Garage Design & Building in Point Pleasant, NJ

You’re looking for garage design & building services because you need more space. Living at the Jersey Shore is great, but lots can be small and the weather is tough. Gambrick Construction is based right here in Point Pleasant and has been building custom garages in NJ for over 30 years.

We know how to deal with local challenges like sandy soil, salt air, hurricane winds, and storm surges that cause flooding. We design and build detached garages, garage additions, and accessory buildings across Ocean & Monmouth County. Our experienced team handles zoning permits, architectural plans, and construction so your new garage is built to last while looking great.

• Site-Built: We custom build every garage on your property. This is not a prefab kit from a box store.
• Turn-Key: We manage the permit coordination and inspections from start to finish.
• Custom Match: We use premium exterior finishes like cedar shakes or James Hardie siding, Andersen or Marvin windows, and Azek or Trex decking to match your home perfectly.
• Strength: We use Simpson Strong-Tie hurricane ties, straps, and related fasteners to secure our structures against high winds over 100 mph.
• More Than Storage: We finish interiors for high-end uses like golf simulators, home gyms, art studios, or EV charging stations.

Types of Custom Garages We Build

In Point Pleasant Beach and the Jersey Shore, a garage has to do more than hold a car. It needs to blend functionality with coastal style. We focus on weather-resistant materials and designs that match your shore architecture, whether you need a 1-car unit for a tight lot or a larger structure for multiple vehicles.

We specialize in designing garages that maximize these footprints. Here are the most common styles we build in Ocean and Monmouth County.

1. The “Tight Lot” Single-Car Garage

When you only have 12 feet of width to work with, design is everything. We build custom Single-Car Garages that feel bigger than they are. We use:

• Rooflines: We often use an A-Frame or Highwall Barn design. This gives you extra overhead storage for kayaks or holiday bins without expanding the footprint.
• Smart Storage: High-lift tracks and wall-mounted organization systems so you can park your car and store your surfboards.
• Custom Dimensions: We don’t stick to “standard” sizes. If you have 13’6″ available, we build to 13’6″, not 12′.

2. 2-Story & Lofted Garages

If you can’t build out, we build up. Lofted Garages are the smartest investment for small coastal lots. We frame high sidewalls (usually 90 inches or more) on the first floor to fit SUVs, with a full second-floor loft overhead.

Popular Uses:

• Remote Work & Hobbies: A quiet home office, yoga studio, or artist workshop separated from the noise of the main house.
• The “Summer” Room: A finished guest cottage or “man cave” for overflow guests during the beach season (subject to zoning compliance).
• Shore Storage: Dedicated, climate-controlled rooms for wetsuits, fishing tackle, and bicycles so they don’t rust in the humidity.

3. Attached Garage Additions

An Attached Garage Addition should integrate seamlessly with your existing home. This offers convenience and increased property value, but it must be built correctly. We focus on:

• Seamless Design: We match your home’s roof pitch, siding, and window styles perfectly. Whether it’s cedar shakes or vinyl, the new structure blends in rather than looking “tacked-on.”
• The Connection: We often build mudrooms or breezeways that act as a clean buffer zone between your car and your kitchen.
• Safety & Comfort: Because it shares a wall with your home, we install proper fire-rated drywall, insulation, and ventilation to keep fumes out and energy bills down.

4. “Mega Garages” & Boat Storage

For clients on larger lots (often in Brick, Wall, or Toms River), we design Extra-Large Custom Garages. These 24’x40′ or larger structures are perfect for extensive vehicle storage, workshops, or even home gyms. We offer full customization, including:

• Oversized Doors: 12-foot or 14-foot overhead doors to back a Center Console Boat or Class A RV right inside.
• Car Collector Specs: Reinforced concrete for 4-post car lifts and high-lift door tracks to stack your Porsche or classic car.
• Tech Ready: Pre-wired for Level 2 EV Charging (Tesla/Rivian), ductless mini-split HVAC, and heavy-duty workshop power (220V).

Why We Don’t Build “Kits” (Site-Built vs. Prefab)

We get asked often: “Can I just buy a prefab garage online and have you install it?”

The answer is no. Most “box store” kits are designed for cornfields in Ohio, not the coast of New Jersey. In towns like Manasquan and Mantoloking, a kit usually becomes a liability. Here is why we only stick-build on site:

• The “Wind” Problem: Kits often use 2×4 framing spaced 24 inches apart. We frame with 2×6 lumber spaced 16 inches apart (or closer) to create a structure that can withstand 120+ mph wind gusts without twisting.
• The “Rot” Problem: Prefab walls are usually sheathed in cheap OSB (chipboard) that swells like a sponge in humid salt air. We use real CDX Plywood or Zip System sheathing that seals out moisture and resists rot.
• The “Permit” Problem: Most online kits do not come with NJ-sealed architectural plans. If the Zoning Officer can’t verify the wind load ratings on the paper, they will reject your permit application immediately.

