Calculator
Garage Cost Calculator (USA)
Price an attached or detached garage line by line, from the permit and slab to the doors, wiring and a room above. Every line starts at a published national average and takes your own quote.
Estimated garage cost
Full cost breakdown
| Item | Quantity | Range | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Permits & site | $1,634 | |||
| Building permit & plan reviewHomeGuide $150–$500; HomeAdvisor $1,200–$1,500. Electrical and plumbing permits can be extra. | per project | $150–$1,500 | $825 | HomeGuide 2026 / HomeAdvisor 2026 |
| Site preparation (level)Fine grading of the pad and a 5 ft apron around it | 1,156 sq ft | $462–$1,156 | $809 | HomeGuide 2026 |
| Foundation | $5,760 | |||
| Concrete slab: slab, standardThe typical garage slab-on-grade with footings. | 576 sq ft of floor | $3,456–$8,064 | $5,760 | HomeGuide 2026 |
| Structure | $18,696 | |||
| Framing, roof trusses & sheathingHomeGuide prices framing per sq ft of wall (not floor), roof trusses included. | 912 sq ft of wall | $10,032–$27,360 | $18,696 | HomeGuide 2026 |
| Roof, siding, doors & windows | $14,980 | |||
| Roofing: asphalt shingle | 756 sq ft of roof | $2,267–$4,535 | $3,401 | Fixr 2025 |
| Siding: vinyl | 756 sq ft of wall | $2,268–$9,072 | $5,670 | HomeAdvisor 2026 |
| Gutters & downspouts (aluminum) | 52 linear ft | $520–$1,040 | $780 | HomeGuide 2025 |
| Garage door: double (16–18 ft), standardInsulated steel, the middle of the range | 1 door | $800–$3,500 | $2,150 | HomeAdvisor 2026 |
| Garage door opener, installed | 1 opener | $218–$540 | $379 | HomeAdvisor 2026 |
| Exterior entry door | 1 door | $300–$1,000 | $650 | HomeGuide 2026 |
| Windows | 2 windows | $900–$3,000 | $1,950 | HomeGuide 2026 |
| Electrical, plumbing & HVAC | $5,719 | |||
| Wiring, outlets & lightingCode requires GFCI-protected outlets in a garage. | 576 sq ft of floor | $2,304–$5,184 | $3,744 | HomeGuide 2026 |
| Underground power line from the house | 50 linear ft | $500–$1,250 | $875 | HomeGuide 2023 |
| Subpanel | 1 panel | $500–$1,700 | $1,100 | HomeGuide 2023 |
| Construction subtotal | $46,789 | |||
| Builder overhead & profit (10%) | $4,679 | |||
| Contingency (10%) | $5,147 | |||
| Total estimated cost | $56,615 | |||
Where the money goes
How this calculator works
There is no national survey that breaks a garage into cost lines the way the NAHB survey does for a house, so we built one from the published installed costs. The calculator works out your slab area, wall area, roof area and siding area from the width, depth and wall height, then prices each line with the midpoint of a range from HomeAdvisor, HomeGuide or Fixr. The low and high totals use the ends of every range.
Picking a state scales the labor half of each line by that state's construction wages. A builder fee and a contingency go on top. Any line can be replaced with your own rate or lump-sum quote, and you can add costs we don't list. Figures were checked on October 25, 2026. The full method, every source and the code rules that add cost are in our garage cost research.
What the cost guides report
| Source | Project | Published cost |
|---|---|---|
| HomeAdvisor | Any garage | $29,584 average; most $16,837–$42,331 |
| HomeAdvisor | Detached garage | $26,400 average; most $19,200–$33,600 |
| HomeGuide | Two-car garage | $25,000–$60,000 |
| Fixr | Attached two-car, 24×24 | $37,000 average; $23,000–$45,000 |
| HomeGuide | Garage with apartment | $200–$350 per sq ft; $80,000–$300,000 |
Frequently asked questions about garage costs
How much does it cost to build a two-car garage?
HomeGuide puts a two-car garage at $25,000 to $60,000 (HomeGuide, January 2026), and HomeAdvisor puts two-car garages at $15,000 to $40,000 (HomeAdvisor, June 2026). With this calculator's defaults, a stick-built, detached 24×24 garage with one insulated double door, an opener, two windows, a subpanel and a 50 ft power run comes to roughly $47,000 in construction before a builder fee and contingency.
Is an attached or detached garage cheaper?
Attached is usually cheaper. HomeAdvisor says a detached garage costs about 20% to 40% more (HomeAdvisor), because it needs a fourth wall, often a second gable, and a buried power line. An attached garage adds code items instead: a fire-rated door into the house and drywall on the house side.
What does a garage cost per square foot?
HomeAdvisor says to expect around $50 per square foot on average, from $30 for a basic attached garage to $120 for a detached one (HomeAdvisor). HomeGuide puts a detached garage at $50 to $100 per square foot (HomeGuide). Small garages cost more per square foot, because the permit, doors and wiring don't shrink with the floor.
How much does a prefab or metal garage cost?
HomeAdvisor puts most prefab garages at $5,000 to $30,000 before the foundation, delivery and assembly, with a slab at $600 to $5,000 more (HomeAdvisor). A steel garage averages $10,000 to $25,000 delivered and installed (HomeAdvisor). Choose Prefab or Steel in the calculator to see the whole project, slab and wiring included.
Do I need a permit to build a garage?
Almost always. HomeGuide lists garage permits at $150 to $500 (HomeGuide), while HomeAdvisor puts them at $1,200 to $1,500 (HomeAdvisor). Electrical and plumbing work may need separate permits. Check setbacks and lot coverage before you buy plans.
Why does the state change the estimate?
Labor is a large share of a garage. We treat half of each line as labor and scale it by the state's mean construction wage from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The national mean was $31.42 an hour; Arkansas was lowest at $23.39 and Hawaii highest at $40.48 (BLS OEWS). Materials prices also vary locally, which this does not capture.