Detached garage cost in Olympia, WA
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (576 sq ft)
- $31,900 – $63,900
- Per sq ft
- $55 – $110
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +10%
- US $43,500
- Rank of 300 metros
- #36
- 1 = most expensive
A detached garage in Olympia, WA usually costs $31,900 to $63,900 for 576 sq ft. That works out to about $55 to $110 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $4,400 more. Carpenters earn a median of $30.41 an hour in the Olympia area, 4% above the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 576 sq ft in Olympia, WA, standard level
$41,500 to $54,300
About $71.50 to $93.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 52% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $19,700 | $25,700 |
| Labor | $21,600 | $28,200 |
| Permits and fees | $260 | $410 |
| Total | $41,500 | $54,300 |
Cost breakdown for 576 sq ft in Olympia, WA
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $15,100 | $22,700 | $30,200 | 47% |
| Labor | $16,600 | $24,900 | $33,200 | 52% |
| Permits and fees | $160 | $340 | $520 | 1% |
| Total | $31,900 | $47,900 | $63,900 | 100% |
Why Olympia prices look the way they do
Labor is 52% of the midpoint bill here, against 50% nationally. The mix of trades behind this job is carpenters (45%), cement masons and concrete finishers (15%), construction laborers (20%), electricians (10%), roofers (10%). We weight each trade's local median wage by that share and compare it with the national median. In Olympia the blended ratio comes out at 1.15.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Olympia is at 105.0 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $21,600 nationally becomes $22,700 here (midpoint, 576 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 103.7: $160 to $520.
Why two Olympia quotes can differ
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.
Cost by quality level and size in Olympia
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Olympia. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from 1-car (12x20), 240 sq ft to 3-car (900 sq ft).
Basic
$31,900 to $44,700
Basic shell: slab, framing, siding, a roll-up door
Standard
$41,500 to $54,300
Finished exterior, insulated, electrical and a nicer door
Premium
$51,100 to $63,900
Insulated and drywalled, heat and cooling, upgraded finishes
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-car (12x20), 240 sq ft | $13,400 – $18,800 | $17,400 – $22,900 | $21,500 – $26,900 |
| 2-car (24x24), 576 sq ft | $31,900 – $44,700 | $41,500 – $54,300 | $51,100 – $63,900 |
| 2.5-car (24x30), 720 sq ft | $39,800 – $55,800 | $51,800 – $67,800 | $63,800 – $79,800 |
| 3-car (900 sq ft) | $49,700 – $69,700 | $64,700 – $84,700 | $79,700 – $99,600 |
Olympia weather and the detached garage calendar
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Olympia Ap (5 miles from the city center). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For pouring concrete, the comfortable months in Olympia are May through October: 6 of 12. Outside them, January, February, March, April, November and December have an average overnight low of 40°F or below.
The 40°F line is a deliberately cautious stand-in. The American Concrete Institute's cold-weather guide (ACI 306R-16) defines cold-weather concreting around an average daily air temperature below 40°F, which is colder than our test of an average overnight low at or below 40°F, so we flag a few extra shoulder months. In cold weather crews may need heated enclosures, insulating blankets or accelerated mixes, and those measures can raise a quote.
Olympia gets about 51 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 4 inches of snow. The wettest months are January, November and December (8.2 inches in November). Inside the workable window, July and August are the driest, at 0.5 and 1.0 inches. The station averages about 7 days a year at 90°F or above.
We do not adjust the estimate by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. It is still worth asking contractors whether an off-peak start date changes their bid.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46 | 33 | 7.8 | Cold |
| Feb | 49 | 32 | 5.1 | Cold |
| Mar | 54 | 35 | 5.7 | Cold |
| Apr | 59 | 38 | 3.7 | Cold |
| May | 66 | 43 | 2.3 | Workable |
| Jun | 71 | 47 | 1.5 | Workable |
| Jul | 78 | 51 | 0.5 | Workable |
| Aug | 78 | 51 | 1.0 | Workable |
| Sep | 72 | 46 | 2.0 | Workable |
| Oct | 60 | 41 | 5.1 | Workable |
| Nov | 51 | 36 | 8.2 | Cold |
| Dec | 45 | 33 | 7.8 | Cold |
What local crews earn in Olympia
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 5 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For Olympia the blend is 1.15.
