Detached garage cost in Oshkosh, WI
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (576 sq ft)
- $31,900 – $64,000
- Per sq ft
- $55 – $110
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +10%
- US $43,500
- Rank of 300 metros
- #34
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a detached garage in the Oshkosh area: $31,900 to $64,000 for 576 sq ft. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint runs 10% higher than the US figure. Carpenters earn a median of $40.59 an hour in the Oshkosh area, 39% above the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 576 sq ft in Oshkosh, WI, standard level
$41,500 to $54,400
About $71.50 to $94 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 57% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $17,600 | $23,000 |
| Labor | $23,700 | $31,100 |
| Permits and fees | $240 | $370 |
| Total | $41,500 | $54,400 |
Cost breakdown for 576 sq ft in Oshkosh, WI
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $13,500 | $20,300 | $27,000 | 42% |
| Labor | $18,300 | $27,400 | $36,500 | 57% |
| Permits and fees | $140 | $300 | $460 | 1% |
| Total | $31,900 | $48,000 | $64,000 | 100% |
Why Oshkosh prices look the way they do
Labor is 57% 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 Oshkosh the blended ratio comes out at 1.27.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Oshkosh 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 92.9: $140 to $460.
Specs and site conditions that change a Oshkosh bid
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.
Is Oshkosh cheap or dear? The local comparison
Of the five closest metros, all are cheaper than Oshkosh. Wausau is the lowest at about $41,900 (midpoint, 576 sq ft), 80 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oshkosh, WIthis page | $31,900 – $64,000 | $48,000 | |
| Appleton, WI20 miles | $29,700 – $59,600 | $44,600 | −7% |
| Green Bay, WI45 miles | $29,200 – $58,600 | $43,900 | −9% |
| Sheboygan, WI50 miles | $29,700 – $59,500 | $44,600 | −7% |
| Wausau, WI80 miles | $27,900 – $56,000 | $41,900 | −13% |
| Madison, WI85 miles | $29,800 – $59,800 | $44,800 | −7% |
| Wisconsin (statewide) | $29,500 – $59,100 | $44,300 | −8% |
| United States | $29,000 – $58,100 | $43,500 | −9% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Oshkosh ranks #34 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Oshkosh is 8% above the Wisconsin figure.
Elsewhere in Wisconsin
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee, WI | 820,780 jobs | $30,200 – $60,500 | $45,300 | −5% |
| Madison, WI | 408,070 jobs | $29,800 – $59,800 | $44,800 | −7% |
| Green Bay, WI | 174,550 jobs | $29,200 – $58,600 | $43,900 | −9% |
| Appleton, WI | 124,230 jobs | $29,700 – $59,600 | $44,600 | −7% |
| Eau Claire, WI | 86,060 jobs | $28,900 – $58,000 | $43,400 | −9% |
| La Crosse, WI | 84,380 jobs | $29,200 – $58,600 | $43,900 | −9% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Oshkosh against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa City, IA | 93,760 jobs | $26,700 – $53,600 | $40,100 | −16% |
| Bremerton, WA | 93,740 jobs | $31,900 – $64,000 | $48,000 | level |
| Billings, MT | 93,800 jobs | $28,900 – $57,900 | $43,400 | −10% |
| Bellingham, WA | 91,390 jobs | $33,400 – $67,000 | $50,200 | +5% |
The best months for detached garage in Oshkosh
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Oshkosh (in the city). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For pouring concrete, the comfortable months in Oshkosh 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.
Oshkosh gets about 33 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 39 inches of snow. The wettest months are May, June and July (4.8 inches in June). Inside the workable window, September and October are the driest, at 3.3 and 2.9 inches. The station averages about 8 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 | 26 | 10 | 1.3 | Cold |
| Feb | 30 | 13 | 1.1 | Cold |
| Mar | 41 | 24 | 1.9 | Cold |
| Apr | 54 | 36 | 3.2 | Cold |
| May | 67 | 48 | 3.9 | Workable |
| Jun | 77 | 59 | 4.8 | Workable |
| Jul | 82 | 63 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Aug | 80 | 61 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Sep | 73 | 53 | 3.3 | Workable |
| Oct | 59 | 41 | 2.9 | Workable |
| Nov | 44 | 29 | 2.0 | Cold |
| Dec | 32 | 18 | 1.6 | Cold |
Pick a size, pick a tier: detached garage pricing in Oshkosh
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Oshkosh. 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 $44,800
Basic shell: slab, framing, siding, a roll-up door
Standard
$41,500 to $54,400
Finished exterior, insulated, electrical and a nicer door
Premium
$51,200 to $64,000
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 – $44,800 | $41,500 – $54,400 | $51,200 – $64,000 |
| 2.5-car (24x30), 720 sq ft | $39,900 – $55,900 | $51,900 – $67,900 | $63,900 – $79,900 |
| 3-car (900 sq ft) | $49,800 – $69,800 | $64,800 – $84,800 | $79,800 – $99,800 |
Who does the work: Oshkosh trade wages
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 Oshkosh the blend is 1.27.
