Detached garage cost in La Crosse, WI
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (576 sq ft)
- $29,200 – $58,600
- Per sq ft
- $50.50 – $101
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +1%
- US $43,500
- Rank of 300 metros
- #98
- 1 = most expensive
A detached garage in La Crosse, WI usually costs $29,200 to $58,600 for 576 sq ft. That works out to about $50.50 to $101 per sq ft before permits. That is within a few percent of the national midpoint, so there is little local premium or discount. Carpenters earn a median of $28.34 an hour in the La Crosse area, 3% below the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 576 sq ft in La Crosse, WI, standard level
$38,000 to $49,800
About $65.50 to $86 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 53% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $17,600 | $23,000 |
| Labor | $20,200 | $26,400 |
| Permits and fees | $230 | $360 |
| Total | $38,000 | $49,800 |
Cost breakdown for 576 sq ft in La Crosse, WI
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $13,500 | $20,300 | $27,000 | 46% |
| Labor | $15,500 | $23,300 | $31,100 | 53% |
| Permits and fees | $140 | $300 | $460 | 1% |
| Total | $29,200 | $43,900 | $58,600 | 100% |
Why La Crosse prices look the way they do
Labor is 53% 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 La Crosse the blended ratio comes out at 1.08.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. La Crosse is at 93.8 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $21,600 nationally becomes $20,300 here (midpoint, 576 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 91.8: $140 to $460.
Data note: 10% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in La Crosse. The wage table below marks each row.
La Crosse 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, La Crosse Wfo (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 La Crosse are May through September: 5 of 12. Outside them, January, February, March, April, October, 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.
La Crosse gets about 37 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 54 inches of snow. The wettest months are May, June and August (5.3 inches in June). Inside the workable window, July and September are the driest, at 4.3 and 4.0 inches. The station averages about 3 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 | 24 | 8 | 1.1 | Cold |
| Feb | 29 | 13 | 1.1 | Cold |
| Mar | 41 | 24 | 1.9 | Cold |
| Apr | 55 | 36 | 4.0 | Cold |
| May | 67 | 48 | 4.9 | Workable |
| Jun | 76 | 58 | 5.3 | Workable |
| Jul | 80 | 62 | 4.3 | Workable |
| Aug | 78 | 60 | 4.5 | Workable |
| Sep | 71 | 52 | 4.0 | Workable |
| Oct | 58 | 40 | 2.9 | Cold |
| Nov | 42 | 28 | 1.9 | Cold |
| Dec | 29 | 15 | 1.5 | Cold |
What local crews earn in La Crosse
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 La Crosse the blend is 1.08.
Carpenters (47-2031), 45% of the weighting: a median of $28.34 an hour, in line with the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $23.93 and $36.95 an hour. About 450 work in the metro. That is 53.3 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 $28.32 an hour, which is 25% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $22.49 and $35.41 an hour. BLS counts 610 of them working in the area, 72.3 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 $29.26 an hour, 7% above the US median of $27.41. The middle half of them earn between $25.00 and $33.93 an hour. About 120 work in the metro. That is 14.2 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 $37.87 an hour, which is 25% above the national $30.38. The middle half of them earn between $29.32 and $45.60 an hour. BLS counts 320 of them working in the area, 37.9 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 48.7), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Roofers (47-2181) carry 10% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the La Crosse metro, so we used the Wisconsin statewide median: $28.54 an hour against $26.65 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $23.01 and $31.41 an hour.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (carpenters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $2,850 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $1,450. That is a swing of roughly 3.4% to 6.5% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
La Crosse-Onalaska has 84,380 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 228th 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% | $23.93 | $28.34 | $36.95 | $29.12 | 0.97 | metro |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers (47-2051) | 15% | $25.00 | $29.26 | $33.93 | $27.41 | 1.07 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $22.49 | $28.32 | $35.41 | $22.66 | 1.25 | metro |
| Electricians (47-2111) | 10% | $29.32 | $37.87 | $45.60 | $30.38 | 1.25 | metro |
| Roofers (47-2181) | 10% | $23.01 | $28.54 | $31.41 | $26.65 | 1.07 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 1.08 | |||||
Why two La Crosse quotes can differ
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).
