How Much Does It Cost to Convert a Carport Into a Garage? [2025 Data]

Cost Factors for Converting a Carport

The cost of enclosing a carport requires thinking about more than just four walls (or three for an attached garage). A carport conversion varies wildly in price based on how much of the original carport you can salvage. If you’re lucky, you can complete this project by reusing the same slab and roof without breaking the bank. In that case, your average cost would be closer to $6,000 for the cost of garage door installation and building a wall.

Size

The size of your garage and existing carport play a major role in your pricing. The bigger the garage you’re building, the higher the price—though even one-car garages can come with a hefty price tag if you use premium materials.

Time of Year

It's less expensive to build a garage during the off-season, which is over the winter months. However, pouring concrete in cold weather isn’t convenient, and it’s not always possible. The sweet spot for pouring concrete for a new slab is between 50 degrees Fahrenheit and 60 degrees Fahrenheit, so late fall could be the best option for affordability.

Concrete Slab

If your carport doesn’t already have a concrete slab, or if you want to expand or repair the existing slab, the cost to convert your carport to a garage will be higher. A concrete slab costs $4 to $8 per square foot. You’ll need to budget renting a concrete mixer and the tools needed to level the slab, so be sure to talk to a pro.

Windows

A strategically placed window or two can bring sunlight into your new garage. A single window unit runs from $300 to $1,200 for standard sizes. Labor to install the window costs about $150 to $800 per window or $40 per hour. 

Electricity

You can figure on adding between $75 and $500 to your budget to cover the cost of installing outlets and between $75 and $125 to install a new light fixture. Adding one or two outlets when converting your carport can save you from running long electrical cords from other areas of your home if you need power for tools, a tire pump, or additional lighting. If you don’t have wiring to your existing carport, you could pay between $1,000 and $2,500 to run wiring to the space and through the walls.

Garage Door

The price for an average garage door is about $750 to $1,700. A premade, off-the-shelf style will range from $250 to $1,500. High-end designs range from $1,500 to $10,000. These prices do not include locks, openers, or labor, which brings the average cost for a new garage door to around $1,200. You should always hire a garage pro for the installation to ensure the garage door closes properly. They can also set up the garage door opener and handle dangerous tasks like adjusting the garage door spring. And if you run into problems after the installation is complete, they’re the same pros to call if you don’t want to learn how to fix a garage door yourself.

There are garage door alternatives you can explore to keep the costs down as much as possible.

Framing 

Standard framing to close in your new garage is usually $1 to $5 per square foot. Labor will cost you another $4 to $8 per square foot, depending on your location and the complexity of the build. The average price to enclose a one-car carport is around $2,500.

Roofing

Replacing a garage roof tends to cost from $1,000 to $2,000, but this will, of course, vary based on your material and the size of the roof. If your carport is in good shape beforehand, you may not need to replace the roofing at all, so this line item could be $0.

Permits

Not all areas require a permit for converting your carport into a garage. If your state does, the average cost of obtaining a building permit for a garage falls between $1,200 and $2,000. If hiring a contractor to perform the conversion, the company will be responsible for obtaining any home addition permits if necessary.

"Many homeowners want to convert carports into garage space into heated and air-conditioned living spaces, too," says Bob Tschudi, a Raleigh, North Carolina-based general contractor. "If you go this route, you’ll have to engage with the local municipalities to ensure that what you plan to do complies with their plan for the area."

Cost to Convert Carport to Garage by Type

Converting an attached carport into a garage differs greatly in price from converting a detached carport. It is far more cost-effective to run electricity and plumbing to an attached garage than running lines underground to a detached garage, plus you have one fewer wall to construct.

For example, turning an attached carport into an attached garage using the same materials and square footage costs 10% to 15% less than the cost of a detached garage made from a detached carport. However, it still falls within the general price range of $40 to $70 per square foot. For example, if you spend $45 per square foot on a detached unit, you’ll spend about $40 per square foot on the same thing attached to your home.

Cost of Garage Add-Ons

There are some additional things you should consider in order to get an accurate estimate for your project.

Heating and Cooling

Adding some luxury by installing HVAC, such as a garage heater or air conditioner, is an option that will cost between $1,000 and $4,000 to install professionally. If you’re converting an attached carport, you could just tie in your existing HVAC system, or you could add a ductless system to a detached carport-turned-garage for around $4,000.

Insulation and Drywall

The cost to insulate a garage runs between $1,900 and $7,700, depending on the size of the space, the type of insulation you do, and who performs the work. Insulation is beneficial if your garage is attached to your home or if you plan to use your new garage as a living space or a workspace.

