Garage Cost & Materials Calculator

Framing, sheathing and slab quantities for a detached garage.

Garage — project drawing PROJECT DRAWING DECKS & STRUCTURES Garage FOOTPRINT 24 × 24 ft · 576 sq ft WALLS 9 ft · studs @ 16" OC ROOF 13 trusses · 4:12 SLAB 4" · 8.9 cu yd DIFFICULTY Advanced BUILD TIME 14–25 days EST. MATERIALS $8,254–$11,167 MyBuildPlanner
Configure

Garage calculator

Wall height
Siding
Advanced optionsfine-tune the details…
Roof
Roof pitch
Framing
Stud spacing
Slab
Slab thickness
Openings
Estimating

Estimates are planning aids, not a professional quote. Double-check quantities and product coverage — and any local code or permit requirements — before you buy.

Estimated materials$8,254–$11,167
Shopping list ↓
PROJECT SUMMARY

Garage project summary

Footprint24 × 24 ft · 576 sq ft
Walls
9 ft · studs @ 16" OC
Roof
13 trusses · 4:12
Slab
4" · 8.9 cu yd
Siding
LP SmartSide
Doors
1 overhead + service
Difficulty
Advanced
Build time
14–25 days
Estimated materials
$8,254–$11,167

Cost breakdown

Material only · national-average rates
Lumber & Decking$1,949–$2,637
Concrete & Footings$1,809–$2,448
Siding & Trim$1,360–$1,840
Roofing$1,304–$1,764
Doors & Windows$1,114–$1,507
Fasteners & Hardware$257–$347
Soil & Fill$241–$327
Membrane & Fabric$136–$184
Connectors & Brackets$84–$114
Total$8,254–$11,167

Excludes tools, delivery, tax and permit fees. Labor not included — this is a DIY materials estimate.

Shopping list

Every item · grouped by store section

These are affiliate links: we may earn a commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what the calculator recommends — the shopping list comes from your dimensions, not from what pays.

Lumber & Decking

Siding & Trim

Roofing

Doors & Windows

Concrete & Footings

Connectors & Brackets

Fasteners & Hardware

Membrane & Fabric

Soil & Fill

Tools

✓ required · ○ helpful
  • Concrete tools — screed, bull float, edger, groover — or sub out the pour
  • Plate compactor (rental) — the gravel base
  • Circular saw + framing nailer
  • Cordless drill / impact driver
  • Rotary hammer — if anchoring to cured slab
  • Tape, chalk line, framing & speed square
  • 4 ft & 2 ft levels
  • Scaffolding or tall ladders — wall & roof height
  • Truss-lift or extra hands — setting trusses safely
  • Roofing knife & tin snips

Project notes

  • Estimates are a planning and budgeting aid, not engineered drawings. A garage needs a permit, a designed foundation, and stamped trusses almost everywhere — confirm everything with your building department first.
  • The slab is figured at 4" over 4" of compacted base with a thickened edge. Order ready-mix for a pour this size and have enough hands (or a finishing crew) ready before the truck arrives.
  • Stand and brace the walls plumb and straight, then set trusses at 24" on-center with temporary and permanent bracing — truss bracing is what keeps the roof from racking during the build.
  • Dry-in the roof (underlayment + drip edge) the day you sheathe it, and flash every opening. Garage-door and service-door rough openings should match the manufacturer's spec exactly.

About this calculator

How to estimate a garage

Enter a footprint, wall height and door count and you get a full takeoff for a detached, slab-on-grade garage: the concrete and rebar, wall framing and plates, garage-door headers, sheathing and siding, engineered roof trusses, roofing, the overhead and service doors, plus every fastener and connector — with tools, a cost range and a build time.

Choose one to four overhead doors, 8–10 ft walls, gable pitch and siding, and the materials list scales with the structure. Open advanced options for slab thickness, gravel base, a service door, windows and waste. This is a budgeting takeoff — a garage needs a permit and engineered components.

