At Heartland Garage Builders, we’re often asked, “What Does It Cost to Build a Detached Garage?”

Calculator and paper to help determine the cost of building a detached garage

Are you considering replacing your current detached garage with a new build or building one where there currently isn’t an existing garage? Whether you are considering a standard build or a custom garage, the price to complete a detached garage may come as a surprise when all the numbers are added up.

So what are the typical costs of a detached garage project you should make sure are discussed?

Municipality and Permitting Fees

Another hidden cost that may not appear in an initial estimate with some garage builders is the cost of permits and municipality fees that every project will be subject to.

Heartland Garage Builders partners with Chicagoland’s premier dedicated permit service, Mach 1, Inc. which has permitted thousands of garages all over the greater Chicagoland area.

Included in the estimate HGB provides will be the cost of the permits required for the building of the detached garage. This price will range anywhere between $500-$5,000 depending on the location of the home and other factors like required civil engineering, zoning variations, etc.

Site Preparation

A big part of the costs for a garage build are in the site preparation to get your property in a position to be able to construct the new garage. This can include removing trees and shrubs (don’t forget the stump grinding!), demolishing the old garage or shed, having utility lines relocated, fences removed, driveway removed and/or protected or having a septic field relocated.

Some villages may even require site fencing, silt fencing or other site requirements in preparation for building a garage. All these costs are often left off an estimate, so make sure your estimate either includes them or at least acknowledges that these items have to be addressed so you can properly plan for them. These site preparation costs can range from $500 all the way to $5,000 or more.

Garage Design/Materials

What the garage looks like and gets finished with also impacts costs. Designs that are simple boxes with no frills are going to be cheaper than a garage that is L-shaped with all the bells and whistles.

Material choices can have a big impact on cost. A few examples are Architectural shingles vs. 3-tab shingles or Clay Tile, fiber-cement siding versus vinyl siding, aluminum gutters as opposed to copper gutters. When comparing estimates, make sure the finishes and standard inclusions are apples to apples.

Garage Size

The biggest factor on cost is the size of your garage. The larger the square footage of the garage, the more expensive it can be. Especially when you get into larger garages or garages with stairs to the attic space as most villages require a full 42” deep foundation in these situations as opposed to a standard floating slab with a thickened edge. Height can play a major role in the cost of a garage.

Most garages are a standard 8-foot-tall wall but if you have an RV to store for an example, a 10 or 12 foot wall may be necessary and can be a significant increase in cost.

Typical Costs (in our service area)

A 1 car garage can range from $25,000 for a simple box with no frills to $30,000 with a complicated shape or a lot of options.

A 2-car garage typically ends up in the $30,000 to $40,000 range, again depending on options selected.

A 3-car garage typically starts around $40,000 and goes up from there depending on options.

All these figures can dramatically change based on your municipality’s requirements, the existing condition of your yard or the size and options you choose.

If you are looking for a garage builder who handles all the aspects of a detached garage build and need a free estimate, contact Heartland Garage Builders at 224-326-2698.