, as he tells me he only "guestimated" the heating sub contractor's work.



Am I that out of touch with prices or is they guy taking me for a total sucker?

 

[DUMBDOG]

You do have some special requirements that adds a considerable amount to the cost. However at over $67 per square foot, you should be able to get a lot better price than that. Just priced out a basic pole barn with one sixteen by eight door and one walk in door, size was 30 X 40, it came out to under ten dollars per square foot.

You might find that making it a little larger would not cost that much more.

 

[BB_TX]

What you are describing is a little more than a basic pole barn. The cost does not surprise me for all that. The cost of living in a highly restricted area.
I put up a 30x40 (1200 sq ft) metal building, fully insulated, concrete slab, 2 10x10 doors, walk thru door, 3 windows, full trim and guttering, etc. for about $15K or about $12.50 /sq ft. It does have electrical, plumbing, bathroom, and small kitchen like area. But it is not finished off inside or have built-in heating. No building restrictions where it is located. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[Bob_Skurka]

I just got BID #2 from another builder about 20 minutes ago.

Based on BID #2, I'm going to say that the first builder is a total jerk who is trying to screw me.

BID #2 uses REAL BRICK on the front + 2 sides.
<font color="red"> BID #1 uses NOVA BRIK only on the front. </font>
BID #2 includes a limestone cap over the top course of brick
<font color="red"> Bid #1 uses a rough cut cedar board instead of limestone </font>
BID #2 includes 6 windows
<font color="red"> Bid #1 includes 4 windows </font>
BID #2 is stick built, 2x6, fully insulated, drywall & paint
<font color="red"> Bid #1 is pole built, insualted, steel interior </font>
BID #2 includes 3' eve overhangs all the way around to match the house
<font color="red"> Bid #1 uses 2' eves </font>
BID #2 includes a full perimeter foundation below the frost line, gravel base, drain tile, 4" cement floor, etc
<font color="red"> Bid #1 pours a 4" slab on compacted dirt </font>
BID #2 includes a concrete apron in front of the garage (20' wide by 6')
<font color="red"> Bid #1 does not include an approach apron at all </font>
BID #2 includes a thermostatcally controlled furnace
<font color="red"> Bid #1 uses a $189 blue flame heater from Home Depot </font>


BID #2 is essentially built to the same standards as the house, architecturally matches the details of the house (including the upgraded light fixtures, etc). Now I won't say that Bid #2 is cheap, but it came it BELOW bid #1 by $5000.

 

[Soundguy]

Holy smokes.

We did something similar. Our deed restrictions sad that detached garages must be similar to the house. no metal roof either. We went with 3-tabshingles and vinyl siding to match our architectual shingle/stucco house. Got a perfect color match. unit is on a concrete slab, termite treated, has 1 window.. 1 side entry door, and 2 steel overhead garage doors.. it is 24x30

Base cost was 17900 4 years ago. I did the wireing but could have subbed the wireing out for another 2 K or less.

I had a quote for block/finished stucco, and water/electric for the same size for 36k from another contractor...

Your guy must have kids in college.

Soundguy

 

[Wingnut]

WOW!

I had a pad put in for $2500 to make sure that the local codes were met, and I stick-built a 24x32 shop for another $2500 ... sided and shingled as close as possible to the house (they change colors of siding and shingles .... so it's impossible to duplicate). It's wired with 120/240 to handle all the heavy duty stuff - welder, compressor and dust collector, insulated well (although I haven't gotten to the attic yet) and finished inside. The $2500 cost for building materials included the materials to finish the inside and build counters.
Looks like his labor is worth about $40k, huh?

pete

 

[Bowhunter]

Dang I'm glad I live out in the sticks where there are no building restrictions.

 

[rdln]

No offense to you Bob, but I think people who deal with you smell money. You do not hide the fact that you do well and I am sure this fella and the equipment dealers that you say bend over backwards for you want a piece of the pie and are willing to receive it either through price gouging or staying in your good graces.

Meet the next guy to bid on your building at a bowling alley bar, Leave the Rolex on the nightstand dress in a plaid shirt and blue jeans and drive there in a POS car.

 

[Dargo]

Aww heck! I need to add on to my 60 x 60 barn because my dad wants me to get the three cars I have in his barn out. My barn is already full. That's why he has three of my cars. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif It sounds like I'm going to have to do it myself if building costs have gone up that much. I still have a little over 800' of driveway left to concrete first... /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Bob_Skurka]

<font color="red">
Meet the next guy to bid on your building at a bowling alley bar, Leave the Rolex on the nightstand dress in a plaid shirt and blue jeans and drive there in a POS car. </font>


Steve, I chuckled a bit reading that. You know I didn't even know what CARHART was until I started playing around on TBN. Still don't have a clue where to buy it or what it actually looks like, I suppose I've seen it a couple dozen times and never even knew.

Anyway, in my little community, it seems like I am modestly well known and it would be tough to hide. And for the record, I do own a bevy of fine Swiss watches, but none are Rolexes. . . I like watches that actually keep good time.


EDIT . . . I forgot to mention, BID #2 is for a LARGER garage, than BID #1. (24' by 32' versus 24' by 28')