We can schedule an appointment to give you an estimate within one week. On the day of your estimate, one of St. Paul Garage Builders’ owners will come to see your property and discuss what you want and need in your new garage.
After seeing your property and talking to you, the owner will return to the office to crunch some numbers and see how they can build the garage you want within your budget. Within a couple of days, we will email you the estimate. This estimate is written in an explanatory fashion, making it easy to understand.
Every project we build, whether basic or custom, is designed with your needs and budget in mind. In most cases, we draw up plans for our clients. If you want a more extravagant garage, you can work with our architect or yours to design it and there will be a related charge, but usually the site plan is included with the project if it is straight forward.
Every project requires permits. Sometimes, a site survey is needed to secure a city permit. We have been building garages in St. Paul since 1995, so we are very comfortable with this often complex process. Once we receive a minimal down payment, we pull the permits.
Once the permit is ready, we will schedule your project. Most of our projects begin with the demolition of an existing garage. Demolition includes the tear-out of the old concrete slab and the new garage site preparation. Our demo crew will ensure your garage is of the highest quality from the ground up.
After the site has been cleared and prepared, our concrete crew will pour a new floating slab with regulation footings to support your new garage. Our basic garage consists of a Keystone-style footing steel rebar reinforcement to meet code poured with a 4-5″ concrete slab.
After pouring the slab, we add 8″ x 6″ masonry blocks (CMU) to meet the building code. This keeps the siding away from the ground, preventing moisture from wicking up and causing damage to the siding. Then, large anchor bolts are placed in the block to secure the framing to the foundation.
We hand-pick all of our lumber to ensure we use only straight, solid wood from environmentally responsible companies. That’s just the beginning of our quality framing.
We’ll match the color of the shingles on your home as close as possible to the products we offer or, if desired, another system that matches your house.
Most customers choose a variety of different manufactures for vinyl siding as it is the least expensive and maintenance free- based on the stock of colors that are available – however other popular choices are LP® SmartSide® composite wood siding, cement siding, and stucco.
We use 2″ x 12″ headers and laminated beams to ensure that as your garage ages, its door frame doesn’t begin to sag and cause problems with your opening.
A standard two-car opening is 7′ x 16′; however, 7’ x 18′ doors are commonly used when you require a tight turning radius due to an alleyway. We can custom fit any size door to your specifications should you have the need.
We can customize your garage door to include windows, locks, and an array of colors. We guarantee a limited life time warranty and include a one-year warranty on parts and labor and 3 years on the springs. We install automatic door openers at the time of the garage door installation as written up in the contract.
The final step of your project is the electrical work. This requires a separate permit from your city or the state depending on which city you live in. Many people have questions about Electric Powered Vehicles – we can help you navigate what might be best for you immediate and futures needs. As the homeowner, you can choose to do the electrical work yourself or have our licensed master electrician complete the job.
Your garage is done, but we aren’t. Before we leave, our clean-up crew will clean up the site. This won’t be difficult because we have kept things tidy throughout the building process. We use a 3-yard dumpster bag and clean as we go.
All total, we have about 40 guys who will work on your project as part of various crews. The average garage building schedule is approximately 4-6 weeks from start to completion, depending on the scope of your project.
You deserve nothing less than the best. When you work with St. Paul Garage Builders, you can expect clear communication and beautiful results, all within your budget!