Prefabricated garage or self-built

Hello,

as far as I know, the metal prefabricated garages also do not have a floor. So take into account in the calculation that this still needs to be built and paid for.

A friend of ours also has an (older) metal prefabricated garage – he occasionally has problems with condensation water, which then drips everywhere in the garage from the ceiling. Whether this is still the case with today's metal garages, I cannot say...

Regards,

Dirk

We have a sheet metal/steel garage 5.4x9m with a large electric sectional door, 1 window, and a side door. From the outside, you can hardly tell it is a sheet metal garage because of the plastered smooth walls. The thin walls give us more space to accommodate 2 vehicles within 5.4m. The price was just over 12,000€ plus the construction of the ring foundation and paving of the floor by our landscaping contractor.

he has occasional problems with condensation water, which then drips everywhere in the garage from the ceiling. I can't say if this is still the case with today's metal garages...

If you buy properly today, this is actually no longer an issue. Steel prefabricated garages have the most extreme climate (warm in summer, cold in winter). Concrete garages moderate this significantly. If a steel garage is properly ventilated, it is an excellent choice for a car. Other types of use are rather impractical (workshop, overwintering plants, ...).

Steel garages require additional measures for fastenings/shelving systems on the wall (can be purchased ready-made). With concrete garages, you have more freedom (caution: the number of permissible drillings is surprisingly low, practically quite a few are possible ...).

Steel garages can be delivered in segments; even carrying them is possible to some extent. Concrete garages require a (expensive) crane in difficult locations.

Already mentioned: The concrete garage comes including a floor, requires strip foundations. The steel garage is open at the bottom, requires strip foundations and a floor.

If you don't make the floor very expensive, a steel garage is likely to be cheaper by four digits.

Thanks again for the tips, I have now received an offer for a steel prefabricated garage measuring 6x8m with a side door and a window, plus 2 sectional doors, which I liked better than one large one, including delivery and installation for €10,000, and a floor slab complete with excavation work and materials for €3,360 (48m² x €70). What do you think about it? The problem with precast concrete garages is that transport becomes very expensive for lengths over 6m, at least according to the statement of many companies. This is conceivable, as even a truck only has certain loading areas.

The problem with precast concrete garages is that transport becomes very expensive for lengths over 6m. At least, that is what many companies say. It's conceivable since even a truck has only limited loading space.

Hello,

I would like to contradict you from my own construction experience.

The length of a precast concrete garage is rarely the problem – if the elements become too long, the garages are usually divided into segments.

It becomes more problematic when the width exceeds 3 m – then transport becomes significantly more expensive because a security vehicle and possibly even a police escort are required.

Best regards,

Dirk

About the gates:
Due to our narrow garage, only the large gate was an option for us.
An advantage is also that you can conveniently drive out between the cars with a Bobby car, bicycles, etc., and you don’t stand in front of the central pillar.
The side entrance door leads to the garden/terrace side for us.
In case you want to open the gates electrically, you also save a drive unit with the large gate.

On the topic of transport costs for concrete garages:
I can quite imagine that. Double garages are often delivered by a truck + trailer and can, in the best case, be set down directly from the truck without an additional crane. For the extra-long garage, a third garage is placed as an extension behind it, to my knowledge.
An additional truck and probably also a crane will have to be used for that.

On the topic of moisture in steel garages:
At least with the manufacturers I have dealt with, all garages had condensation protection on the ceiling.
Regarding ventilation, steel garages even have an advantage over concrete garages, and if you pave, the moisture introduced by the vehicle can even seep downward.
I noticed with us that if I have something standing/lying on the paving stones in the garage, the paving stones underneath are damp.
So, moisture-sensitive items should not necessarily be stored on the floor. Also, some moisture penetrates the garage through the stones when it rains. (Maybe this could be prevented with a silicone joint.)

On the topic of fastening:
Here the manufacturers have their own systems for each garage. I am currently considering how to most sensibly place a small wall in front of the metal wall to hang garden tools and electric distributors without having to use the manufacturer’s (not exactly cheap) system. You simply can’t make a hole in the wall. Anyone who wants to hang something from the ceiling should, if necessary, clarify this with the garage provider beforehand.