Garage Kits - What to Know

Do you have enough garage space to keep everything stored properly?  If not, you have a couple options.  You could add on to your garage, spending tens of thousands of dollars and taking months, or you could purchase a garage kit instead.  Garage kits are much simpler and cheaper to construct than home add-ons, they're sturdy, and are easily big enough to fit cars, boats, or just use as a storage area.  The goal of this Hub is to give a gentle introduction to garage kits, and perhaps you'll decide that this is what you're looking for to add space to your home!

Garage kits are great at keeping your vehicles and storage safe out of the elements.  The standard kit isn't exactly the strongest thing ever built, but it's certainly good at keeping out rain, snow, and wind, depending on the model you get (some of them are little more than a roof to put over a portion of your driveway).  Of course, models that you'll be using in a harsh climate, like Montana, will need to be stronger than one built in Texas.  But local contractors will have region-appropriate models.

The kits are made of metal, often steel, that will give potential thieves pause too.  But it's certainly not foolproof, someone determined could get into one of them with relatively little work, so don't expect them to be 100% safe.  But it's good to have a wall between an expensive vehicle or equipment and the outside.

If you've ever been driving down the highway and you've seen a large truck with what looks like a garage on its flatbed, then you know what prefab garage kits look like.  These are great if you don't have any construction experience, as you'll get someone experienced to bring it, pre-built, right to your home, and they'll install it for you.  If it's a larger, more complex model, then you'll probably need to have a proper concrete foundation laid for it already, but most companies will do this for you too, so you only have to work with one business instead of several.

Don't get the idea that prefab garage kits are just for novices though.  This is the most convenient way to just contract out all the work, so that you don't have to do much more than just watch the garage go up.  It works for someone who doesn't have the time to spend on it just as well as it does for someone with little experience.

If you don't want to pay for the labor, or if you like to be more hands on with home improvement (like my dad) then you can also build metal storage kits that come more like a package of parts that you put together yourself.  You're still going to need some help (maybe have the guys over for an afternoon?) but the savings can be significant.  With the additional money you could afford a better model, for example.

The first thing you'll want to do is look into getting the proper building permit, so you're not fined by the government (or even worse, be given a stop work order).  The exact laws vary from state to state, but it shouldn't take more than a trip downtown to get the proper paperwork.  It's not like this is a controversial project, after all.

You're also going to need a solid foundation to install the kit on too - steel garage kits aren't exactly light you know.  This kind of work can be done pretty quickly, within a week or even less, but I recommend talking to contractors as soon as possible since you never know what their schedule may be.  Give them the dimensions of the kit and they'll be able to tell you exactly what you need in a foundation.

There are dozens of different models of garage kits available - be sure to do some looking around before you decide on one.  Size isn't the only difference.  You can get kits that will match your home in color and design, or have a unique look of their own.  If you don't like the stock models you see, you can even get a customized kit to your exact specifications.  Perhaps you want a garage so large that there's room for an upstairs room?  Windows all over the walls?  A custom designed roof?  They're all available, but of course you're going to have to pay for the experience.

If you're ready to get started, then you can do some preliminary looking online, as many companies have pictures of their stock garages on their websites.  However, you may as well call someone in your area and set up an appointment as soon as possible.  There's no reason to wait; you're going to need to do so eventually anyway.

Finding a garage kit that works for you may take time, but any construction does, so don't try to rush anything.  Do your research, make sure you're very clear on the cost of everything, and the end result will be a beautiful garage that you'll be happy to show your neighbors and friends.