Cost of building a two car garage with upstairs apartment

I'm going back and forth with builders regarding the pricing of the apartment over the garage. A garage is far less expensive to build (compared to house) per sq ft. My contention is the incremental cost of added wood, insulation, etc. doesn't equal that of the per sq ft price of the house. If apartment is 600 sq ft, you can't say it's $150/$175 or whatever per sq ft like the house. It should come in much lower per sq ft.

I've asked to pull out the apartment cost entirely to understand their pricing. I'd like input from other people who have built apartments over the garage and what the incremental cost was between just the garage and the apartment over it. Sizes of garage and apt too would be great.

Everything you need to know about the cost to build a garage including 1, 2, 3 car designs.

For many people, living their best life means finally having a home of their own and a car of their own. So now that you’ve built your dream home, it’s time to think about building a shelter to protect your dream car.

Having a garage to park your vehicles helps improve the value of your property. It also protects the investment you made in buying your vehicle. A garage keeps your car safe from the elements. It also keeps it safe from mischievous or even criminal elements who might see a an opportunity in an unguarded car, left out alone.

You might be wondering what type of garage you need and how big a budget you need to set aside to construct the garage you need. To help you make up your mind, in this post, we’re answering some common questions about the cost of building a garage.

Average Cost to Build a Garage
Cost Per Square Foot to Build a Garage
One Car Garage Cost
Two Car Garage Cost
Cost to Build a 24×24 Garage
3 Car Garage Cost
Cost to Build a 30×30 Garage
Cost to Build a 4 Car Garage
How Much Does It Cost to Build a Detached Garage?
Cost to Build a Garage With Apartment
Labor Cost to Build a Garage
Cost to Build a Garage Yourself

Average Cost to Build a Garage

The average cost to build a simple garage, just the structure without any special features, will be about $28,000.

Ultimately, the price may vary according to where you live, garage size, its type, the materials you use, and even if you DIY or hire a contractor. In general, however, the cost to build a garage ranges from $16,821 to $38,827.

Cost Per Square Foot to Build a Garage

Essentially, the cost to build a garage depends on its size. On average, in the United States, it costs about $50 for every square foot.

So, if you want to estimate on your own how much it will cost to build a garage in your property, you need to first measure the area that your garage is going to occupy. Take the measurements in square feet, than multiply this by $50.

The $50 average cost is for a simple garage, basically four walls, a floor, and a roof that can serve as a shelter for your cars.

For higher-end garages with more features or more high-end materials, the cost goes up. You might find yourself paying about $120 to 350 for each square foot of space.

One Car Garage Cost

To accommodate one car, you will need at least 240 square feet of space. If you want to add a bit more area to your garage, say if you want to add some storage space or even a small workshop or work bench, the cost will go up.

Generally, for a one-car garage, you will need from 240 to 384 square inches of space. For this range, the cost will be about $10,500 to $27,000.

Two Car Garage Cost

To build a garage that can comfortably house two-cars, you will need at least 320 to 528 square feet of space.

If we’re looking at a garage where two cars will be parked side by side, you will need to build a garage about 20-24 feet deep and allocate at least 11-12 feet in width for each car, so you will need a garage that is at least 22 feet wide.

Don’t forget that you will need to leave some space in between the cars and the cars and the walls in order to be able to get in and out of the vehicle. So, let’s say then that a two-car garage needs to be a minimum of 22 feet wide to 26 feet.

You can also consider building a tandem garage, commonly known as double deep garages. In a double deep garage, the cars aren’t parked beside each other; rather one car is parked “deep” inside the garage, and the other car parks just in front of it.

If you decide to go for a two-car double deep garage, you will need to build on that is 11 to 12 feet wide, but 36 to 40 square feet in depth.

Given these dimensions, the average total cost to build a two-car garage will be about $14,500 to $40,300.

Cost to Build a 24×24 Garage

A good size for a 2-car garage, with the cars to be parked side by side, would be 24X24 or a total of 576 square feet.

The cost of building a 24×24 garage will be about $23,000 to $40,300.

3 Car Garage Cost

To safely and comfortably house three cars, side by side in a garage, you are going to need an area that is 31 to 34 feet wide. Depending on the type of cars, you will need a garage with a depth of 20 to 24 feet.

Given these size requirements, you will probably need to spend $28,200 to $57,100 to build a three-car garage.

Cost to Build a 30×30 Garage

A good size for a three car garage would be about 30×30 or 900 square feet. The cost to build a 30×30 garage will be around $36,000 to $63,000.

Cost to Build a 4 Car Garage

If you want to build a garage that can house four cars, you can either build it so that all four are parked side by side, or a build a wide double deep type which will allow two cars to be parked side by side in rows of two.

For a four-car garage, you will need about 800 to 1,056 square feet of space and this will cost about $32,000 to $73,900 to build.

How Much Does It Cost to Build a Detached Garage?

A detached garage is a structure that is separate from the main body of your house. It is still near your house, but it is a standalone structure. In contrast, an attached garage is one that is built right next to your house, most often even sharing a wall. Read more about and attached vs detached garage here.

A detached garage is a bit more expensive to construct than an attached garage. The price of a detached garage will be about 10 to 15% more than an attached garage.
No matter what style of garage you choose, the way to estimate the price is to measure the space. Generally, the cost to build a detached garage will come to $40 to 70 feet.

One reason why a detached garage is a little more expensive than an attached garage is the face that a detached garage might need more extra materials and fixtures. For example, if you want a detached garage to have electric fixtures, you are going to need to install power lines that can connect your detached garage to the grid. An attached garage, on the other hand, can be connected to your home making it more cost effective and less labor intensive.

For those who want to spend less a portable garage design may be another alternative.

Cost to Build a Garage With Apartment

If you decide that what you want to build is a garage with an apartment, be prepared for the building cost to go up.

The cost per square foot to build a garage with an apartment above it is about $110 to $350. The type of apartment will affect the total cost of the garage. For example, a single loft room will cost less than a full apartment with a bathroom.

Keep in mind that, the cost to build a garage with an apartment will also vary depending on the type of garage. A detached garage with apartment will cost more than an attached garage with apartment. This is because you will spend more to connect a detached garage to the electricity grid and plumbing lines then if you were doing the same for an attached garage.

Labor Cost to Build a Garage

If you hire someone to build your garage for you, the labor rates will probably end up making up 50 t0 70 percent of the total construction cost. So, on average, the labor costs for the construction of a garage will be around $20 to $48 per square foot.

Cost to Build a Garage Yourself

If you decide to build your garage yourself, you can save on labor costs. All you will have to pay for is the materials.

If you are going to do-it-yourself and build a detached garage, the material costs will probably cost you around $5,000 to $25,000. This, of course will depend on the size of your garage and the material you use.

Also, there are prefab garage kit’s available, so if all you want is a simple garage you can look into those. Prefab garage kits usually cost about $3,000 to $10,000. Keep in mind, however, that some homeowner associations don’t allow prefab structures such as these. Make sure to check before buying a kit.

One thing you shouldn’t forget to factor in, whether you decide to build the garage yourself or hire someone to build it for you, is building a garage will require you to get the proper building permits.

Depending on where you are, the building permit costs for a garage will probably be around $1,200 to $1,500.

You can create your own plan using one of the garage design software programs on the market. These will allow you to change the style, layout and square footage using the dimensions from your home’s yard.