Drywalling a garage costs $1.50 to $3.50 per square foot or about $10 to $25 per 4-foot-by-8-foot panel for materials only. If your garage is attached, you’ll need fire-rated drywall on the attached wall(s) in most municipalities. If you hire a garage builder near you to get the job done professionally, your contractor can help you figure out what kind of drywall your local building code demands.

Plumbing

Some homeowners decide to add plumbing to their new garages after enclosing their carports. This enables you to place your washer and dryer in the garage if you don't have space in your home or to hook up a convenient utility sink to prevent having to go into your main structure to wash up. Running plumbing to an attached carport you turn into a garage should cost around $1,000, not including whatever fixtures you intend on using.

If you’re running plumbing to a detached garage, you should figure on paying around $4,000, as you’d have to run lines underground. It might not be possible to do this on your property, so consult with your local plumber to see if it’s an option for your new garage.

Security

Since one of the primary benefits of converting your carport to a garage is added security, many homeowners opt to install security devices after construction, including cameras, floodlights, and alarm systems. Depending on the equipment you want installed, you can expect to pay between $100 and $5,000. If you’re paying for professional monitoring as well, you’ll likely have an ongoing cost of between $20 and $50 per month.

Organization and Storage

Many homeowners will opt to have shelving and storage cabinets installed to keep the garage organized. Depending on your needs, these can cost between $250 and $2,000, and you can have them custom-built or buy them as prefab solutions.

What Should I Consider Before Converting My Carport?

There are both practical and aesthetic factors to consider before working on your new carport.

Roofline

Most carports have shed roofs or V-shaped roofs. While your carport's existing roofline may look "okay for a carport," it might not translate nicely to a garage structure. The aesthetic will shift dramatically once the space is enclosed. Think carefully about your roofline before starting construction, and adjust accordingly.

Fire Codes

Local fire and safety codes may require any garage attached to your home to have fire-rated walls and entry doors. Consult your contractor or local municipality for confirmation before starting your conversion.

Town and Neighborhood Rules

Converting a carport into a garage is considered a significant structural change, which usually means you need to acquire permits or permission from a homeowners association. This project may also require plans that don’t extend your new garage too close to your neighbor’s property line.

"Converting a carport into a garage will not add much overall value to your house, given the expense to complete the renovation," says Bob Tschudi, a Raleigh, North Carolina-based general contractor. "However, you will gain a secure and weather-resistant space at a fraction of the cost to build it from scratch."

Premium Enhancements

A basic carport-to-garage conversion doesn’t have a lot of bells and whistles—and that’s by design, as it keeps costs low. When converting your carport on a budget, you’ll want to try to use the existing concrete slab, keep plumbing and electrical work to a minimum, use more affordable insulation and siding, and skip windows altogether.

But if you need to replace the concrete slab—or you simply want a nicer garage space—you can enhance the conversion with:

• More attractive and durable siding

• One or more windows to allow natural light into the space, even when the garage door is closed

• Plumbing and electrical so you can use the garage as a workspace or even for utilities like laundry

• A fancier garage door, which may be more aesthetically pleasing

Opting for premium conversions can really impact the price. Expect to spend between $20,000 to $50,000 for a premium carport conversion. In some cases, you could spend $100K or more when converting a carport to a premium two-car garage.

Enclosing a Carport Yourself vs. Hiring a Pro

If you’re not the handy type, it probably makes the most sense to hire a garage builder in your area to convert your carport into a garage. That’s because a carport-to-garage conversion is not an easy job. It’s also extremely important to make sure your new garage is structurally safe and sound. 

Because of the work involved, we do not recommend tackling this as a DIY project. However, if you are doing a basic conversion, meaning you’re keeping the roof and concrete slab and simply adding some walls and a garage door, the cost of your carport-to-garage conversion will be significantly lower.

On average, labor accounts for 60% of a garage conversion. The average cost to convert a carport to a garage is $22,000, including labor—a DIY conversion of that same average carport might then only cost $8,800.

How to Save Money on Enclosing a Carport

While converting your carport into a garage is a significant financial investment stretching beyond the original carport cost, there are a few ways to save money on the project. 

• Consider performing some of the work, such as prep or finishing work, yourself.

• Reuse the existing concrete slab if possible. 

• Connecting the new garage to the house can cut some of the cost compared to building a freestanding space.

• Limit the new garage size to that of the carport rather than upsizing and then enclosing.

• Check local restrictions before starting work to avoid costly fees, fines, or reconstruction costs.

• Keep your conversion simple. Avoid adding plumbing and HVAC unless you absolutely need them.

• Choose more affordable materials whenever possible.

• Shop around for a few quotes to see if a reputable contractor offers a lower price.

How Angi Gets Its Cost Data

Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We extensively research project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We rely on reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects. 

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