Detached garage cost in Illinois
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (576 sq ft)
- $34,500 – $69,200
- Per sq ft
- $59.50 – $119
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +19%
- US $43,500
- Metros covered
- 6
What does it cost to build a detached garage in Illinois? Plan on $34,500 to $69,200 for 576 sq ft. Wages (1.35x the US blend), materials (price index 103.8) and permit costs (100.0) put the state above the national midpoint by 19%.
Inside Illinois, the metros we cover range from $46,700 (Champaign) to $53,300 (Chicago) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
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Estimated cost for 576 sq ft in Illinois (statewide), standard level
$44,900 to $58,800
About $77.50 to $101 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 56% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $19,400 | $25,400 |
| Labor | $25,200 | $33,000 |
| Permits and fees | $250 | $390 |
| Total | $44,900 | $58,800 |
Cost breakdown for 576 sq ft in Illinois
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $15,000 | $22,400 | $29,900 | 43% |
| Labor | $19,400 | $29,100 | $38,800 | 56% |
| Permits and fees | $150 | $320 | $500 | 1% |
| Total | $34,500 | $51,900 | $69,200 | 100% |
Which Illinois city is cheapest for detached garage?
1 of the 6 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $51,900, and the top-to-bottom gap is 14%. Each row prices the default size with that metro's own BLS wages and BEA price levels, so the gap between rows is real local variation rather than a flat markup.
| Metro | Range (576 sq ft) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | $35,500 – $71,100 | $53,300 | +3% |
| Peoria, IL | $32,100 – $64,400 | $48,200 | −7% |
| Springfield, IL | $32,000 – $64,100 | $48,000 | −7% |
| Rockford, IL | $31,600 – $63,500 | $47,600 | −8% |
| Bloomington, IL | $31,600 – $63,300 | $47,400 | −9% |
| Champaign, IL | $31,100 – $62,400 | $46,700 | −10% |
Other Illinois jobs that often go with detached garage
The table prices neighboring jobs at their usual sizes using statewide Illinois wages and prices. Against national midpoints, concrete driveway comes out highest (+26%) and garage door lowest (+12%), because each job leans on different trades.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,950 – $6,050 | +17% |
| Garage door | 1 door | $810 – $4,100 | +12% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $4,500 – $11,700 | +26% |
| Home addition | 300 sq ft | $47,400 – $95,800 | +25% |
Detached garage: what moves the price in Illinois
Size and finish level
HomeGuide puts a 2-car detached garage at $20,000-$57,600, with the spread driven by how finished it is.
Foundation
A slab is cheapest. A frost-depth foundation in cold states costs more.
Garage apartments
A garage with living space is a different project: HomeGuide puts them at $80,000-$300,000.
Permits
You need a permit for a detached garage: $150-$500 on average, with separate electrical or plumbing permits if those are involved.
Electrical
Running power to a detached garage costs $1,000-$3,800 for a standard build and $5,000 or more for a long trench or amperage upgrade (Angi, Trusscore).
Quality levels and sizes in Illinois
The cited range is cut into three overlapping bands (basic, standard and premium) and scaled to statewide Illinois wages and prices. The grid prices the same bands at 4 common sizes.
Basic
$34,500 to $48,400
Basic shell: slab, framing, siding, a roll-up door
Standard
$44,900 to $58,800
Finished exterior, insulated, electrical and a nicer door
Premium
$55,300 to $69,200
Insulated and drywalled, heat and cooling, upgraded finishes
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-car (12x20), 240 sq ft | $14,500 – $20,300 | $18,900 – $24,700 | $23,300 – $29,100 |
| 2-car (24x24), 576 sq ft | $34,500 – $48,400 | $44,900 – $58,800 | $55,300 – $69,200 |
| 2.5-car (24x30), 720 sq ft | $43,100 – $60,400 | $56,100 – $73,400 | $69,100 – $86,400 |
| 3-car (900 sq ft) | $53,800 – $75,500 | $70,100 – $91,700 | $86,300 – $108,000 |
How Illinois compares with nearby states
Illinois ranks 2 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for detached garage, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Hawaii at $56,300 and the cheapest Arkansas at $37,800, both for 576 sq ft at the midpoint. Illinois sits at $51,900. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin | 120 miles away | $29,500 – $59,100 | $44,300 | −15% |
| Indiana | 140 miles away | $29,100 – $58,300 | $43,700 | −16% |
| Michigan | 220 miles away | $29,200 – $58,500 | $43,800 | −16% |
| Iowa | 240 miles away | $27,600 – $55,400 | $41,500 | −20% |
| Kentucky | 280 miles away | $26,900 – $53,900 | $40,400 | −22% |
When Illinois weather lets you build
Season matters for detached garage. For each Illinois metro below we took NOAA's 1991-2020 monthly normals from the nearest suitable station and counted comfortable months for pouring concrete.
