Brick is a big part of Australia’s construction history and project planning. A lot of people use it to build a garage. It has long been used for walls, foundations, roofs and more recently as the material of choice for garage floors.
What are the Benefits of Brick Compared to Other Building Materials?
As mentioned, brickwork has been an iconic material in Australian construction for generations. Brick is hard-wearing, aesthetically pleasing and is often used in heritage projects, but what are the benefits when it comes to laying a brick garage floor?
Aesthetic Appeal
A brick garage has an attractive surface finish due to its uniform colouring. It also works really well with other construction materials such as timber, glass, steel and aluminium.
Hard-wearing
One of the main reasons why homeowners choose to install a brick garage floor is its durability. A strong bond between mortar and brick results in increased strength which will protect your vehicle(s) from tyre indentation. This means that you shouldn’t have any trouble parking your car on your new garage floor for many years ahead!
Consistent Appearance
Another reason why it makes sense to use bricks for garage floors is that it’s easy to create a consistent pattern or style, which gives the brick garage a more professional finish.
Acoustic Benefits
Compared to other flooring materials such as concrete and timber, brick is known for its sound-absorbing qualities. This is particularly beneficial if you live near an airport or another high volume roadway/railway line. In addition, noisy activities such as chopping on a brick surface can be less of a distraction compared to other surfaces in your home.
Price
A new brick garage floor starts from around $60 per square metre while epoxy coatings usually start at over $80 per square metre. These figures exclude delivery costs and GST (if applicable). Newly laid bricks will also require mortar which prices vary depending on your choice of supplier.
What are the Disadvantages?
As with all building products, brick garage floors are not without their faults. For example, one important factor to consider is that bricks cannot tolerate moisture. It’s therefore important to remove water from your garage quickly after heavy rain or washing your car. Over time this may lead to issues such as white efflorescence which is a salt deposit left by water evaporating through the brick or mortar joints. Efflorescence can be removed by either repainting the area or using a specialised water repellent sealer.
Another common issue is damage caused by direct impact. This could include items falling onto the surface of your new garage floors such as tools, hoses and other objects which may carry sharp edges.
In conclusion, brick garage floors are a great option if you’re looking for a hard-wearing, aesthetic and low maintenance flooring solution. The main disadvantage is the need to protect the area from moisture which could affect future adhesion of coatings. It’s therefore up to you to determine whether or not you can live with these two disadvantages because overall there are many benefits which far outweigh any minor negatives.
Build a Garage Cost Estimator Australia
Before you start building your custom brick garage it’s important to get an idea of how much does it cost to build. This allows you to properly budget for your project and ensures that you don’t go over budget.
What are the Main Factors Which Affect Garage Construction Costs?
One of the most common reasons why garages are built is to store vehicles, so it’s important to know that the total floor area required is approximately 30% larger than your car(s). For example, a 4-metre wide single car garage needs an overall width of 5 metres in order to fit two cars comfortably without obstructions. Other factors which may be important include fencing, paving, location, the garage door and possible renovations such as rewiring, plumbing and drainage. All these add up to the final brick garage cost.
A Guide to Garage Construction Costs
According to the latest figures, an average, new single car brick garage starts from around $200 per square metre for a home-wares or retail style of building. A more customised design, such as a detached double garage with an attached workshop or home gym will likely cost closer to $250-$300 per square metre. Add on features such as paving, fencing or decking can easily add another 10% on top of the cost to build, depending on how elaborate you want your project to be.
Asphalt concrete is one of Australia’s most popular road base materials used for driveway construction because it’s both practical and affordable. This type of drive surface also has several other advantages which make it ideal for private homes.
One of the main advantages is that asphalt concrete driveways are among the cheapest DIY options on the market. This means they’re highly accessible to both homeowners and professional builders who often use them for renovations, extensions or garages.
When combined with pavers, an asphalt concrete driveway can also create a very durable surface that requires very little upkeep, with a low cost to build.
Another advantage of having an asphalt driveway built is convenience. It’s relatively easy to install yourself if you have basic DIY knowledge, but there are several pre-laid solutions available on the market at competitive prices which make installation even easier. Alternatively, paving companies can design and build your driveway with minimal disruption to your home or business. If necessary, this process can be completed quickly because most brands require only a few hours to cure before you’re able to drive on them.
Cost of Building a Double Garage
A custom double garage will likely start from around $25 per square metre when built using traditional materials like wood or steel sheeting. The final price depends largely on the type of metal used, the thickness in which it’s being built and how elaborate the design is.
A more complicated design that includes a steel frame structure in addition to metal wall panels will typically cost upwards of $35 per square metre regardless of material type. The more intricate the car garage design, expect to pay and cover more price points. This doesn’t include the cost of heating or wiring for your new car garage workshop, but it can substantially increase operational costs in comparison to using brick paver pavers for an equally sized building. For example, electricity bills are much higher when operating woodworking machinery compared to some types of DIY equipment that require less power input from standard outlets.
Brick Double Garage Cost
A brick garage cost can be between $20-$50 per square metre depending on the quality of materials, the design and how it’s built. Expect to pay more for garage costs if your garage idea is intricate and hard to build. For example, a simple steel frame structure with prefabricated wall panels would be around the lowest price point while a custom-designed building with more advanced masonry would start from around $40-$50.
A brick garage cost increases when a building offers superior insulation and weatherproofing, it can cost around $60 per square metre for an average-sized workshop. This is because the final product looks more appealing compared to building a car garage with metal or wood panel sheets, but it can be expensive if you ignore cheaper materials like concrete blocks or thin steel sheeting.
