More than likely, the search that landed you here is one that we’ve been seeing more and more of these days. Let us take a guess - did it look anything like “Oak frame garages for sale” or “oak frame garages for sale near me”? 

Now more than ever before, garage builders are booking out well into the future, which is great because that means there’s more and more families out there getting the dream garage they’ve always wanted. So you may be inquiring about buying a garage in your area to install yourself, or you’re just searching for the most experienced installer with an opening in their books. We’re here to guide you in this journey and by the end, we hope you’ll have a better idea of what your oak frame garage options are and what route may be best for you.

Premier Heritage Oak  manufactures oak frame garages and distributes them throughout the country. We know we just said we make oak frame garages, so sure, we feel strongly about that type of garage. However, an oak frame garage is not for everyone. There are certainly situations where a brick or treated timber will be exactly what someone needs, and we want to make sure that you can find out which one fits your situation.

With that being said, let’s march on, friends!

To Build or To Buy?

For some of you, this may be past due. For others, looking for homes for sale with a garage may be still on the table. Here are some things to consider when buying a home with a garage already on the grounds:

• You won’t have a choice in the design of the garage.

Since it’s already in place, you won’t get to have a say in the size, shape or type of the garage as you would if you had the garage built.

• You may not know much about the garages history. 

If the previous homeowner’s garage maintenance regiment was lacking, depending on how long the garage had been in place, there could be some long-lasting effects that you’ll have to deal with from the get-go.

• On the other hand, the garage may be in perfect condition and you won’t have to pay any extra for the garage on top of what you’re paying for the home.

You may end up with a perfectly cared for garage and only have to worry about maintenance expenses. If you’re looking to buy a new home, it’d be nice to not have to include the entire garage construction in your budget, as well.

If you’re not in the housing market and just want to get that shiny, new garage, there are certainly pros and cons to that, as well. You’ll have total control over the type, design and placement of the garage, and you’ll have a fresh start when it comes to keeping the garage maintained. However, it is still a decent chunk of change you’ll have to dish out, and you’ll have the wait time during construction before you can actually park your car there. Knowing your options ahead of time can help you avoid the dreaded garage buyers remorse homeowners often worry about because you’ll know just what you’re getting into.

What Are Your Garage Options?

If a home garage is the way you want to go, you have 3 choices for garage type: Brick, vinyl treated timber, and oak frame. We have many resources that go over the difference between the three, so we’ll just give you a quick overview here.

Brick:

• Built from scratch; very customizable
• Low maintenance
• Can take 8-10 weeks to build on average
• Requires the most groundworks
• Highest overall cost
• Expected life 25+ years
• Poor eco/environmental credentials

Treated timber (Softwood):

• Built from scratch; very customizable
• Requires regular maintenance
• Can take 4-6 weeks to install
• Lowest overall cost
• Lowest residual value
• Expected life 5-10 years
• Good environmental credentials

Oak Frame:

• Supplied as a kit ready to assemble (Customisable at design stage)
• Requires minimal maintenance
• High residual value
• Can take 4 to 6 weeks to install
• Expected life 25+ years
• Excellent environmental credentials

These installation times listed above are based on the average for installers of that garage type. But what if you want to install one of these garages yourself?

DIY garages

Builders are busier than ever. It’s true - many are booking out to next season and beyond! And you have that family reunion coming up at the end of summer, so you can’t wait. If you have your heart set on a diy garage, there are options out there. However, we would like to extend a cautionary warning: installing a garage of any type could be biting off more than you can chew. There are experts for a reason: there are many aspects to a complete and proper garage build, and it’s easy to make mistakes along the way without the experience or knowledge. This is why at Premier Heritage, we do not sell fiberglass pool shells to the public for DIY purposes and do not recommend self installs for fiberglass. We believe it’s always better to go through a pro so you have less mistakes to correct down the line.

With that being said, let’s go over what options you have for your own installation:

Brick:

These garages are extremely difficult to pull off yourself due to the extensive list of equipment and skill required. Certain steps in the process, like bricklaying, tend to be very challenging if you’re not experienced in it beforehand. Also, there typically aren’t kits that come with what you need, so it’s a lot of custom work from the start. If you’re determined to build this type of garage yourself, you may want to have an expert in your back pocket to guide you.

Treated Timber:

If you’re looking to construct your own garage, this pool type will likely be your best bet. There are softwood garage kits you can get your hands on online, and they often come with most everything you need. As with any garage, having an expert to help would likely make the process easier on you, but these garage types are generally the ones we see DIY’d most often. Treated softwood garage kits tend to be mass produced, designed to be screwed together.

Oak Frame:

Installing your own Oak Frame garage is definitely an option for some people, A Premier Heritage oak structure is supplied as a kit with every piece individually numbered, along with a corresponding working drawing. A basic understanding of joinery helps as the joints are designed to be tight fitting (designed to get stronger over time). Building your own oak frame garage from scratch is also an option for customers with experience in carpentry and the right set of tools.

Is Now the Time To Buy?

We say yes - but it may not be the best time to have the garage built depending on when you’re reading this. An oak frame garage can be installed in any weather but its not a pleasant experience if it’s December and snowing. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t start planning ahead or even start that conversation with your local garage builder!

Like we said, garage builders are extremely busy these days, so it’s not a bad idea to start chatting with them early to get in their books ASAP. Keep in mind that the demand, along with delays in equipment, could create longer wait times and delays in your pool project, particularly with fiberglass pools.

Closing Thoughts

So that’s the story. If you’re looking for a garage for sale, they’re out there. You just may need to have patience to get the one you want most. 

To us, what’s most important is getting a garage you love and getting it done right, no matter what type of garage it may be. We believe the perfect garage is one which blends in with your home, something you should be truly proud of and offering a multifunctional workspace. If we can help families get the garage that fits in with their dreams, then we feel like we’ve done good.

Are you sold on the idea of a garage, particularly an oak framed garage but need some pricing to get a better idea? You can click here to view our pricing page. Or, if you’re ready to take the next big step, getting in touch with a premier Heritage oak by clicking the button below.

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