Carpenters (47-2031), 45% of the weighting: a median of $30.41 an hour, 4% above the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $28.58 and $36.82 an hour. About 800 work in the metro. That is 61.4 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 $25.52 an hour, which is 13% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $21.90 and $33.85 an hour. BLS counts 730 of them working in the area, 56.0 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Cement masons and concrete finishers (47-2051), 15% of the weighting: a median of $36.47 an hour, 33% above the US median of $27.41. The middle half of them earn between $27.97 and $45.34 an hour. About 120 work in the metro. That is 9.2 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 13.3 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
For electricians (47-2111, weighted 10%) the local median is $46.44 an hour, which is 53% above the national $30.38. The middle half of them earn between $31.45 and $58.14 an hour. BLS counts 530 of them working in the area, 40.7 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 48.7), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Roofers (47-2181), 10% of the weighting: a median of $27.84 an hour, 4% above the US median of $26.65. The middle half of them earn between $23.13 and $36.74 an hour. About 260 work in the metro. That is 20.0 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 8.7 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (carpenters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $2,150 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $610. That is a swing of roughly 1.3% to 4.5% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater has 130,300 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 167th by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 45% | $28.58 | $30.41 | $36.82 | $29.12 | 1.04 | metro |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers (47-2051) | 15% | $27.97 | $36.47 | $45.34 | $27.41 | 1.33 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $21.90 | $25.52 | $33.85 | $22.66 | 1.13 | metro |
| Electricians (47-2111) | 10% | $31.45 | $46.44 | $58.14 | $30.38 | 1.53 | metro |
| Roofers (47-2181) | 10% | $23.13 | $27.84 | $36.74 | $26.65 | 1.04 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.15 | |||||
Olympia against nearby metros and the rest of Washington
Same job, same size (576 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Seattle is the priciest of the group at $51,100. Yakima is the cheapest at $47,500.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olympia, WAthis page | $31,900 – $63,900 | $47,900 | |
| Bremerton, WA50 miles | $31,900 – $64,000 | $48,000 | level |
| Seattle, WA60 miles | $34,000 – $68,200 | $51,100 | +7% |
| Portland, OR95 miles | $33,300 – $66,900 | $50,100 | +5% |
| Yakima, WA105 miles | $31,600 – $63,400 | $47,500 | −1% |
| Bellingham, WA140 miles | $33,400 – $67,000 | $50,200 | +5% |
| Washington (statewide) | $33,300 – $66,900 | $50,100 | +5% |
| United States | $29,000 – $58,100 | $43,500 | −9% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Olympia ranks #36 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Olympia is 4% below the Washington figure.
Elsewhere in Washington
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle, WA | 2,086,210 jobs | $34,000 – $68,200 | $51,100 | +7% |
| Spokane, WA | 255,820 jobs | $31,200 – $62,600 | $46,900 | −2% |
| Kennewick, WA | 129,490 jobs | $32,300 – $64,700 | $48,500 | +1% |
| Yakima, WA | 97,010 jobs | $31,600 – $63,400 | $47,500 | −1% |
| Bremerton, WA | 93,740 jobs | $31,900 – $64,000 | $48,000 | level |
| Bellingham, WA | 91,390 jobs | $33,400 – $67,000 | $50,200 | +5% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Olympia against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville, NC | 131,430 jobs | $25,700 – $51,700 | $38,700 | −19% |
| Waco, TX | 129,860 jobs | $25,100 – $50,300 | $37,700 | −21% |
| South Bend, IN | 131,670 jobs | $29,000 – $58,100 | $43,600 | −9% |
| Kennewick, WA | 129,490 jobs | $32,300 – $64,700 | $48,500 | +1% |
What nearby projects cost in Olympia
Jobs that often go together with detached garage are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Olympia wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, concrete driveway comes out highest (+21%) and garage door lowest (+9%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,850 – $5,900 | +15% |
| Garage door | 1 door | $770 – $4,000 | +9% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $4,350 – $11,200 | +21% |
| Home addition | 300 sq ft | $42,800 – $86,500 | +12% |
Get 3 local quotes
Tell us about the job and we will try to connect you with up to three local contractors for written quotes. It is free and you are under no obligation to hire. Your estimate of $41,500 to $54,300 for Olympia, WA is attached.
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Detached garage in Olympia: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a detached garage in Olympia?
For 576 sq ft, expect $31,900 to $63,900 in the Olympia area. A standard-spec job lands at $41,500 to $54,300. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for detached garage in Olympia?
About $55 to $110 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $160 to $520 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $50 to $100.
+Is detached garage cheaper in Olympia or Bremerton?
Bremerton is 50 miles away. The midpoint for 576 sq ft there is $48,000, which is 0% more than Olympia ($47,900). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Olympia?
About 52% at the midpoint, or $24,900 out of $47,900. Materials are 47% and permits 1%. Nationally, labor is 50%.
+What would 2.5-car (24x30), 720 sq ft cost in Olympia?
$39,800 to $79,800. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does detached garage need a permit in Olympia?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $160 to $520 for fees in the Olympia area (our national range of $150 to $500 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Olympia expensive for detached garage compared with the rest of Washington?
Olympia is 4% below the Washington statewide estimate ($50,100 at the midpoint). We cover 7 metros in Washington; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Olympia?
The BLS median is $30.41 an hour in the Olympia area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $28.58 to $36.82.
+What do basic and premium detached garage work cost in Olympia?
For 576 sq ft, basic work runs $31,900 to $44,700 and premium work $51,100 to $63,900. Basic means: basic shell: slab, framing, siding, a roll-up door. Premium means: insulated and drywalled, heat and cooling, upgraded finishes.
+When is the best time to build a detached garage in Olympia?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are May through October. July and August are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
Detached garage near Olympia
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).