If you’ve ever been curious to know how much it costs to build a garage here’s my story of how I built mine for less than $3000. There are a million how-to articles on building garages, but none about the story behind it. I felt like there was an opportunity for me to share my experience and explain some of the frustrations I went through and the solutions that worked for me.
One of the most affordable ways to protect/store your vehicle is with a garage. Yes, this method may seem slow and old-school. But it’s also cheap and easy. But you have to opt for a power-designed garage in order to get maximum protection and safe storage for your vehicle. The average cost for adding a garage is $20,000-$30,000. You can even get away with using an existing detached warehouse when you supplement it by covering it with sheet metal or building a wooden frame/roof structure to maximize the insurance coverage of your vehicle. When building your own garage, you also have to make sure that it is ventilated well and that there are enough openings to let light in – two things that can help prevent musty odors from invading your space.
Approximate cost to build a garage
The cost to build a garage depends on the size and features you want. If you’re looking for a basic detached garage, you can expect to pay around $2,500 to $3,500 for materials, not including labor. Building a garage with an attached home can cost between $25,000 and $30,000.
For this article, we’ll focus on building a detached garage with an average-sized door. We’ll also assume that you live in an area that requires building permits and inspections from local code officials before construction can begin.
The average cost of building a garage is about $2 per square foot, or $20 per square foot if it’s professionally built. The average size of detached garages is about 600 square feet (56 square meters).
The total cost for our example would be about $12,000-$15,000 including materials and labor costs.
How much does it cost to build a garage?
The average cost for building a detached garage is $18,500. This figure is based on an average price of $14 per square foot for labor and materials, according to HomeAdvisor. Labor costs vary widely by area and type of structure. If you plan to do the work yourself, you can reduce your overall costs by up to 20 percent.
Cost Factors
The cost of building a garage depends on many factors including:
Size of your lot — The bigger your lot, the more room you’ll have for a garage that can accommodate multiple vehicles or other storage needs.
Location — Urban areas are more expensive than rural ones because they generally have higher construction costs due to higher demand.
Type of construction — A concrete block foundation will be more expensive than wood framing but much sturdier against severe weather conditions such as tornadoes or hurricanes. Composite structures made from wood and vinyl are also less expensive than traditional frame construction but may not be as sturdy or durable over time.