Step by step

How to build a garage

A step-by-step walkthrough to go with your plan above. Follow the product instructions and any local code or permit requirements as you work.

  1. 1

    Permit and site prep

    Pull the permit with your foundation and stamped truss drawings, call 811, then strip topsoil and rough-grade the pad. Everything downstream assumes a permitted, properly located footprint.

  2. 2

    Base and forms

    Lay and compact the gravel base in lifts with a plate compactor, set the perimeter forms dead level and square (check the diagonals), and place the rebar grid on chairs over the vapor barrier.

  3. 3

    Pour and finish the slab

    Pour the ready-mix, screed it to the forms, bull-float, then edge, groove control joints, and trowel to the finish you want. Set the anchor bolts in the wet edge before it sets up.

  4. 4

    Frame the walls

    Build each wall flat on the slab — studs, the big garage-door headers, and openings — then stand it, anchor the PT bottom plate to the bolts, and brace it plumb. Tie the walls together with a double top plate.

  5. 5

    Set the trusses

    Lift the trusses up, set the gable ends first, then fill in at 24 inches on-center. Add the temporary and permanent bracing the truss drawings call for, and tie every truss to the plate with a hurricane tie.

  6. 6

    Sheathe and dry-in the roof

    Sheathe the trusses, run drip edge and underlayment, and shingle from the eave up. Add fascia and vented soffit so the roof breathes.

  7. 7

    Side and install doors

    Sheathe or wrap and side the walls, set the overhead door track and door per the manufacturer's instructions, and hang the service door and windows. Keep rough openings exactly to spec.

  8. 8

    Trim, seal and inspect

    Add corner trim, caulk and flash the openings, and call for your framing and final inspections. Tackle electrical under its own permit once the shell passes.

Equip the job

Recommended gear for this build

Hand-picked categories that match the shopping list above. Links open a current selection so you can compare brands and prices.

These are affiliate links: we may earn a commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what the calculator recommends — the shopping list comes from your dimensions, not from what pays.

Connectors & BracketsGalvanized hurricane / truss tiesRequired to tie trusses to the top plate against uplift — inspectors look for them.
$1–2 ea
Connectors & BracketsAnchor bolt / J-bolt setTies the sill plate to the slab; set them while the concrete is wet.
$2–4 ea
Doors & WindowsSectional overhead garage door kitInsulated steel door with track and springs — the single biggest line item.
$700–1,400
Membrane & Fabric6 mil vapor barrier (poly)Goes under the slab to stop ground moisture wicking up through the concrete.
$60–100/roll
ToolsPlate compactor (rental)Compacts the gravel base so the slab doesn't settle and crack later.
$60–90/day

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Answers

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a permit to build a detached garage?

Almost always, yes. Garages are large permanent structures, so building departments require a permit, a designed foundation, and stamped (engineered) roof trusses, with inspections at the footing, framing and final stages. Adding electrical means an electrical permit too. Treat this planner as a budgeting takeoff and confirm requirements before you build.

How thick should the garage slab be?

A 4-inch slab over compacted gravel handles cars and light trucks for most home garages. Go to 5–6 inches, with a thickened edge and rebar, if you'll park heavy trucks, an RV, or use a lift. The planner figures concrete in cubic yards with a thickened edge so you can order ready-mix — order a touch extra rather than run short mid-pour.

Should I use trusses or stick-frame the roof?

Engineered trusses are faster, stronger and usually required for a clear-span garage roof, and they arrive ready to set at 24 inches on-center. The planner counts trusses by your depth and sizes the rest of the roof from your pitch. Order them from a truss supplier with stamped drawings sized for your span and local snow load.

Can one person build a garage?

Parts of it, but not safely all of it. The slab pour and finishing is time-critical, standing tall walls and especially setting trusses need multiple people or equipment, and roof work is at height. Budget for a small crew or sub out the pour and the roof. The build-time estimate assumes a three-person crew.