The cost of building a garage depends on multiple factors, including the size of the garage, materials, labor, insulation, Number of doors, windows, door style, foundation and finishes of the garage, etc. The national average cost of building a garage is $ 24,000. While you can have a detached single-car garage at approximately $7,000, you have to invest around $60,000 to get a three-car, attached garage.
Having a garage is beneficial for various reasons, including the protection of your vehicle, improved storage space, convenience, and higher home value. Therefore, if you want to improve your home value, you can consider building a garage. But, how much does it cost to build a garage? There are plenty of factors that determine the cost of building a garage.
The Cost of Building a Garage
| Approximate cost estimation: | ||
| # | Cost Per Square foot | Total Cost |
| Average Cost | $50 | $24,000 |
| Lowest Cost | $35 | $7,000 |
| Highest Cost | $90 | $70,000 |
Factors That Determine the Cost of Building a Garage
A major and primary factor determining the new garage’s estimated costs is its size. For instance, the cost of a single-car garage differs significantly from that of an RV-size garage. Along with this, the foundation and roof of your garage also make up a noteworthy portion of the entire cost. How you want to invest in windows, insulation, and electrical wiring are critical factors to calculate while estimating the overall cost of your new garage. Let’s deep dive into all these important factors to estimate the cost of building a new garage for you.
A. The Size of the Garage:
A new garage costs on an average of $ 50 per square foot, while the cost can range from $35 to $90 per square foot. While the cost can vary based on multiple factors, for now, we will focus on how the cost of a garage differs depending on its size. The cost of a single-car garage ranges from $10,100 to $27,000. On the other hand, the cost of a 2-car garage ranges from $20,200 to $40,300. Let’s take a look at the following table to understand how the cost of a garage differs depending on its size.
| Garage Size | Average Cost | Cost Range |
| Single-car | $14,400 (12 by 24 feet) | $10,100 to $27,000 |
| $19,600 (14 by 28 feet) | ||
| 2-car | $28,800 (24 by 24 feet) | $20,200 to $40,300 |
| $36,000 (24 by 30 feet) | ||
| 3-car | $43,200 (36 by 24 feet) | $30,300 to $ 57,400 |
| 4-car | $60,000 (30 by 40 feet) | $42,000 to $73,900 |
| RV garage | $75,000 | $45,000 to $140,000 |
| Garage with living space | $90,000 | $65,000 to $275,000 |
| Attached garage | $30 per square foot | $25 to $ 40 per square foot |
| Detached garage | $65 per square foot | $45 to $80 per square foot |
Attached Vs. Detached Garage
The cost of an attached garage is usually less than the cost of a detached garage. This is because an attached garage shares the walls of the house and you can easily pull the electrical wiring. However, there are some exceptions where people invest very little in their detached garages. The average cost of an attached garage is $30 per sq. ft, whereas a detached garage costs $65 per sq. ft on average.
B. Insulation:
If you want to use your garage for other purposes rather than just a parking space, then insulation is a must. Insulation will help to lessen the rapid swings in temperature. Therefore, you can use your insulated garage to store temperature-sensitive items or as a workspace.
Depending on the type of insulation, the insulation cost will vary. If you opt for batting insulation, this will cost from $1 to $2 per sq. ft. Blow-in insulation is a little cheaper that ranges from $0.5 to $1.5 per sq. ft. Whereas, the cost of spray-in insulation ranges from $1.5 to $4 per sq. ft.
| Insulation Type | Cost Per Sq. Ft |
| Batting Insulation | $1 to $2 |
| Blow-in Insulation | $0.5 to $1.5 |
| Spray-in Insulation | $1.5 to $ 4 |
C. Labor:
To build a garage, you will require not only multiple laborers but also different types of laborers. Even though the labor cost varies from state to state, it will hold approximately 50% to 70% of the entire garage installation cost. You can roughly estimate that you have to spend between $20 and $49 per sq. ft for labor costs.
D. Security:
Having security features in your garage is essential to safeguard your car and other items. The cost of a garage security system ranges from $100 to $2,500 depending on the security system. If you want to have additional security, you can install a door or an automatic gate that is compatible with the security system. For that, you have to invest an extra amount from $200 to $4,000.
