How to build a garage from the ground up

Step 2 Subcontractors

As the person who filed the permit, you are the main contractor and responsible for the building. I am not a lawyer, but I think then you are liable if the building falls over in a stiff breeze and crushes your neighbor's Porsche. If you are doing all the actual construction work, then this is fine and dandy. Chances are however that you will hire out some of the work, so-called subcontracting. In my case, I hired out the foundation. As a detached garage, I was able to do a slab on grade foundation rather than having to dig footings below the frost line as would be required for an attached garage. However, I lacked the drive and expertise required for digging a 440 sqaure foot hole and pouring a good foundation.

You will want to line up meetings with and quotes from at least 3 people for each subcontracting task. Try to get a feel for who are the reputable names in your area by talking to your neighbors. Ride your bike around the neighborhood on a sunny Saturday and talk to people who have recent construction and get recommendations. Check out the BBB (Better Business Bureau) for complaints against any potential subcontractors. The number of unresolved claims should be low and look for companies that have been around a while. You can also turn to the yellow pages and make some calls. After talking with a bunch of foundation guys and getting some quotes, I went with the most expensive quote for a number of reasons. They inspired the most confidence based on their referrals, approach to the project, and detailed quote. Don't cut too many corners with your subcontractors or you can get burned. In general, the fewer references and thus shorter time in business the more risk there is for half-ass work. If you have a friend of a friend, be wary as these types of hook-ups or under the table moonlighting work can be bottom priority on the "friend's" schedule and cause delays and cost overruns. The good news is that most people in the business want to stay in business and thus will do a good job and be pleasant to work with as long as you communicate your plan, expectations, and expected payment clearly.

Once you decide on a contractor you will need to sign a contract with them (often included with the quote) and schedule their work. In the case of subcontracting the foundation, this work was required first so they kicked off the whole project and I had to wait for them before moving forward. A sample quote and contract is below.