Garages are an excellent source of extra space for any of your needs, whether it is a space for your car; extra storage for all arts, crafts and decorations; or even an inspirational place for your hobby.
If you are in the process of searching for a perfect garage to add to your backyard, you probably came across some companies selling the garage kits and some, which offer the manufactured garages. Let’s find out the difference, the cons, and pros of each, so you can decide which option is the best one for you and your family.
Garage Kits
Garage Kits have been around for a long time and they are super handy for those, who love to do the projects by themselves. Since they come with all the necessary pieces, you would just follow instructions to set it up and impress your family or friends by saying that you build it yourself.
Here are a few Pros of the Garage Kits to consider:
- Cost Effective – for many it might be one of the biggest decision making point, as the garage kits are relatively cheaper that the manufactured ones. One of the reasons it is cheaper is that the price does not include any labor cost, because the labor is YOU. What you are paying for is the materials.
Consider some Cons of the Garage Kits:
- Time and Effort to Build – even though you might consider doing it yourself, it will require some experience in construction to put it together. If you decide to go with a local contractor to put it up, the cost will add to the final project.
- Very Limited Choices – if you like options, garage kits might not be your best bet. Since they are very cost effective, there are only a few options to truly customize your garage. And if some companies offer you the option to add custom designs, the price of your final product might be close to the manufactured garage. Remember though, you would still need to put it up yourself, compared to the manufactures garage that will be installed by a company.
- Durability – this one is important to consider, because the quality of the kit is quite different from the quality of a 100% All American Steel manufactured garage. If you are in the area where weather conditions are not super perfect, your garage kit will not last too long. Also, consider the ground snow load in your state. Garage kits do not have any custom built roof to hold the snow load. Of course, you don’t want to end up with no roof one snowy frosty day.
- No Options for Permit – if your county requires a building permit, metal kit would not be your best option, as you would not be able to get any drawings needed for the permit.
- No Warranty – the kits do not come with the warranty, so that might be the biggest decision breaking point for some families.
Manufactured Garages
Manufactures garages come delivered and installed on your property. The only thing you need to do is to customize it the way you would like it.
Let’s look at some Pros of the Manufactured Garage:
- Highly Customizable – this is where you can have a lot of fun and let your imagination flow! The sky is the limit with the manufactured garage, because you can choose not only the colors of your roof, siding, and trim, but also the location and the size of your doors and windows. Our company provides a 3 D rendering of your project, so you can actually see what it would look like before you purchase it.
- Durability – if quality of your garage is your priority, manufactured garage is the way to go. Not only the garage itself is made of 100% All American Steel, but the installation is done by the professional certified installers. In addition, manufactured garage is certified through your local codes, based on the weather conditions such as wind and ground snow load. No worries about falling roof on that snowy frosty day!
- Permits Available – if your county requires a permit, all of the manufactures will provide you with the generic drawings to pull a permit. If you need a site specific engineered drawings, most of the manufactures will sell them as well. This saves you a lot of headache dealing with your county permit office.
- Professional Installation – as mentioned above, the manufactured garages come delivered and installed by a professional team. The installers go through the training to properly install the garage. We work only with the reputable manufacturers who stand behind the quality of the material and the quality of their installation.
- Warranty – Manufactures garages are warranted for the workmanship and also for the rust through with the purchase of 12-gauge galvanized steel frames.
Here is one Con that manufactures garages have:
- Higher Price – it is no surprise that the manufactured garages are often more expensive than the garage kits. When you purchase the manufactured garage, the price includes high quality material, customizable options, warranty, generic drawings for your permits, and labor to install it.
As you can see, each option has its own pros and cons. The choice is yours and it is our hope that this article can help you make the right one!