How La Crosse compares
Of the five closest metros, 3 are cheaper than La Crosse. Waterloo is the lowest at about $41,500 (midpoint, 576 sq ft), 105 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Crosse, WIthis page | $29,200 – $58,600 | $43,900 | |
| Rochester, MN65 miles | $30,500 – $61,100 | $45,800 | +4% |
| Dubuque, IA85 miles | $27,900 – $56,000 | $42,000 | −4% |
| Eau Claire, WI85 miles | $28,900 – $58,000 | $43,400 | −1% |
| Madison, WI85 miles | $29,800 – $59,800 | $44,800 | +2% |
| Waterloo, IA105 miles | $27,600 – $55,400 | $41,500 | −5% |
| Wisconsin (statewide) | $29,500 – $59,100 | $44,300 | +1% |
| United States | $29,000 – $58,100 | $43,500 | −1% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, La Crosse ranks #98 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, La Crosse is 1% below the Wisconsin figure.
Elsewhere in Wisconsin
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee, WI | 820,780 jobs | $30,200 – $60,500 | $45,300 | +3% |
| Madison, WI | 408,070 jobs | $29,800 – $59,800 | $44,800 | +2% |
| Green Bay, WI | 174,550 jobs | $29,200 – $58,600 | $43,900 | level |
| Appleton, WI | 124,230 jobs | $29,700 – $59,600 | $44,600 | +2% |
| Oshkosh, WI | 93,750 jobs | $31,900 – $64,000 | $48,000 | +9% |
| Eau Claire, WI | 86,060 jobs | $28,900 – $58,000 | $43,400 | −1% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is La Crosse against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson, TN | 84,530 jobs | $26,100 – $52,300 | $39,200 | −11% |
| Waterloo, IA | 84,260 jobs | $27,600 – $55,400 | $41,500 | −5% |
| Eau Claire, WI | 86,060 jobs | $28,900 – $58,000 | $43,400 | −1% |
| Houma, LA | 83,440 jobs | $25,500 – $51,100 | $38,300 | −13% |
Planning more than one job in La Crosse?
Jobs that often go together with detached garage are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same La Crosse wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, concrete driveway comes out highest (+7%) and garage door lowest (−3%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,500 – $5,250 | +2% |
| Garage door | 1 door | $690 – $3,600 | −3% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $3,850 – $9,850 | +7% |
| Home addition | 300 sq ft | $38,400 – $77,800 | +1% |
Cost by quality level and size in La Crosse
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to La Crosse. 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
$29,200 to $40,900
Basic shell: slab, framing, siding, a roll-up door
Standard
$38,000 to $49,800
Finished exterior, insulated, electrical and a nicer door
Premium
$46,800 to $58,600
Insulated and drywalled, heat and cooling, upgraded finishes
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-car (12x20), 240 sq ft | $12,200 – $17,200 | $16,000 – $20,900 | $19,700 – $24,700 |
| 2-car (24x24), 576 sq ft | $29,200 – $40,900 | $38,000 – $49,800 | $46,800 – $58,600 |
| 2.5-car (24x30), 720 sq ft | $36,500 – $51,100 | $47,400 – $62,100 | $58,400 – $73,100 |
| 3-car (900 sq ft) | $45,500 – $63,800 | $59,300 – $77,500 | $73,000 – $91,300 |
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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 $38,000 to $49,800 for La Crosse, WI is attached.
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Detached garage in La Crosse: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a detached garage in La Crosse?
For 576 sq ft, expect $29,200 to $58,600 in the La Crosse area. A standard-spec job lands at $38,000 to $49,800. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for detached garage in La Crosse?
About $50.50 to $101 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $140 to $460 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $50 to $100.
+Is detached garage cheaper in La Crosse or Rochester?
Rochester is 65 miles away. The midpoint for 576 sq ft there is $45,800, which is 4% more than La Crosse ($43,900). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in La Crosse?
About 53% at the midpoint, or $23,300 out of $43,900. Materials are 46% and permits 1%. Nationally, labor is 50%.
+What would 2.5-car (24x30), 720 sq ft cost in La Crosse?
$36,500 to $73,100. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does detached garage need a permit in La Crosse?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $140 to $460 for fees in the La Crosse area (our national range of $150 to $500 scaled by the local price level).
+Is La Crosse expensive for detached garage compared with the rest of Wisconsin?
La Crosse is 1% below the Wisconsin statewide estimate ($44,300 at the midpoint). We cover 12 metros in Wisconsin; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in La Crosse?
The BLS median is $28.34 an hour in the La Crosse area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $23.93 to $36.95.
+What do basic and premium detached garage work cost in La Crosse?
For 576 sq ft, basic work runs $29,200 to $40,900 and premium work $46,800 to $58,600. 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 La Crosse?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are May through September. July and September 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 La Crosse
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).