Moving, going to need to build a garage

In the northeast it's a different game. I added a 14x27 piece to my 12x20. Cost me around 35k. All legal and GC'ING myself.

Congrats on being able to build your own garage. Hopefully my post isn't too late for your concrete pour. Being in the concrete supply industry I would strongly suggest you look into Vapor Lock Enhanced Concrete, VLEC. We try to put Vapor Lock in 100% of our projects here in Michigan. If cost is a concern, i'll do the math for you. Based on 24x32 @4"= 9.48 cyd's of concrete x ~$35/cyd (probably less) for the admixture =$350 extra. However, VL technology has been around since 1975 and it prevents all moisture vapor emission. It also eliminates (or virtually eliminates in some applications), plastic cracking, efflorescence, delayed ettrignite (?sp), slab curl and ASR. VLEC completely shuts down the bleed channels and capillaries. Very early psi strengths, 3 day breaks ~87% of target and 28 day breaks almost double. You pay for 3,500 or 4,000 psi concrete and Vapor Lock will give you about 8,000. Also, if you want to epoxy it later or two weeks later, your contractor will waste his/your money on a calcium chloride test, save it and tape a clear lunch zipbag down and you will see zero moisture. Assuming your Batch Plant puts the VL in the truck. I have the driest garage floor in all of Michigan. Even under the anti-fatigue matts. Good Luck.

Thanks! No not too late, still a few weeks from moving and probably a couple months out from being able to even think about starting the garage. I've heard about this but your reminder is welcomed and I will definitely do things like this to make the garage perfect!

Just thought of this (because previous posts mentioned concrete)

Upgrade the standard psi rating.


I believe the car lifts say they want 4" of concrete.

I didn't do that, I figured out all the various possible places that different car lifts could fit in my garage (still under construction) and criss-crossed the slab with footers at those locations.

I can fit 2 lifts here, somewhere:

Add more then one 220 outlet, 2inch styrofoam in the floor before you put down concrete , build a room outside for air compressor with 220.

Make all your man doors swing out instead of in, no loss of space in shop then.

No windows and install steel doors for security I used 36" for better access . LED lighting maybe more expensive at start but will be cheaper on utilities.

Run extra one inch conduit for future wiring if your running power to your house, run cat5 cables or whatever is the latest greatest wire for computers. Run extra wire for future additions like garage opener, speakers computer etc. if you have a desk area put in multiple plugs for printers computer TV etc.

I would just like to suggest that you make the thing fire-proof. You don't want your garage catching on fire and toasting all of your cars...not to mention tools, parts and whatever other valuable stuff you have stored out there.