Building a detached garage costs $26,400 on average, or between $19,200 and $33,600, depending on the size and material.
Building a detached garage costs around $26,400, with prices often ranging from $19,200 to $33,600 depending on the size, material, local labor rates, and the garage’s purpose. Building a detached garage can be the perfect way to step up your parking game or create a new office space, gym, or guest quarters. Learn about the cost factors of building a detached garage to help you budget for your project.
Several elements go into building a detached garage—all of which combine to make up the total cost. Below, we go over the most important detached garage cost factors.
Your garage size is perhaps the biggest cost factor, as building a detached garage costs anywhere between $40 to $70 per square foot. This means a 240-square-foot, one-car garage will cost significantly less than a 700-square-foot three-car garage. If you plan on using your garage as a workspace or warehouse, then your garage could cost even more.
Let’s break down the price of a detached garage by the square footage:
| Number of Cars | Square Feet | Cost Range |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 240–384 | $9,600–$26,900 |
| 2 | 360–480 | $14,400–$33,600 |
| 3 | 700–860 | $28,000–$60,200 |
| 4 | 800–1,080 | $32,000–$75,600 |
The materials you use on your garage's exterior will affect the project's total cost. You may have more options to control costs in this category, depending on whether it's crucial to match the home's siding. The overall cost of siding installation on the new garage will depend primarily on the size of the structure and the chosen materials.
| Siding Type | Cost Range per square foot |
|---|---|
| Stucco | $7–$9 |
| Vinyl | $3–$12 |
| Wood | $1–$15 |
| Brick | $10–$20 |
| Stone | $7–$30 |
| Fiber Cement | $2–$14 |
You'll also need to account for the foundation of your garage as a major player in the cost of building a garage. A concrete slab costs anywhere from $4 to $8 per square foot. This equates to about $1,400 to $3,800 for a standard two-car detached garage but can range anywhere from $1,000 to $8,600, depending on the size of your garage.
Installing a new roof on your detached garage costs anywhere between $10,000 and $20,000, including labor. Expect to pay around $4 or $5 per square foot to install the roof, with aluminum costing the least and slate shingles costing the most.
The average cost to install windows in a detached garage is between $200 and $1,300 per window. Consider the size of the windows and the material of the frames when you decide on what windows you'd like for your detached garage, as both of these factors can greatly impact the cost of the windows. Small, vinyl windows tend to cost the least, while large or custom wood windows cost the most on average.
The average garage door cost ranges from $750 to $1,650. Such a large price difference comes down to the size of the door, the type of garage door, and the garage door material. You will pay the least for a single-car, standard panel, steel garage door and the most for a three-car, carriage, faux wood garage door. Installing a glass garage door costs 200% to 300% more than standard garage doors.
The cost to hire professionals to build your detached garage is between $3,000 and $15,000 or an additional 60% of the cost of your materials. Prices vary based on local going rates, so be sure to ask for quotes from several garage builders near you to find the most competitive prices in your area. How long it takes to build the garage can also affect the total labor cost. The longer it takes, the more labor fees your garage builder will charge.
Where you build your detached garage can influence the cost of your project. A garage located farther away from plumbing and electricity will cost more to install these features, while an easy-to-access installation site simplifies the process and decreases labor costs.
In addition to your common detached garage costs, you'll also want to consider the cost of plumbing, wiring, adding insulation, and painting your new detached garage. Let’s dive into these costs to unturn every potential stone in your budgeting.
While technically, a detached garage isn't considered a living space, adding plumbing for various reasons is still an option that lets you use the space for various reasons. Installing plumbing in your detached garage costs anywhere from $600 to $1,600 per fixture. Plumbers cost between $45 to $200 per hour, depending on the cost of living near you. The type of fixture impacts this cost, as well as the quality and materials of your fixtures.
Here’s a breakdown of different fixtures and their costs on top of the cost of installing plumbing lines:
Toilet installation cost: $200 to $550
Sink installation cost: $200 to $650
Shower installation cost: $1,500 to $6,800
Bathtub installation cost: $1,100 to $5,900
The average cost to run electricity to a detached garage is between $1,000 and $2,500 on average. If you need to install new wiring from a far distance, upgrade your amperage, or your electrician must break drywall to lay wiring, then you could pay upwards of $5,000 in some cases. Single-wire transmission costs the least, while multi-wire transmission comes in at the top of the price range.
If your plans for how to build your garage include it, insulating a garage costs anywhere from $0.50 to $1.25 per square foot. Since every wall of your detached garage needs insulation to make the most of the project, you'll find that the cost of insulating your detached garage is significantly greater than the cost of insulating an attached garage. If you want to add garage ceiling insulation, you'll also need to factor in $1 to $4 per inch of board foot.
Adding several fresh coats of paint to the interior of your detached garage costs around $2.75 per square foot. Exterior paint costs a little more, at about $1.50 to $4 per square foot. The quality of the paint is a big factor in how much your paint will cost, but note that the best paint brands may have better coverage and only need two coats of paint, while other, lower-quality paints may need three coats to get the job done.
Building a detached garage is a major investment. As such, finding ways to save on a detached garage project can help offset some of the financial costs that come with such an investment. Here are some tips on how to save on the cost of your detached garage:
Choose smaller square footage for your design.
Pick a building site close to plumbing and electricity.
Invest in low-cost roofing and doors.
Install fewer windows.
DIY simpler parts of your detached garage project. For example, painting your garage yourself can save you between $1 to $3.50 per square foot.
Get at least three price estimates before deciding who to hire to build your garage.
The cost will be 10% to 15% higher to build a detached garage versus an attached garage—especially if you plan on installing plumbing and electrical wiring. The main reason for the higher costs is that detached garage installations require more materials and, therefore, more labor. If your garage is far from your home, this also creates a larger price disparity.
Building a detached garage yourself will save anywhere from $3,000 to $15,000. Your total cost for the materials alone will fall around the $5,000 to $25,000 price range. However, attempting to DIY a project of this size and complexity can come with many pitfalls. Lack of experience with building structures can lead to mistakes, safety concerns, and code violations—all of which can cost you in the long run.
Hiring a local garage builder costs around 60% more, for a total price of $8,000 to $40,000, depending on the size and extent of work. Still, you can have peace of mind knowing that your newly built detached garage is up to code and structurally sound when you work with a pro near you.
Allie Ogletree contributed to this piece.
Adding a detached garage can increase the home's value by a healthy amount, provided it's well-constructed, permitted, and inspected. The return on investment for a detached garage depends on the structure's size and function, as well as its quality. On average, consumers who add a detached garage can expect their home's value to increase by between $12,000 and $36,000.
In some cases, a detached garage can be considered extra living space, but you will need to gain permission and comply with your local building code. Depending on where you live, you may need permits for a variety of installations, including electrical work, plumbing, and structural work. Many homeowners make the mistake of converting a garage into a living space without acquiring permits, which can result in hefty fines and even the removal of your hard work. Furthermore, a detached garage doesn’t add to the livable square footage of your home when it’s time to sell.
Your homeowners' insurance should automatically cover your detached garage. This coverage often falls under a “separate structure” policy. Keep in mind that there may be exceptions to this general rule. Every insurance policy has its own rules and coverage, so contact your homeowners' insurance to ensure you’re covered—and to know how much coverage your policy offers.
