Prefabricated Garage Kits: You Can Do It!

What are prefabricated garage kits? What are they made of and how are they put together? Are they very expensive? Are they big enough for my needs? Can I assemble one myself? These are among the questions you may have if you are in the market for a storage or garage type building. In this article, I will answer some of those questions and hopefully set your mind at ease. Before we get into all that, just let me say that this is a really exciting option. Thousands have successfully assembled their own kits. You can too!

Metal prefabricated garage kits are just that, kits of parts that come prefabricated in a wide variety of size options so that you can put up just the right size building for your needs. And, you don't have to do any welding or major construction to assemble it. These are perfect for the do-it-yourselfer and can be assembled in a weekend. The metal tubing is swaged (reduced), or "slip fit" for ease of assembly. If you can run a drill gun, tighten a bolt with a crescent wrench, run a tape measure, and tend to some basic construction techniques then you can succeed at putting up your own building.

Prefabricated garage kits come in many colors, sizes and costs. You can get a basic 12 x 20 x 8 kit for under 5K, and the larger 40' buildings can be as much as 20 - 50K+.  When compared to traditional construction, these are extremely cost effective options.

Many prefabricated garage kits do not include the garage doors, walk-through doors,  masonry anchors, and windows, but are available for purchase separately. Most often, it is best if you can assemble your kit on a cement slab. This allows for the most secure foundation, but isn't the only option. You could assemble over raw land or gravel. A cement foundation has obvious benefits and is highly recommended. Once you have the foundation ready to go you can start layout and assembly. As always, just be sure to check local building codes to make sure all is well before you begin.

You'll begin by laying out the base rails and starting assembly by inserting the swaged tubing together and bolting everything down at the appropriate locations. It is recommended that prefabricated garage kits made by companies like VersaTube be anchored to the concrete with 1/2 inch by 7 inch expansion bolts. Once this is complete you can move on to the roof wall assembly. It is a good idea to lay out a roof wall assembly right on the slab so you can see how it actually goes together. Once you have things slipped together, just double check the measurements at top and bottom to insure an even and square assembly. Now you can screw the joints together. The smaller 12 foot buildings do not require truss bracing, but the 20', 24', and larger buildings do. There are even web truss braces for high snow load areas.
Now you can start aligning the roof wall assemblies to the base rails. Once you have these up your building starts to take shape. Just continue to follow the instructions to finish installation with these same simple techniques. The siding and roofing screw on.

Once prefabricated garage kits are assembled, people stand back and feel the satisfaction that comes from knowing they not only saved money, but did it all themselves. When you finish yours, you'll feel the same!