E. Materials
Different types of materials are required during different phases of building a garage, including the installation of the foundation, framing, roof, gutters, and siding. The overall cost of the materials for building a garage comprises from 30% to 50% of the total installation cost of the garage. This is why the overall cost of your garage also depends on the materials used during building the garage. To give you an idea of the material cost, the following table represents the approximate cost of materials in different stages.
| Stages | Material Cost |
| Foundation | $4 to $25 per sq. ft |
| Framing | $5 to $85 per sq. ft |
| Siding | $1 to $20 per sq. ft |
| Gutters | $5 to $30 per linear ft |
| Roof | $ 2 to $15 per sq. ft |
Foundation:
The foundation plays a critical role to hold the structure of any building. Therefore, some people prefer to invest a lot of money in garage foundations. On average, the cost of a garage foundation ranges from $2,000 to $7,000.
Framing:
The framing cost of a garage hugely depends on the building material that you will choose for framing. Let’s take a look at the following table to recognize the framing costs using different materials.
| Framing Material | Cost |
| Brick-Veneered | $5 to $25 per sq. ft |
| Brick | $25 to $50 per sq. ft |
| Metal | $3,500 to $25,000 total |
| Cinderblock | $25 to $65 per sq. ft |
| Stick-built | $40 to $75 per sq. ft |
| Prefab pole barn | $40 to $90 per sq. ft |
Siding:
You will find different types of siding materials with different costs available in the market. However, when it comes to choosing a siding material for you, you should consider various factors, including durability, energy efficiency, ease of installation, style and affordability. For garage siding, you have to pay anywhere between $1 and $20 depending on the material. Vinyl is a popular siding material for being comparatively cheaper.
| Siding Material | Cost (Per Square Foot) |
| Brick | $10 to $15 |
| Fiber Cement | $5 to $12 |
| Engineered Wood | $3 to $9 |
| Aluminum | $4 to $8 |
| Stone | $12 to $20 |
| Wood | $3 to $9 |
| Vinyl | $1 to $3 |
Gutters:
To safeguard the structure of your garage from long-term water damage, you should install gutters. You have to choose the suitable material for the installation of gutters from various available materials, such as steel varieties, vinyl, and aluminum. The cost of gutter installation ranges from $5 to $ 30 per linear foot.
Roof:
Asphalt shingle roofs are very much common in the USA because of their life span of 20 to 40 years. However, you can opt for other types of roofs. The cost of a garage’s roof depends on multiple factors, including, the roof materials, insulation, style, and features. On average, you have to spend from $2 to $15 per square foot for the roof of your garage.
F. Doors and Windows
While a garage door is essential, the cost of installing the door depends on the number of doors. The most expensive garage door is the custom door and a single door is the cheapest one.
| Doors | Total Installation Cost (Approximate) |
| Single Door | $600 to $1500 |
| Double Door | $800 to $3500 |
| Custom Door | More than $1000 |
| Exterior Door | $400 to $700 |
Even though many homeowners do not install windows in their garages, some homeowners prefer to build windows in their garages. If you install a window in your garage, you have to approximately spend $100 to $600 for every window.
G. Additional Costs
If you want to add some features, such as an automatic door opener, custom, and an HVAC system, you have to spend some extra money. You can add different types of features to your garage and there is no limit for doing so. However, the following table will give you an idea about the costs of some common features.
| Additional Features | Cost |
| Automatic Door Opener | $250 to $525 |
| HVAC system | $ 17 per linear foot |
| Storage Solutions | $500 to $10,000 |
| Lighting | $70 to $850 |
| Electric Vehicle Charging Station | $1,100 to $2,400 |
Cost Of a Garage in Different States in the USA
As the cost of living is different in different geographical regions, the cost of a garage also depends on the state where a homeowner lives. While some states have greater access to materials, others don’t. Along with this, the labor cost is different in different places. Therefore, building a garage is comparatively more expensive in some states than the other states. The following table reveals the approximate cost of building a garage in ten different states in the USA.
| States in the USA | Average Cost of Building a Garage |
| Illinois | $18,200 |
| Minnesota | $19,600 |
| Michigan | $22, 400 |
| Washington | $22, 500 |
| Oregon | $24,500 |
| New York | $27,300 |
| Texas | $28,700 |
| Colorado | $ 25, 400 |
| Maine | $34,100 |
| California | $43,600 |
Wrap Up
This article has discussed the minimum and maximum costs of building a garage. We have also discussed the possible cost of every stage of the building process. It’s in your hand how you want to invest in your garage construction. However, you should not overlook the importance of having a secure garage. To ensure the safety and security of your garage, you have to build a well-constructed garage with high-quality materials. If you have a budget constraint, you can opt for the cheap but durable options. On the other hand, if you are willing to invest a lot of money, there are also several advanced features available in the market that you can add to your garage.
