Cost To Build A Garage (1, 2 & 3 Car Price Guide)

Everything you need to know about the cost to build a garage, including 1, 2, 3 car designs.

For many people, living their best life means finally having a home and a car. So, now that you’ve built your dream home, it’s time to think about building a shelter to protect your dream car.

Having a garage to park your vehicles helps improve the value of your property. It also protects the investment you made in buying your vehicle. A covered shelter keeps your car safe from the elements. It also keeps it safe from mischievous or even criminal elements who might see an opportunity in an unguarded car, left out alone.

You might be wondering what type of car parking option you need and how big a budget you must set aside to construct your storage and workspace. To help you decide, we’re answering some common questions about the cost of building a garage in this post.

Average Cost to Construct a Garage

The average cost to build a simple garage, just the structure without any special features, will be about $28,000.

Ultimately, the price may vary according to where you live, garage size, its type, the materials you use, and even if you DIY or hire a contractor. In general, however, the price to build detached vehicle storage ranges from $16,821 to $38,827.

Cost Per Square Foot to Add a Garage

The price of building a structure for car storage depends on its size. In the United States, it costs about $50 to $70 for every square foot.

So, if you want to estimate on your own how much it will cost to build on your property, you need to measure the area your floorplan will occupy. Take the measurements in square feet, then multiply this by $50.

The $50 average cost is for a simple car storage structure, basically four walls, a floor, and a roof that can serve as a shelter for your cars. This is assuming you do not need a detailed foundation.

The price is costlier for higher-end car parking structures with more features or high-end materials. You might pay about $120 to 350 for each square foot of space.

One-Car Garage Cost

You will need at least 240 square feet of space to accommodate one car for a 12 ft x 20 ft floor plan. If you want to add more area to your project, say if you want to add some storage space or even a small workshop or workbench, the cost will go up.

Generally, for a one-car garage, you will need from 240 to 384 square inches of space. For this range, the cost will be about $15,000 to $27,000.

Cost of Two Car Garage

You will need at least 320 to 528 square feet of space to build a garage that can comfortably house two cars.

If we’re looking at a shelter where two cars will be parked side by side, you will need to build a structure about 20-24 feet deep and allocate at least 11-12 feet in width for each car, so you will need a structure that is at least 22 feet wide.

Don’t forget that you will need to leave some space between the cars and the walls to get in and out of the vehicle. So, let’s say then that a two-car structure needs to be a minimum of 22 feet wide to 26 feet.

You can also consider building a tandem garage, or double deep layout. With a double-deep parking structure, the cars aren’t parked beside each other; one car is parked “deep” inside, and the other parks just in front of it.

If you decide to go for a two-car double deep structure, you must build one that is 11 to 12 feet wide but 36 to 40 square feet in depth.

Given these dimensions, the average total cost to build a two-car structure will be about $20,000 to $40,300.

Cost to Build a 24×24 Garage

A good size for a 2-car garage, with the cars to be parked side by side, would be 24X24 or a total of 576 square feet.

The cost of building a 24×24 structure will be about $23,000 to $40,300.

3 Car Garage Building Cost

To safely and comfortably house three cars side by side, you will need an area 31 to 34 feet wide. Depending on the type of car, you will need vehicle storage with a depth of 20 to 24 feet.

Given these size requirements, you will probably need to spend $30,000 to $57,100 to build a three-car structure.

Cost of a 30×30 Garage

A good size for a three-car vehicle storage would be about 30×30 or 900 square feet. Building a 30×30 structure will cost around $36,000 to $63,000.

Cost for a 4 Car Garage

If you want to build vehicle storage that can house four cars, you can either build it so that all four are parked side by side or build a wide double deep type that will allow two cars to be parked side by side in rows of two.

For four-car garages, you will need about 800 to 1,056 square feet of space, which will cost about $40,000 to $73,900 to build.

How Much Does It Cost to Build a Detached Garage?

A detached garage is a structure separate from your house’s main body. It is still near your house, but it is a standalone structure. In contrast, an attached structure is one that is built right next to your house, most often even sharing a wall. Read more about an attached vs detached garage here.

A detached building is a bit more expensive to construct than an attached structures. The price of detached vehicle storage will be about 10 to 15% more than an attached design.
No matter what structure style you choose, the way to estimate the price is to measure the space. Generally, the price to build a detached structure will come to $40 to 70 feet.

One reason why a detached building is a little more expensive than an attached one is the fact that a detached one might need more extra materials and fixtures.

For example, if you want a detached building to have electric fixtures, you must install power lines connecting your detached structure to the grid. An attached design, on the other hand, can be connected to your home, making it more cost-effective and less labor-intensive.

For those who want to spend less a portable garage design may be another alternative.

Cost of Building a Garage With Apartment

If you decide that what you want to build is a garage with an apartment, be prepared for building costs to go up.

The cost per square foot to build a structure with an apartment above it is about $110 to $350. The type of apartment will affect the total price of the project. For example, a single loft room will cost less than a full apartment with a bathroom.

Remember that the price of building a structure with an apartment will also vary depending on the type. A detached plan with an apartment will cost more than an attached unit with an apartment. This is because you will spend more to connect a detached building to the electricity grid and plumbing lines than if you were doing the same for an attached unit.

Labor Cost for a Garage

If you hire someone to build your structure for you, the labor rates will probably cover 50 to 70 percent of the total construction costs. So, on average, the labor costs for the construction will be around $20 to $48 per square foot.

Building a Garage Yourself Cost

If you build your structure yourself, you can save on labor costs. All you will have to pay for is the materials.

If you do it yourself and build a detached building, the material costs will probably range around $5,000 to $25,000. This, of course, will depend on the size of your plan and the materials you use.

Also, there are prefab kits available, so if all you want is a simple storage building, you can look into those. Prefab kits are priced about $3,000 to $10,000. Keep in mind, however, that some homeowner associations don’t allow prefab structures such as these. Make sure to check before buying a kit.

One thing you shouldn’t forget to factor in, whether you decide to build yourself or hire someone to build it for you, is building a structure will require you to get the proper building permits.

Depending on where you are, the building permit costs for garages will probably be around $1,200 to $1,500.

You can create your own plan using one of the garage design software programs on the market. These will allow you to change the style, layout, and square footage using the dimensions of your home’s yard.