Chicago has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in Illinois at 7 months (April through October); Bloomington has the shortest at 6 (May through October). Rainfall runs from 34 inches a year in Chicago to 40 inches in Springfield.
We do not adjust prices by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. Timing is still worth raising when you collect bids.
| Metro | Jan avg low °F | Jul avg high °F | Precip (in/yr) | Comfortable months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | 19 | 85 | 34 | 7: April through October |
| Peoria | 18 | 86 | 38 | 7: April through October |
| Rockford | 15 | 84 | 37 | 6: May through October |
| Champaign | 18 | 85 | 37 | 7: April through October |
| Springfield | 19 | 86 | 40 | 7: April through October |
| Bloomington | 16 | 86 | 39 | 6: May through October |
What carpenters and the other trades earn in Illinois
Statewide wages come from BLS's state-level estimates, which blend big cities with small towns and rural areas. 5 trades drive the labor line for this job, and the weighted ratio against the national wage level is 1.35 for Illinois.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 45%) the local median is $37.98 an hour, which is 30% above the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $27.00 and $51.42 an hour. BLS counts 19,570 of them working in the state, 32.1 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 20% of the weighting: a median of $29.18 an hour, 29% above the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.14 and $45.79 an hour. About 35,940 work in the state. That is 58.9 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For cement masons and concrete finishers (47-2051, weighted 15%) the local median is $37.58 an hour, which is 37% above the national $27.41. The middle half of them earn between $27.82 and $47.56 an hour. BLS counts 5,890 of them working in the state, 9.7 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 13.3), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Electricians (47-2111), 10% of the weighting: a median of $47.87 an hour, 58% above the US median of $30.38. The middle half of them earn between $35.35 and $56.47 an hour. About 23,120 work in the state. That is 37.9 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 48.7 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For roofers (47-2181, weighted 10%) the local median is $37.45 an hour, which is 41% above the national $26.65. The middle half of them earn between $27.81 and $49.54 an hour. BLS counts 5,300 of them working in the state, 8.7 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 8.7), so the local bench is about average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for carpenters ($51.42 an hour) would add about $4,500 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($27.00) would take off about $3,650. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 6,098,130 jobs across Illinois (May 2025), which is 3.9% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 45% | $27.00 | $37.98 | $51.42 | $29.12 | 1.30 | state |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers (47-2051) | 15% | $27.82 | $37.58 | $47.56 | $27.41 | 1.37 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $22.14 | $29.18 | $45.79 | $22.66 | 1.29 | state |
| Electricians (47-2111) | 10% | $35.35 | $47.87 | $56.47 | $30.38 | 1.58 | state |
| Roofers (47-2181) | 10% | $27.81 | $37.45 | $49.54 | $26.65 | 1.41 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.35 | |||||
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Detached garage in Illinois: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a detached garage in Illinois?
$34,500 to $69,200 for 576 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Illinois can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Illinois is cheapest for detached garage?
Champaign at about $46,700 (midpoint, 576 sq ft). The priciest is Chicago at $53,300.
+Is detached garage cheaper in Illinois than the US average?
It is 19% more expensive: $51,900 against $43,500 for 576 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Illinois?
About 56% ($29,100). Materials are 43%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.35x the national wage level.
+What do carpenters earn in Illinois?
The BLS statewide median is $37.98 an hour, against $29.12 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $27.00 to $51.42.
+Where does Illinois rank for detached garage costs?
2nd most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $51,900 for 576 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium detached garage work cost in Illinois?
For 576 sq ft, basic work runs $34,500 to $48,400 and premium work $55,300 to $69,200. Basic means: basic shell: slab, framing, siding, a roll-up door. Premium means: insulated and drywalled, heat and cooling, upgraded finishes.
+Does the season matter for detached garage in Illinois?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Illinois metros we cover, Chicago has the most comfortable months (7 of 12) based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals. Our prices do not change by month, so ask contractors whether they charge more or less in busy and slow seasons.
Detached garage by city in Illinois
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does a Detached Garage Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- Trusscore: How Much Does It Cost to Build a Garage? 2026 Price Guide (accessed November 4, 2026)
- Angi: How Much Does It Cost to Build a Detached Garage? [2026 Data] (accessed November 4, 2026)
- HomeGuide: 2026 Building Permit Costs | Fees & Cost Calculator (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020
Note on derived figures: Materials = installed range / 1.6, because Angi puts professional labor at roughly an additional 60% of the materials cost (materials about 62.5% of the total).