Detached garage cost in Washington
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (576 sq ft)
- $33,300 – $66,900
- Per sq ft
- $57.50 – $115
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +15%
- US $43,500
- Metros covered
- 7
Across Washington, a detached garage costs about $33,300 to $66,900 for 576 sq ft. Statewide, that midpoint is 15% above the US figure of $43,500. Carpenters earn a median $35.67 an hour in Washington (US: $29.12).
Inside Washington, the metros we cover range from $46,900 (Spokane) to $51,100 (Seattle) 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 Washington (statewide), standard level
$43,400 to $56,800
About $75 to $98 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 54% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $19,500 | $25,500 |
| Labor | $23,600 | $30,800 |
| Permits and fees | $270 | $420 |
| Total | $43,400 | $56,800 |
Cost breakdown for 576 sq ft in Washington
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $15,000 | $22,500 | $30,100 | 45% |
| Labor | $18,100 | $27,200 | $36,300 | 54% |
| Permits and fees | $160 | $350 | $540 | 1% |
| Total | $33,300 | $50,100 | $66,900 | 100% |
Basic, standard or premium: Washington 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
$33,300 to $46,800
Basic shell: slab, framing, siding, a roll-up door
Standard
$43,400 to $56,800
Finished exterior, insulated, electrical and a nicer door
Premium
$53,500 to $66,900
Insulated and drywalled, heat and cooling, upgraded finishes
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-car (12x20), 240 sq ft | $14,000 – $19,700 | $18,200 – $23,900 | $22,500 – $28,200 |
| 2-car (24x24), 576 sq ft | $33,300 – $46,800 | $43,400 – $56,800 | $53,500 – $66,900 |
| 2.5-car (24x30), 720 sq ft | $41,600 – $58,400 | $54,200 – $70,900 | $66,700 – $83,500 |
| 3-car (900 sq ft) | $52,000 – $72,900 | $67,700 – $88,500 | $83,300 – $104,000 |
Why two Washington 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).
Detached garage cost by metro in Washington
1 of the 7 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $50,100, and the top-to-bottom gap is 9%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle, WA | $34,000 – $68,200 | $51,100 | +2% |
| Bellingham, WA | $33,400 – $67,000 | $50,200 | level |
| Kennewick, WA | $32,300 – $64,700 | $48,500 | −3% |
| Bremerton, WA | $31,900 – $64,000 | $48,000 | −4% |
| Olympia, WA | $31,900 – $63,900 | $47,900 | −4% |
| Yakima, WA | $31,600 – $63,400 | $47,500 | −5% |
| Spokane, WA | $31,200 – $62,600 | $46,900 | −6% |
Washington against its neighbors
Washington ranks 4 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. Washington sits at $50,100. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | 170 miles away | $31,600 – $63,400 | $47,500 | −5% |
| Idaho | 380 miles away | $27,500 – $55,200 | $41,400 | −17% |
| Montana | 500 miles away | $28,900 – $58,000 | $43,500 | −13% |
| Utah | 650 miles away | $27,300 – $54,800 | $41,000 | −18% |
| Nevada | 780 miles away | $29,000 – $58,200 | $43,600 | −13% |
What carpenters and the other trades earn in Washington
Washington'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 1.26 times the national level.
Carpenters (47-2031), 45% of the weighting: a median of $35.67 an hour, 22% above the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $29.15 and $44.55 an hour. About 26,960 work in the state. That is 75.9 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 $27.75 an hour, which is 22% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.56 and $34.69 an hour. BLS counts 25,060 of them working in the state, 70.6 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is about average.
Cement masons and concrete finishers (47-2051), 15% of the weighting: a median of $37.27 an hour, 36% above the US median of $27.41. The middle half of them earn between $28.31 and $47.25 an hour. About 4,440 work in the state. That is 12.5 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 $45.78 an hour, which is 51% above the national $30.38. The middle half of them earn between $32.04 and $58.43 an hour. BLS counts 19,380 of them working in the state, 54.6 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 $29.16 an hour, 9% above the US median of $26.65. The middle half of them earn between $25.15 and $38.21 an hour. About 5,890 work in the state. That is 16.6 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 8.7 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for carpenters ($44.55 an hour) would add about $2,950 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($29.15) would take off about $2,200. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 3,550,970 jobs across Washington (May 2025), which is 2.3% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 45% | $29.15 | $35.67 | $44.55 | $29.12 | 1.22 | state |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers (47-2051) | 15% | $28.31 | $37.27 | $47.25 | $27.41 | 1.36 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $22.56 | $27.75 | $34.69 | $22.66 | 1.22 | state |
| Electricians (47-2111) | 10% | $32.04 | $45.78 | $58.43 | $30.38 | 1.51 | state |
| Roofers (47-2181) | 10% | $25.15 | $29.16 | $38.21 | $26.65 | 1.09 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.26 | |||||
If you are planning more than one job in Washington
Each project weights the trades differently, so Washington's wage level does not push every price by the same amount. Compared with the US midpoint, concrete driveway is +22% and garage door +11%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,850 – $5,950 | +16% |
| Garage door | 1 door | $800 – $4,100 | +11% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $4,400 – $11,300 | +22% |
| Home addition | 300 sq ft | $45,200 – $91,400 | +19% |
When Washington weather lets you build
Weather decides when pouring concrete can happen, and Washington 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.
Seattle has the longest comfortable season of the metros we cover in Washington at 8 months (April through November); Kennewick has the shortest at 3 (May through June and September). Rainfall runs from 8 inches a year in Kennewick to 57 inches in Bremerton.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle | 37 | 77 | 38 | 8: April through November |
| Spokane | 26 | 87 | 17 | 5: May through September |
| Olympia | 33 | 78 | 51 | 6: May through October |
| Kennewick | 28 | 93 | 8 | 3: May through June and September |
| Yakima | 24 | 90 | 8 | 4: May through June and August through September |
| Bremerton | 36 | 77 | 57 | 7: April through October |
| Bellingham | 34 | 73 | 35 | 7: April through October |
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Multi-page report for Washington: low, typical and high cost, a line-item breakdown of materials and labor by trade, permit notes, the best months to schedule, a quote comparison sheet, red flags, questions for contractors, checklists and every source. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Detached garage in Washington: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a detached garage in Washington?
$33,300 to $66,900 for 576 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside Washington can sit above or below that.
+Which city in Washington is cheapest for detached garage?
Spokane at about $46,900 (midpoint, 576 sq ft). The priciest is Seattle at $51,100.
+Is detached garage cheaper in Washington than the US average?
It is 15% more expensive: $50,100 against $43,500 for 576 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in Washington?
About 54% ($27,200). Materials are 45%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 1.26x the national wage level.
+What do carpenters earn in Washington?
The BLS statewide median is $35.67 an hour, against $29.12 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $29.15 to $44.55.
+Where does Washington rank for detached garage costs?
4th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $50,100 for 576 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium detached garage work cost in Washington?
For 576 sq ft, basic work runs $33,300 to $46,800 and premium work $53,500 to $66,900. 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 Washington?
Yes where winters or summers are hard. Of the Washington metros we cover, Seattle has the most comfortable months (8 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 Washington
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).