Carpenters (47-2031), 45% of the weighting: a median of $40.59 an hour, 39% above the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $29.01 and $41.48 an hour. About 650 work in the metro. That is 69.3 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 $24.65 an hour, which is 9% above the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $21.00 and $34.81 an hour. BLS counts 560 of them working in the area, 59.7 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 $35.72 an hour, 30% above the US median of $27.41. The middle half of them earn between $27.34 and $44.45 an hour. About 110 work in the metro. That is 11.7 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 $37.06 an hour, which is 22% above the national $30.38. The middle half of them earn between $29.27 and $46.63 an hour. BLS counts 810 of them working in the area, 86.4 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 48.7), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Roofers (47-2181), 10% of the weighting: a median of $28.31 an hour, 6% above the US median of $26.65. The middle half of them earn between $22.93 and $30.44 an hour. About 80 work in the metro. That is 8.5 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 8.7 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (carpenters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $300 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $3,850. That is a swing of roughly 8.1% to 0.6% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Oshkosh-Neenah has 93,750 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 215th 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% | $29.01 | $40.59 | $41.48 | $29.12 | 1.39 | metro |
| Cement masons and concrete finishers (47-2051) | 15% | $27.34 | $35.72 | $44.45 | $27.41 | 1.30 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $21.00 | $24.65 | $34.81 | $22.66 | 1.09 | metro |
| Electricians (47-2111) | 10% | $29.27 | $37.06 | $46.63 | $30.38 | 1.22 | metro |
| Roofers (47-2181) | 10% | $22.93 | $28.31 | $30.44 | $26.65 | 1.06 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.27 | |||||
Planning more than one job in Oshkosh?
Jobs that often go together with detached garage are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Oshkosh wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, home addition comes out highest (+17%) and garage door lowest (+5%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete slab | 400 sq ft | $2,650 – $5,500 | +7% |
| Garage door | 1 door | $770 – $3,850 | +5% |
| Concrete driveway | 600 sq ft | $4,100 – $10,700 | +15% |
| Home addition | 300 sq ft | $44,700 – $90,300 | +17% |
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 $54,400 for Oshkosh, WI is attached.
Detailed detached garage report for Oshkosh, WI, $9
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Detached garage in Oshkosh: your questions
+How much does it cost to build a detached garage in Oshkosh?
For 576 sq ft, expect $31,900 to $64,000 in the Oshkosh area. A standard-spec job lands at $41,500 to $54,400. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for detached garage in Oshkosh?
About $55 to $110 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 Oshkosh or Appleton?
Appleton is 20 miles away. The midpoint for 576 sq ft there is $44,600, which is 7% less than Oshkosh ($48,000). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Oshkosh?
About 57% at the midpoint, or $27,400 out of $48,000. Materials are 42% and permits 1%. Nationally, labor is 50%.
+What would 2.5-car (24x30), 720 sq ft cost in Oshkosh?
$39,900 to $79,900. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does detached garage need a permit in Oshkosh?
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 Oshkosh area (our national range of $150 to $500 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Oshkosh expensive for detached garage compared with the rest of Wisconsin?
Oshkosh is 8% above 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 Oshkosh?
The BLS median is $40.59 an hour in the Oshkosh area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $29.01 to $41.48.
+What do basic and premium detached garage work cost in Oshkosh?
For 576 sq ft, basic work runs $31,900 to $44,800 and premium work $51,200 to $64,000. 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 Oshkosh?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are May through October. September and October 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 Oshkosh
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).