Design & Permits Done: Time to get a Builder & Quotes: Help Please

[Garage4Retirement]

Planning on building a detached 34' x 28' garage. The architect and structure engineers plans are complete and county permit is in process.

It's time to find a builder. I have had preliminary conversation with a few potential firms.

I'd love to hear from others on how they went about that process, what to look for, what to watch out for, what to require (insurance, timelines, etc.).

If anyone has any "bid specs" they may have used and would be willing to share, that would be awesome.

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Grumpy]

some sources for garage plans, + some build info experiances

if your planing to build a shop/garage, its going too be a huge advantage to your planed project, check with building and zoning as too what size and type of structure will be allowed and what are the required steps before a proposed shop/garage can be built. in many areas this will require a...

garage.grumpysperformance.com

read through this link and sub links and advice

always get at least 4 bids and be very very specific about
materials used, due dates and completion dates, who supplies the materials and the cost and when the payments are to be made
GET IT IN WRITING SIGNED BY BOTH YOU, A NOTARY SEAL IS WORTH THE COST AND INCONVIENENCE AND GET THE CONTRACTOR
TO SIGN AND DATE
anyone demanding 100% up front payment for work to be done, is to be avoided
deal with well known firms with several references (LOCAL REFERANCES not their brother in law and some employee)
and if you can visit locals who worked with them previously