Although it’s possible to build a car garage with much thicker steel sheeting, you would need to consider the future maintenance requirements and replacement frequency when opting for this type of solution. Steel panels can rust when exposed to weather conditions over an extended period of time without regular care and treatment, which means they’re not always suitable for commercial or industrial buildings.
Garage Door Cost
The cost of installing a new garage door will depend on the size, type of metal used and any additional features like automation or insulation.
Standard garage doors usually start from around $300 for steel sheeting, but the final price can be upwards of $800 for thicker panels with superior noise insulation properties. The same materials are also available in higher quality polyurethane construction, which is more expensive but will last longer before needing regular maintenance.
An insulated garage door starts from around $500 for single steel panels and can go up to as much as $2000 for a double car garage door that offers noise insulation in addition to an airtight seal during inclement weather. This type of garage door requires access to two separate motors for opening and closing actions, meaning the motorised version is more expensive.
Cost to Build a Garage in Australia
Wood and steel sheet materials are not as durable or weatherproof as other types of construction material. They also have different price points. This means they will need to be replaced at least every 10-15 years for garages with exposed walls, and more often if your car garage is exposed to heavy rainfall, humidity or excessive heat (like most carports).
A concrete slab can add anywhere from $5-$10 per square metre to the overall car garage cost because it’s necessary to build on it before beginning work on the structure itself. If you’re hiring a professional builder for this job, the cost will also include labour fees.
Having an asphalt driveway installed usually costs around $3-$4 per square metre, which makes it one of the cheaper DIY options available when compared with the price of other materials. However, some professional builders offer more affordable rates for this service compared to competitors on the market, so it’s worth shopping around for quotes if you need work completed soon.
Building a New Brick Garage on Your Property
Project planning for a brick garage starts off slow and will likely start from around $15 per square metre, which is one of the lowest prices for this type of work. However, you will need to factor in other costs like electricity installation if your design requires heating or cooling systems that rely on power points. Engineering and planning work for a brick garage can take anywhere from 2-4 weeks, which is longer than other building types like garages that are made with sheet metal or pre-fabricated materials. It’s also important to note that the prices mentioned above don’t factor in things like landscaping, homeowner association (HOA) fees or property taxes.
Your final project price depends largely on the bricks you choose, which adds about $10-$15 per square metre to your overall bill. This excludes other equipment that’s needed for the job like tools, pallets, pavers or mortar that are not included in standard brick driveway quotes. If you’re hiring an in-house builder for this project, remember that he or she is responsible for purchasing materials and equipment. This means the labour costs associated with the job will initially be lower than when working with outside building companies who may charge more to supply their own resources onsite.
The Average Cost to Build a Brick Garage
Completing the foundation and walls for a brick garage costs between $150-$200 per square metre, whereas landscaping materials that are unique to this type of building have an extra price range of $50-$100 per square metre. How much does it cost to fully complete is largely dependent on how elaborate or extravagant your garage design plans are, which can add anywhere from $25-$500 per sqm to the cost of building. If you’re hiring a professional builder for this project, your costs will vary depending on his or her experience and reputation for quality workmanship.
Experienced pros may charge more than less-experienced workers because they have the knowledge and skill required to complete projects quickly without wasting construction materials or causing any damage to existing structures nearby. The brick garage cost is the same, the garage builder just has a bigger price tag due to their skills. These service providers will also factor in the cost of equipment and transporting heavy loads like sand and gravel, so expect to pay more for your car garage. Some workers may opt to build on wooden scaffolding or temporary platforms rather than your driveway, which allows them to complete the job without extra costs. Get the right quotes and overall cost to build a garage for your home.
Asphalt vs. Brick Paver Driveways
Concrete, asphalt or brick paver driveways do not allow water to permeate the soil underneath them. This means that grass and other plants are highly unlikely to grow after installation even if you don’t use weed control fabric underneath your new pavement.
However, anyone looking for a low maintenance solution should consider an alternative because all three of these materials need regular cleaning with mild detergents or simple gardening products like vinegar. You will likely be charged slightly more by building companies who clean their own equipment after finishing each job compared to individuals who charge per hour.
What’s Included in Garage Design Costs?
A garage builder has an average price range for designing a garage that starts at around $200 per square metre regardless of material type, which includes any pre-planning work, small renovations or land clearing. After the design is finished, expect to pay the full cost of your project that will include professional fees for building materials and labour costs that can range from $50-$200 per square metre.
If you’re hiring a construction company to build a garage for you, this includes all planning work upfront as well as transportation costs that are separate from equipment hire. This means if they have to buy bricks, pavers or other materials at a supplier before transporting them to your home, these prices will be added on top of the total job cost. However, some companies offer discounted rates when their employees do most of the work themselves instead of purchasing bulk amounts of scaffolding or other gear that’s used during construction.
Your final bill also depends on the number of parking spaces you require, which will add to the total cost of your design includes a driveway big enough for multiple cars. It’s important that you have a specific space in mind before starting this project. Expect to pay more for increased land clearing costs which can push up your overall bill higher per square metre.
If you’re hiring an external builder for a job like this, it’s a good idea to get quotes from at least three different companies so you know what you should be paying beforehand. Keep in mind that prices increase as more equipment is needed or when labour costs are higher due to factors like poor weather conditions during construction, location and overall garage size.
