Services

Garage Construction & Conversions - South Shore & Middlesex County

A garage is the most honest building on the property, no drywall to hide behind, structure in plain view, and a slab that tells on whoever poured it. R&D Building Solutions builds new garages, replaces failing ones, and converts underused garage space into rooms people actually live in. Either direction, it's real construction: foundations done right, framing you could show off, and zoning checked before anyone gets attached to a drawing.

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Sound familiar?

The situations this service solves

The old garage is past saving

Heaved slabs, racked framing, rot at the sill, many older garages reach a point where repair money is wasted money. We'll tell you honestly which side of that line yours is on.

You need more than car storage

Workshop, storage loft, gym space, or room above for the future, a garage can be designed to earn its footprint several times over if those goals are in the plan from day one.

Wondering what the lot allows

Detached structures have their own setback, height, and coverage rules, different from the house's, and towns differ. We check the zoning math first so the design starts inside reality.

Garage space the cars never see

If the garage stores everything except a vehicle, converting it to finished living space may serve the house better. We build conversions properly, insulation, floors, egress, and heat, so the room feels original, not converted.

Project types

The kinds of projects we take on

New detached garages

One- to three-bay garages with proper foundations, sized for modern vehicles and real storage, with lofts, dormers, or workshop bays where wanted.

Attached garage additions

Garages built onto the house with the breezeway or mudroom connection planned, tie-ins, rooflines, and fire-separation details handled correctly.

Tear-down and rebuild

Replacing a failing garage on a corrected foundation, often on the same footprint, sometimes better placed once zoning is actually checked.

Garage conversions to living space

Turning garage bays into family rooms, offices, gyms, or suites, insulated, heated, floored, and finished to house standards. Where the goal is an independent dwelling, that's an ADU conversion and we'll guide you to the right rules.

Think it through

Planning considerations

Zoning for accessory structures

Detached garages carry their own dimensional rules, setbacks, height, lot coverage, that vary by town. We confirm them against your actual lot before design begins.

Foundation and slab quality

Frost walls versus slab choices, base preparation, and drainage determine whether the floor stays flat and dry for decades. It's the least visible money and the best spent.

Size for the life you actually have

Modern trucks, bikes, mowers, and benches don't fit yesterday's 20-foot bays. We size doors, depth, and height for what will really live inside.

Conversion realities

Garage floors sit below house floors, slabs are cold, and big door openings need proper infill. Good conversions solve all three, which is why ours include insulation, floor systems, and real windows, not carpet on concrete.

How we work

Our process for this work

Conversation
What you're solving, storage, workspace, living space, and your budget range, with an honest read on build versus convert for your situation.
Site and zoning review
Lot dimensions, setbacks, access, grading, and utility locations checked against your town's accessory-structure rules.
Design and proposal
Layout, structure, doors, and finishes in a written scope with clear pricing, including electrical coordination through licensed trade partners.
Permitting
Building permits for new structures and conversions, with the inspection sequence built into the schedule.
Construction
Foundation, framing, roof, doors, and finishes, or, for conversions, insulation, floor systems, walls, and trim to house standards.
Walkthrough
Doors operated, drainage checked, punch list finished, and a structure ready for the next few decades.

Honest expectations

What shapes schedule and cost

No invented numbers, these are the real levers, so you can reason about your own project before we ever talk.

What can affect the schedule

Permit review time for accessory structures or conversions
Foundation weather windows and ground conditions
Garage-door and window lead times
Electrical coordination through licensed trade partners
Conversion scope: floor systems and heating decisions drive the calendar

What can affect cost

Foundation type: full frost walls versus monolithic slab
Bay count, depth, and height, and any loft or dormer framing
Door quality and openers, a bigger range than most expect
Site work: excavation, grading, drainage, and driveway tie-ins
Conversion insulation, floor build-ups, and heat through licensed HVAC partners
Finish level, from clean utility to fully finished rooms

Permits & inspections

New garages, attached garage additions, and conversions of garage space to living area require building permits and inspections, and detached structures carry their own zoning rules for setbacks, height, and lot coverage, administered town by town across the South Shore and Middlesex County. Attached garages also involve fire-separation requirements we detail correctly. We manage the process; every lot still needs its own review, and nothing here is zoning or legal advice for a specific property.

Why R&D

How we do this differently

Foundations treated as the project

Most garage problems are foundation problems wearing framing costumes. We put the discipline where the failures start.

Zoning checked before dreaming

Accessory-structure rules are quirky and local. We do the dimensional homework first so the design you fall for is one the town can approve.

Conversions to house standards

Insulated, heated, properly floored, real windows, converted space should be indistinguishable from original rooms, and ours is built to be.

Honest build-vs-convert guidance

We build both directions, so our advice follows your goals, not whichever project we'd rather sell.

Questions homeowners ask

Do I need a permit for a new garage?

Yes, new garages are structures requiring building permits and inspections, plus compliance with your town's accessory-structure zoning. We handle drawings, filing, and inspections as part of the project.

Is it worth repairing our old garage or should it come down?

It depends where the failure lives. Bad roofs and doors are fixable; failed slabs and rotted sills usually mean repair money is postponement money. We'll inspect and show you the evidence either way, including when repair genuinely is the right call.

Can you convert our garage into living space?

Yes, properly: insulation, a real floor system over the slab, heat coordinated with licensed HVAC partners, correct windows and egress, and finishes matched to the house. If your goal is an independent apartment, that's an ADU conversion with its own rules, we build those too and will point you to the right path.

What size garage should we build?

Bigger than the cars, that's the honest rule. Modern vehicles, storage, and bench space argue for deeper bays, taller doors, and often a loft. We'll size it from what will actually live inside, not from the smallest footprint that technically fits a sedan.

Can a new garage include a room above?

Structurally yes, and it's often smart to frame for the future even if you finish it later. Zoning and use rules for space above garages vary by town, especially if 'room' means 'dwelling', so we confirm what's allowed before the design commits.

How long does a garage build take?

Once permitted, most detached garages frame and finish in a matter of weeks, driven by foundation cure times, door lead times, and weather. Conversions vary with scope. Your proposal includes a schedule range, and you'll hear promptly if anything moves it.

We build and convert garages across Massachusetts and New Hampshire, based in Braintree. Contact us to discuss your town and project scope.

Garage plans - either direction

Building one, replacing one, or turning one into living space: tell us the goal and a real person will walk the options, the zoning, and honest budget ranges.

Request a Project Consultation Call and speak with a real person

Tell us what you’re considering. A real person will review your request, and we will not sell or distribute your project information.

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