Designing for the Salt Air (Materials & Style)

At the Jersey Shore, “curb appeal” isn’t enough. The materials we use have to survive the local weather. Salt spray eats standard pine trim and rusts cheap steel in a few seasons. We build garages that are armored against the weather and match your home’s beauty.

1. Siding: The “Bay Head” Look

In historic towns, you can’t slap vinyl on a garage next to a cedar-shake home. We match your main house perfectly using:

• Eastern White Cedar Shakes: The classic choice. We install them with stainless steel nails so you don’t get rust “bleeding” down the siding.
• NuCedar & James Hardie: Want the look of wood without the maintenance? We use high-end PVC shingles or Fiber Cement that resist rot, insects, and salt air.

2. Trim that Doesn’t Rot

Wood trim around garage doors is the first thing to rot. We almost exclusively use Azek (PVC) trim. It looks and paints like wood, but water and bugs can’t touch it. It stays white and crisp for decades.

3. Roofing & Accents

To give your garage a custom look, we often mix materials:

• Standing Seam Metal: We often use metal roofing on the garage “eyebrow” or dormers for a modern coastal look that withstands hurricane winds.
• Carriage House Doors: We install composite overhead doors that look like swinging stable doors but roll up automatically. They won’t warp or swell in the humidity like real wood.
• Copper Gutters: For high-end projects, we install real copper leaders and gutters that patina to a classic green over time.
• Architectural Shingles: We use high-grade asphalt shingles designed to withstand gusts of wind over 100 mph.

The Hard Part: Zoning, Concrete & Shore Rules

Most people think building a garage is just pouring concrete and framing walls. But at the Jersey Shore, it’s much harder. The ground is sandy, the wind is strong, and storm surge flooding is a real issue.

Since Superstorm Sandy, the rules have changed. Gambrick Construction handles the engineering and permits to make sure your garage stays standing. Here’s what we deal with:

1. Elevation & Pilings (The “Sandy” Standard)

In flood zones, we can’t just build on the ground anymore. We often have to raise the structure above the state’s Design Flood Elevation (DFE).

This means:

• Pilings: Driving timber or helical piles deep into the sand to anchor the garage so it doesn’t wash away.
• Waterproofing: Using flood-resistant materials (like concrete block or specialized framing) for the ground level.
• Flow-Through: Designing the lower level to let water pass through, protecting the structure from collapsing under pressure.

2. The “Impervious” Limit (Zoning)

This is the number one reason permits get denied in towns like Point Pleasant Beach, Bay Head, and Lavallette. You’re only allowed to cover a certain percentage of your lot with things water can’t soak through (concrete, roof, asphalt). If you’re already at your limit, adding a new garage might be illegal.

We calculate this math before we dig. Sometimes we use permeable pavers for the driveway or adjust the footprint to make sure the zoning officer says yes.

3. Flood Vents & Wind Resistance

We anchor our garages to the foundation using heavy-duty Simpson Strong-Tie straps and stainless steel anchor bolts. We use architectural roof shingles designed to handle 130+ mph winds so the building doesn’t peel apart during a nor’easter.

If your house is in a FEMA Flood Zone (Zone A or V), your garage has to be compliant:

• Flood Vents: We install Smart Vents or breakaway panels. These let floodwater flow through the garage during a storm surge so the walls don’t collapse.
• Impact Ratings: We install impact-rated windows from Andersen or Marvin and reinforced garage doors that won’t blow in during a hurricane.

4. The Foundation (Sand & Frost)

You can’t just pour a thin pad on top of the sand. New Jersey winters have a freeze-thaw cycle that can crack a simple concrete slab. We pour a Structural Monolithic Slab with thickened edges (often called a “rat wall”) that goes down to the frost line to prevent cracks.

This keeps the garage stable, even when the ground shifts. If you’re right on the water in Bay Head or Mantoloking, we might even use wood or helical piles to lock the foundation in place so it doesn’t sink.

Frequently Asked Questions

Service Areas

Gambrick Construction is proudly based in Point Pleasant, NJ. To maintain our high standards of quality control and daily site supervision, our core service area focuses on the coastal communities of Monmouth and Ocean County.

Statewide Projects: While our daily operations are concentrated along the Jersey Shore, we accept select large-scale custom home and renovation projects throughout New Jersey, including Bergen, Essex, and Mercer Counties, on a case-by-case basis.

Ready to Get Started? Let’s talk about how we can help.

Call 732-892-1386 or contact us online today.