Garage versus shop in Redmond, OR

Is a shop, a garage? Dictionary.com says a garage is, “a building or shed for housing a motor vehicle or vehicles.” And a shop is, “a place where things are manufactured or repaired; a workshop.” So it’s obvious that both are different, but in Central Oregon, many people say the words “shop” when they want to build an outdoor garage. But when you approach a builder, you should tell them what you want so they understand it with the correct terminology.

For example, if you want a 1 or 2 car (1 story) but will use it as a shop because you will be adding tools and maintenance machinery, you should not call this a shop to the builder, rather, tell them you want a 2 car garage and will use it as a “shop”. If you want a 2 story with a loft, you would ask for a 2 story garage to be built. The word “shop” is incorrect and more of a slang term used for building a modified garage.

Appraisers and real estate agents will use different terms describing a property because garage space has more value when converting it to a shop. Sometimes an underwriter will throw the estimate out of the appraiser addresses the value with a word of “garage” instead of “garage/shop”.  The distinction can mean tens of thousands of dollars of a preventable loss. If you are building a house, adding the word “shop” to your garage would be smart.

If you have a detached garage for two vehicles, you can turn it into a shop by adding a front and side door to the building. A front door (next to the sliding doors) gives the appearance of a garage/shop which can help with the value of the property. The door acts as a customer entrance. Also, add 20, 30 and 50 amp outlets for RV’s, tools (machines) and welders. These are tricks to help with the value, but will not guarantee anything. It’s all up to the appraiser.

Lastly, if you are building a garage/shop on your property, you will definitely need to make a choice between steel or pole barn. A steel shop has a foundation and is built for the extremities of Central Oregon when a pole barn has no floor (in some cases) and a cheaper build. If you plan on being in this shop for a longer period of time, you will want to insulate the shop with foam, fiberglass, foil or some cases mud. Steel shops/garages are easier to insulate because of the walls. Contact us for a free quote!