Detached garage cost in Montana
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (576 sq ft)
- $28,900 – $58,000
- Per sq ft
- $50 – $100
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- Level
- US $43,500
- Metros covered
- 3
Montana prices for detached garage: $28,900 to $58,000 for 576 sq ft, or $50 to $100 per sq ft without the permit. The state midpoint is 0% below the national one. Local wages for carpenters are $28.28 an hour.
Inside Montana, the metros we cover range from $43,400 (Billings) to $45,000 (Bozeman) 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 Montana (statewide), standard level
$37,700 to $49,300
About $65 to $85 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 52% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $18,000 | $23,500 |
| Labor | $19,400 | $25,400 |
| Permits and fees | $240 | $370 |
| Total | $37,700 | $49,300 |
Cost breakdown for 576 sq ft in Montana
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $13,800 | $20,700 | $27,600 | 48% |
| Labor | $15,000 | $22,400 | $29,900 | 52% |
| Permits and fees | $140 | $310 | $470 | 1% |
| Total | $28,900 | $43,500 | $58,000 | 100% |
Basic, standard or premium: Montana prices
Bands overlap on purpose, since a good standard job can cost as much as a light premium one. Below are the three bands for the default size, then a grid from 1-car (12x20), 240 sq ft to 3-car (900 sq ft).
Basic
$28,900 to $40,600
Basic shell: slab, framing, siding, a roll-up door
Standard
$37,700 to $49,300
Finished exterior, insulated, electrical and a nicer door
Premium
$46,400 to $58,000
Insulated and drywalled, heat and cooling, upgraded finishes
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-car (12x20), 240 sq ft | $12,100 – $17,100 | $15,800 – $20,800 | $19,500 – $24,500 |
| 2-car (24x24), 576 sq ft | $28,900 – $40,600 | $37,700 – $49,300 | $46,400 – $58,000 |
| 2.5-car (24x30), 720 sq ft | $36,100 – $50,600 | $47,000 – $61,500 | $57,900 – $72,400 |
| 3-car (900 sq ft) | $45,100 – $63,200 | $58,700 – $76,800 | $72,300 – $90,400 |
Why two Montana quotes can differ
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).
Other Montana jobs that often go with detached garage
Each project weights the trades differently, so Montana's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, concrete driveway is +3% and garage door −2%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,450 – $5,200 | level |
| Garage door | 1 door | $690 – $3,600 | −2% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,700 – $9,450 | +3% |
| Home addition | 300 sq ft | $38,700 – $78,400 | +2% |
Detached garage cost by metro in Montana
1 of the 3 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $43,500, and the top-to-bottom gap is 4%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bozeman, MT | $29,900 – $60,100 | $45,000 | +3% |
| Missoula, MT | $28,900 – $58,000 | $43,400 | level |
| Billings, MT | $28,900 – $57,900 | $43,400 | level |
Weather windows across Montana
Weather decides when pouring concrete can happen, and Montana is not uniform. The table uses NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals from the weather station nearest each metro we cover, and counts the months that are neither cold nor hot enough to complicate the job.
Billings has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in Montana at 5 months (May through September); Missoula has the shortest at 4 (June through September). Rainfall runs from 14 inches a year in Missoula to 20 inches in Bozeman.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billings | 18 | 87 | 14 | 5: May through September |
| Bozeman | 15 | 82 | 20 | 4: June through September |
| Missoula | 18 | 85 | 14 | 4: June through September |
Montana labor market for detached garage
Montana's labor line is priced from 5 trades, each compared with its US median wage. After weighting by each trade's share of the work, the state comes out at 1.04 times the national level.
Carpenters (47-2031), 45% of the weighting: a median of $28.28 an hour, in line with the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $23.84 and $32.47 an hour. About 4,030 work in the state. That is 78.8 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 20%) the local median is $23.96 an hour, which is 6% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $20.80 and $28.24 an hour. BLS counts 4,590 of them working in the state, 89.7 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Cement masons and concrete finishers (47-2051), 15% of the weighting: a median of $29.63 an hour, 8% above the US median of $27.41. The middle half of them earn between $26.07 and $31.20 an hour. About 780 work in the state. That is 15.2 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 13.3 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
For electricians (47-2111, weighted 10%) the local median is $36.90 an hour, which is 21% above the national $30.38. The middle half of them earn between $29.04 and $39.14 an hour. BLS counts 2,750 of them working in the state, 53.8 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 48.7), so the local bench is about average.
Roofers (47-2181), 10% of the weighting: a median of $28.38 an hour, 6% above the US median of $26.65. The middle half of them earn between $23.17 and $31.09 an hour. About 370 work in the state. That is 7.2 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 8.7 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for carpenters ($32.47 an hour) would add about $1,400 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($23.84) would take off about $1,500. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 511,580 jobs across Montana (May 2025), which is 0.3% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 45% | $23.84 | $28.28 | $32.47 | $29.12 | 0.97 | state |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers (47-2051) | 15% | $26.07 | $29.63 | $31.20 | $27.41 | 1.08 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $20.80 | $23.96 | $28.24 | $22.66 | 1.06 | state |
| Electricians (47-2111) | 10% | $29.04 | $36.90 | $39.14 | $30.38 | 1.21 | state |
| Roofers (47-2181) | 10% | $23.17 | $28.38 | $31.09 | $26.65 | 1.06 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.04 | |||||
Montana versus the states around it
Montana ranks 24 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. Montana sits at $43,500. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho | 270 miles away | $27,500 – $55,200 | $41,400 | −5% |
| Utah | 400 miles away | $27,300 – $54,800 | $41,000 | −6% |
| Wyoming | 460 miles away | $27,900 – $56,000 | $41,900 | −4% |
| Washington | 500 miles away | $33,300 – $66,900 | $50,100 | +15% |
| Colorado | 550 miles away | $29,100 – $58,400 | $43,700 | +1% |
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Detached garage in Montana: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a detached garage in Montana?
$28,900 to $58,000 for 576 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Montana can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Montana is cheapest for detached garage?
Billings at about $43,400 (midpoint, 576 sq ft). The priciest is Bozeman at $45,000.
+Is detached garage cheaper in Montana than the US average?
It is 0% cheaper: $43,500 against $43,500 for 576 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Montana?
About 52% ($22,400). Materials are 48%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.04x the national wage level.
+What do carpenters earn in Montana?
The BLS statewide median is $28.28 an hour, against $29.12 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.84 to $32.47.
+Where does Montana rank for detached garage costs?
24th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $43,500 for 576 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium detached garage work cost in Montana?
For 576 sq ft, basic work runs $28,900 to $40,600 and premium work $46,400 to $58,000. 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 Montana?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Montana metros we cover, Billings has the most comfortable months (5 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 Montana
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).