Fix or rebuild garage?

[maiagirl]

Hi all,

Our 1927 stucco garage needs to either be fixed up or rebuilt. The roof is in very bad shape and needs to be replaced (not just the shingles but the wood frame underneath and the gutters). The walls have rotted at ground level in some spots and we have all manner of critters coming in (mostly mice/rats, but we had a raccoon living there for a while!)

It's not a big garage; no more than 13' x 15' (if that), built with cedar. To rebuild it using cedar would be very expensive, so if possible, I would like to salvage and reuse as much of the cedar that's still in good condition. There's already a concrete foundation and we're going to keep the same exact footprint.

I've read that building a one-car garage would cost under $35/sq foot. Is that just for labour or does it include the materials? Also, would we need a permit?

Would it be more cost effective to just fix up the areas that need it (i.e. replace roof, gutters; cut rotted wood along bottom wall and replace with new wood) or would a complete tear down make more sense?

Your suggestions and ideas are much appreciated!

[E60_M5]

yes, you will need a permit. price depends on how fancy you want it to be.

drywall and painted? insulated or non insulated garage door? electrical?

[Jas29]

It is hard to say without pictures or seeing your garage.

I would call a couple of contractors and ask them what they think would be the best way to fix the problems your garage has and get quotes for rebuilding and repairing the old one.

E60_M5 is correct you do need a Permit