Garage and Carport in Western Switzerland

A garage or carport protects a vehicle, but it often also serves as storage, a workshop or a support for an EV charging station. Depending on the plot, the neighbours and the municipality, the project can be straightforward or require a full application. This page presents the common works and the points to clarify before requesting a quote in Western Switzerland.

Garage or carport: what these works cover

A garage is an enclosed structure, with walls, a roof and a door. A carport is a covered shelter, generally open on one or more sides. The difference has practical consequences: an enclosed structure offers more protection, but it weighs more heavily in a permit application and involves more trades.

The most frequent works are as follows:

• building a new garage, attached to the house or standing alone on the plot;
• installing a carport in timber, metal or a mixed structure;
• building a slab or foundations suited to the ground;
• renovating an older garage: roof, façade, waterproofing, floor;
• replacing the door, manual or motorised;
• adding a water point, lighting or an electrical supply;
• landscaping the surroundings: access, slope, rainwater drainage.

A project of this kind involves, depending on the case, a mason, a carpenter, a metalworker, a roofer, an electrician and an earthworks contractor. A general contractor can also coordinate everything.

When to call a professional for a garage

A small prefabricated shelter can sometimes be put up yourself. As soon as the project affects the ground, the structure or the electrics, a professional is preferable. Several situations justify this:

• the land is sloping or the ground is unstable;
• the garage is built against an existing building, which means connecting two structures;
• the roof must bear a snow load, particularly in mountain areas;
• an electrical installation or an EV charging station is planned;
• the project requires a permit application with plans.

An experienced tradesperson also knows how to anticipate the points that complicate a project later: drainage, distances to the property boundary, access for machinery.

Garage and carport trades in Switzerland

In Switzerland, initial vocational training is through an apprenticeship and leads to a federal certificate of proficiency (CFC). There is no CFC specific to “garages”: construction falls under several trades, each with its own CFC, such as mason, carpenter, metalworker or electrician. Asking the company which trade carries out which part of the work, and who does it, helps you understand who is responsible for what.

As for rules, a building is subject to the construction law of the canton and the municipality. This site cannot summarise the standards that apply to each project: the municipal regulations, the zoning plan and the safety requirements vary from place to place. The professional you choose will in principle know those of their region, but checking with the municipality or the cantonal office remains your responsibility.

Building permits and energy: rules specific to each canton

Western Switzerland does not have a single procedure. Here is what to bear in mind canton by canton, on the understanding that the municipality or the competent office must always confirm your case.

• Geneva: building permits are issued by the canton, through the Office des autorisations de construire (building permits office). The old town and protected districts add requirements. Many rental buildings are managed by agencies, whose consent is required.
• Vaud: the permit is issued by the municipality’s executive. When cantonal services have to give an opinion, the file goes through the cantonal permits centre (CAMAC). The old towns and the Lavaux vineyards, a World Heritage site, call for particular attention.
• Valais: the permit is issued by the municipality in the building zone, and by a cantonal commission outside the building zone. For a chalet or a second home, the federal law on second homes may apply in the municipalities concerned.
• Fribourg: the application is submitted on the cantonal platform FRIAC, and the permit is issued by the prefecture or the municipality depending on the type of works. The old towns are protected.
• Neuchâtel: the application goes through the cantonal one-stop shop SATAC, with the decision taken by the municipality. The watchmaking heritage of La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle, listed by UNESCO, may weigh on a project in those towns.
• Jura: the permit is issued by the municipality or by the canton depending on the scale of the project. The old towns of Delémont, Porrentruy and Saint-Ursanne should be taken into account.
• Bern (Biel/Bienne): the permit is issued by the municipality or the prefecture depending on the project. As Biel/Bienne is officially bilingual, documents may be in French or German.

On energy, each canton has its own framework. In Geneva, the cantonal energy law (LEn) and the cantonal energy office (OCEN) govern the subsidies of the Buildings Programme. Vaud, Valais, Fribourg, Neuchâtel, Jura and Bern each have a cantonal energy service or office and a subsidy programme. If your garage is to accommodate an EV charging station or rooftop solar panels, find out the canton’s conditions before signing.

Preparing your quote request for a garage or carport

A well-prepared request avoids back-and-forth and makes offers comparable. If possible, gather:

1. the municipality and address of the project, with the type of property (detached house, apartment building, co-ownership);
2. your status: owner, co-owner or tenant with the landlord’s consent;
3. the type of structure wanted: enclosed garage, carport, extension of an existing garage;
4. the number of vehicles to shelter and any additional uses (storage, workshop);
5. photos of the location and, if you have one, a plan of the plot;
6. your wishes regarding materials, the door, lighting and electrics;
7. the progress of the formalities: permit already obtained or still to be obtained.

Also state clearly whether you want the company to handle the permit application or whether you will do it yourself. The simplest way is to use the form to request a quote: your request is passed on to tradespeople and companies in the region, who contact you to prepare a free, no-obligation quote.

What a reliable quote details and what makes the cost vary

A good quote describes the services item by item, not in a single global line. For a garage or carport, you would expect to find:

• earthworks and removal of excavated material;
• foundations or slab;
• the structure and materials, with their nature;
• the roofing and rainwater drainage;
• the door or walls, depending on the structure;
• the electrical installation and connections, if planned;
• finishing, site cleaning and any administrative procedures;
• the proposed execution times and payment terms.

Several factors make the cost vary, and no figure can be given before the project has been seen:

• the size and shape of the structure, and the number of spaces;
• the material: timber, metal, concrete, or a combination;
• the land: a flat, accessible plot is nothing like a sloping site or one with narrow access;
• the foundations, which depend on the nature of the ground;
• the equipment: motorised door, electrics, EV charging station;
• local requirements linked to the district, heritage or zone, which may impose materials or colours;
• the time of year and the availability of companies.

Compare quotes on the same description. An offer that is clearly lower than the others sometimes hides a forgotten item or an excluded service.

Legal warranties after a garage or carport

In Switzerland, the contract for work is governed by the Code of Obligations (CO). For an immovable structure, such as a garage fixed to the ground, defects can be reported for 5 years under art. 371 CO. For a movable structure, the period is 2 years.

If the contract refers to the SIA 118 standard (the Swiss Society of Engineers and Architects’ general conditions for construction work), its provisions apply in addition to what has been agreed. Read the mention in the offer or contract before signing. In practice: inspect the work at handover, report defects in writing as soon as you notice them, and keep the quote, contract and invoices.

Garage and carport near you

Permit and subsidy conditions change from one canton to another. Consult the page for your canton to identify local specifics:

• canton of Geneva
• canton of Vaud
• canton of Valais
• canton of Fribourg
• canton of Neuchâtel
• canton of Jura
• canton of Bern

Is your project ready to be described? Use the page to request a quote: the process is free and without obligation.