Who to Hire to Build a Garage: A Complete Guide

Adding an attached or detached garage to your property can provide a lot of value, not only for you while you live there, but also in terms of property value if you ever go to sell your home. While DIYing a garage build is sometimes possible, most homeowners hire a professional to get the job done correctly. But who do you hire to build a garage?

Usually, you’ll look for a general contractor or garage builder who holds a contractor’s license and is fully insured to get the job done.

Benefits of Hiring a General Contractor for a Garage Build

The cost to build a garage will be higher if you call in a general contractor to build your garage than if you DIY the work, but paying a bit more for a professional is worthwhile for a few reasons:

• They’re licensed to carry out building projects.

• They’re typically fully insured, protecting you from legal issues.

• They can subcontract out work like plumbing and electrical to other certified professionals.

• They can pull the necessary permits for your garage project.

• They will have familiarity with local building codes.

A general contractor should hold a general contracting license, which means they can legally carry out most of the garage build themselves or with their team. That includes everything from pulling the required permits and pouring the foundation to constructing walls, installing your roof, and securing the space with doors and windows. They can also bring in certified plumbers and electricians if necessary.

Without a general contractor, you may need to hire a variety of professionals to complete different parts of the job, like concrete workers, roofers, and door and window installers. Doing so can be time-consuming and might end up being more expensive.

Can I DIY Building a Garage?

It’s usually possible to build a garage yourself, but the work is extremely challenging, parts of the job can be dangerous, and mistakes can cost you a lot of time and money. Some things you’ll need to be careful to avoid when DIYing a garage build include the following:

• Failing to pull building permits for your project

• Failing to keep your new home addition fully up to code

• Pouring the foundation too thin or unlevel

• Installing the roof, doors, and windows incorrectly, which could lead to water damage

• Compromising your home’s structural stability if you build an attached garage

• Failing to abide by laws pertaining to setbacks and building height, which could mean you’d have to knock down your garage and start over

Even if you plan to build your garage yourself, you still need to hire professionals like a plumber and electrician if you want a partially finished or fully finished space. Adding plumbing and electrical wires to any building requires additional building permits, and most municipalities mandate that certified professionals pull them. It’s also illegal in many areas to do this work yourself, even if you have a professional pull the permits for you.

Instead of building your garage yourself, you can save some money by doing some of the finishing work yourself if you’re comfortable with it, like finishing the floor, adding insulation and sheetrock, and painting. You could also feasibly convert a carport to a garage yourself, as the hard work will already be done. You might consider having a carport built and then enclosing it yourself.

Can I Hire a Garage Builder to Build My Garage?

Yes, you can hire a dedicated garage builder to build your garage or carport. In fact, companies that solely build garages use general contractors to get the work done. The only difference is that the general contractor on the team focuses solely on garage construction rather than general construction work.

A garage builder will still hold a general contractor’s license, so you’re technically hiring the same professional. They might just have more experience with garage construction, in particular.

How Do General Contractors Build a Garage?

When you hire a garage builder near you, they will start the garage building process by pulling permits for your construction project. This may require blueprints first, depending on where you live. Once permits are pulled, they’ll follow the general steps detailed below:

• Excavate and level the land

• Pour the foundation

• Construct the walls

• Frame out the roof

• Add sheathing to the exterior walls and roof

• Add roof shingles

• Install windows and doors

• Install siding and exterior trim

If you want a finished garage, your contractor may then take the following steps as well:

• Have plumbers and electricians install utilities

• Install insulation and drywall

• Spackle and paint

• Install the flooring

• Install interior trim and finish work

• Install interior light fixtures, switches, and outlets

• Install interior plumbing fixtures

• Close out the building permits