Prepping a pad in winter
Building a garage doesn’t have to be a spring or summer project when you build with CarShacks. Take a look around; have you ever seen construction come to a halt just because it’s winter? Not here in Southern Alberta. Construction doesn’t stop in the winter - and the same is true for garage building.
CarShacks builds year round using the latest standards and technology provided by the construction industry.
Spend your spring and summer enjoying your yard! Don’t spend it looking at a construction site.
Request your free on site quote today!
Winter Construction – Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the advantage to building in the winter?
- Will I be eligible for the Home Renovation Tax Credit?
- Isn’t the ground frozen in the winter? How do you dig/excavate?
- How do you pour concrete in the winter?
- Will I get a less quality product if I build in the winter?
- Another contractor told me that concrete flakes if you pour it in the winter – is this true?
- Will it cost me more to build in the winter?
- Will my garage project take longer in the winter?
Question: What is the advantage to building in the winter?
Answer:
The biggest advantage our customers find to building in the winter is having their garage completed when they aren’t typically using their yard. Think about it… how much do you really use your yard in the winter compared to the summer? In the spring and summer people want to be outside using their yards - which is hard to do when your yard is a construction site. Also, by having your garage completed in the winter you can use your time in the spring and summer to focus on your other outdoor projects.
Question: Will I be eligible for the Home Renovation Tax Credit?
Answer:
Provided that you meet the criteria set out by the government, your CarShacks garage project is eligible for the home renovation tax credit. If you book your garage project with us by December 15 2009, we will help ensure that the maximum eligible portion of your project is at a minimum completed by January 31, 2010 (when the eligibility period comes to an end). Talk with your CarShacks estimator for more details.
Question: Isn’t the ground frozen in the winter? How do you dig/excavate?
Answer:
CarShacks owns several ground thawing units which we can use to (as the name implies) thaw out the ground. This makes excavating year round possible. This is the same type of technology which home builders use to excavate for basements in the winter.
Question: How do you pour concrete in the winter?
Answer:
After we thaw out the ground using a ground heater, we pour the concrete using a special winter concrete mix designed for our climate. Then, special tarps and winter concrete blankets are used to ensure the concrete cures.
Question: Will I get a less quality product if I build in the winter?
Answer:
Not with CarShacks. With every project we take on – be it summer or winter – we ensure that our high quality standards are upheld. All projects come with our standard warranty on both materials and workmanship.
Question: Another contractor told me that concrete flakes if you pour it in the winter – is this true?
Answer:
Issues with concrete can occur regardless of the time of year it is poured. This is often a result of a poor concrete mix, improper finishing, or inadequate curing. CarShacks has experiencing pouring concrete for winter projects and offers the same warranty on its concrete for the winter as it does in the summer. Inexperienced contractors unfamiliar with pouring winter concrete may try to deter you from winter construction using this as an excuse.
Question: Will it cost me more to build in the winter?
Answer:
No. CarShacks does not practice charging more for winter construction.
Question: Will my garage project take longer in the winter?
Answer:
Potentially. Weather can play a big part in construction timelines - and we all know how unpredictable the weather can be in Southern Alberta. For example, siding and shingles becomes brittle to work with if temperatures are too low. Additionally, the number of daylight hours to work with is fewer in the Winter. CarShacks will keep you up to date with your construction timelines. The most important thing to note is that CarShacks treats each garage project with the attention it deserves to be done right, we are not going to carelessly rush through your project or work in conditions that we know will impact the quality of our product.
Wednesday August 16th, 2006
CarShacks VP Operations, Jim Lavigne
A Crash Course in Building Vehicles a Home of their Own
Are your vehicles baking under the sun this summer? Are you tired of scraping winter windshields? Then it’s time to put the wheeled ones where they belong: in a garage. Here’s how to get started, whether you’re building it yourself or calling the pros.
Planning 101
“What do you want to use the garage for?” asks Jim Lavigne, operations manager for CarShacks Garage Builders in Calgary. Answering that question, he says, provides the foundation for all the decisions that follow. Will your garage be a place to park vehicles, or something more — storage, workshop, hideaway? And how much space will you need?
Minimums run approximately 3.6 metres wide by 6.1 metres deep (12 x 20 feet) for a single-car garage, and 5.5 metres by 6.1 metres (18 x 20) for a double — but Paul Holm, owner of Calgary’s Holm Contracting, says you’ll likely regret going with the minimum when you keep banging the car door against the wall. His advice? Build the biggest garage that your lot, budget and needs allow. “For depth, go 22 feet if you can — 24 feet gives you enough room for a bench,” he says. To position the garage, first phone Alberta One-Call for a buried utility check. (Lavigne notes that you can’t build on top of a gas line unless you move it or sleeve it.) Then use your Real Property Report to calculate your lot coverage. >>> Continue reading A Guide to Great Garages
Business in Calgary Magazine
CarShacks discovered a niche market in 1999 and launched a garage building company in Calgary that has become a leader in its field. Their entrepreneurial formula to be the “best” has resulted in rapid growth for CarShacks, a company that is on the brink of expansion throughout Alberta.
“Our business has always been growing and I believe it’s because of the way we build garages. We don’t try to be the cheapest, but we absolutely are the best.”
Creating a garage building company that is in a league of its own, they expected to build 20 or 30 garages in the first year, but with superior service and professionalism, they completed 60. The next year business doubled to 120 garages, then 150, then 200. Their eventual target is 30 per cent of the garage building market share (400 per year). >>> Continue reading “CarShacks is in a league of their own!”
Business Edge News Magazine
By BE Ad Features - Published: 02/13/2003 - Vol. 3, No. 7
There’s no cutting corners with this team of experienced pros
At CarShacks Garage Builders, they have a unique perspective on garages.
For the thriving Calgary based business, a garage is not exactly a garage. It’s more like a house.
“It’s a building like a house except it doesn’t have carpet, a kitchen and a bathroom. I often tell people that the care and quality we put into our garages make them more like a house for your car than a garden shed with an overhead door.
“When CarShacks builds a garage, it’s like building a house. We use only professionals - framers do framing, siders do siding, roofers do roofing, electricians do electrical and so on.”
An uncommon appreciation for garages goes a long way to explaining why business at CarShacks has been going through the roof, so to speak. >>> Continue reading “CarShacks Garage Builders offers quality ‘homes’ for your vehicles”
