Guides / Garage sizes · Updated
Cost to build a garage
Published national figures, each with the date its guide was last updated. Local quotes will differ.
Short answer
A 2 car garage costs $14,500 to $44,900 to build, depending on which guide you read; This Old House puts the average at $36,000. A 1 car garage runs $10,500 to $32,000, and a 3 car $28,200 to $57,100.
By size and price guide
| Guide | 1 car | 2 car | 3 car |
|---|---|---|---|
| This Old House Mar 2026, averages; the range is its smaller and larger size of each | $18,000 to $22,900 | $36,000 to $44,900 | $53,800 |
| Fixr Sep 2022, detached garages | $22,200 to $32,000 | $31,000 to $39,000 | $45,000 to $57,000 |
| Bob Vila Jun 2024, all garages | $10,500 to $27,000 | $14,500 to $40,300 | $28,200 to $57,100 |
This Old House's figures are averages for 200 to 240 sq ft (1 car), 400 to 480 sq ft (2 car) and 600 sq ft (3 car). Fixr's are for detached garages; Bob Vila doesn't split attached and detached, but says the average garage runs about $50 a square foot.
What moves the price
Size first: every guide's price climbs with square footage. Then whether it's attached (shares a wall and often the roof) or detached, the slab, the door, and finishes like insulation, drywall, power and a heater. Permits and site work, like grading a slope, are on top.
Pick the size before you price it. 2 car garage dimensions covers the 20 × 20 ft minimum and 24 × 24 ft ideal, and 1 car and 3 car sizes are in their own guides. Check your truck fits with the parking fit calculator, and if you might add a lift, plan the ceiling with ceiling height for a car lift.