Cost to Build a Garage in Indianapolis

The average cost to build a garage in Indianapolis is $19,807, and most projects total between $14,642 and $25,833. Your cost will depend mostly on the size of the garage and the type of garage you’re building. Opting for higher-end materials that can insulate against the extreme summer and winter temperatures and stand up to the above-average rainfall can drive up costs, but may be worthwhile.

Garage Building Cost Factors

Some homeowners in Indianapolis, Indiana, pay as little as $12,000 to build a garage, and on the other end of the pricing spectrum, some face prices totaling up to $30,000. The square footage of the garage and whether you’re building an attached or detached garage mostly determine where in that range your total falls, but material choices, permits, and labor will all play important roles, as well.

Size

You'll pay an average of $34 per square foot on average between labor and materials when working with a professional. However, you'll find prices as low as $20 per square foot for simple, attached garages and up to $81 per square foot for detached, high-end garages with all the bells and whistles.

Most homes in Indianapolis that have garages have two-car garages, and the average garage size in the area is 24 feet by 24 feet. You can go smaller than this for a one-car or larger for a three-car, but your price will scale based on the square footage. We’ll include some costs for common garage dimensions below for reference.

Materials

The materials you choose will affect your costs, as well, and they can create swings of thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars in some cases. The primary construction materials for the foundation and framing are standard, but you can choose from different materials for roofing, siding, window frames, and more. Choosing higher-quality materials will push your costs closer to $25,833, while going simple and affordable could bring the total closer to $14,642.

The exterior materials you choose are entirely up to you, but most homeowners match them to their main home, which means the building materials that are ideal for primary structures in Indianapolis are also common for garages. Insulative roofing and siding materials that can help regulate interior temperatures are prevalent, as are materials that stand up well to the above-average rainfall and snowfall in the region.

We’ll include some typical price ranges for popular building materials in the city below to give you an idea of how simple changes can have a big impact on your garage build costs.

Roofing Materials Cost:

Siding Materials Cost:

Window Frame Materials Cost:

Type

The type of garage you want is another one of the three key cost factors to consider. You’ll have to make two important choices when it comes to the garage type you build.

First, you’ll choose whether you want a one-car, two-car, or three-car garage. Two-car garages are, by far, the most popular in Indianapolis, in part because the average household size in the city is 2.3 people. Two-car garages conform best to local standards and provide the greatest value. The average property size in Indianapolis is 0.193 acres, so most residents will have room for a two-car garage, even if they decide they want a detached structure.

Speaking of which, you’ll also need to decide if you want an attached or detached garage. Attached garages cost half as much, on average, because they share a wall with your main home and can tie directly into your main structure’s utilities.

Permits

All major construction projects in Indianapolis will require building permits, so it’s a good idea to budget for permit fees up front to avoid surprises. The City of Indianapolis charges flat fees for all residential construction projects. You’ll need to pay a $32 application fee plus a $108 permit fee, bringing your total permit costs to $140.

Accessibility

If you plan on making your garage more accessible, you may need to hire a local ramp installation pro to install a ramp over the concrete foundation. This may require extra landscaping renovations.

Add-Ons

There are plenty of add-ons you can choose from that can add utility and value to your new garage space, including standalone heating and cooling equipment, security systems, additional windows and doors, and more. Although the upfront cost will be higher, you’ll often save in the long run by including these alongside your initial build.

Garage Builder Costs

Hiring a garage builder in Indianapolis will mean paying between $9,900 and $13,900 on labor alone, so labor will make up between 50% and 70% of your total costs. Detached garages and certain materials that are more challenging to work with and extend your garage build timeline, like heavier clay or concrete tiles or real brick siding, can drive labor costs higher.

Hiring a professional to get the work done is expensive, but building a garage is a very involved project, so it’s worth paying for expertise. Plus, the City of Indianapolis will only issue permits to licensed individuals, so you’ll have to make sure you have someone with at least a general contractor’s license to ensure your project is legal.

Your pro will also charge you sales tax, so you should also consider this while you’re setting your budget. The sales tax rate in Indianapolis is 7%, which means you’ll pay an average of $1,386.49 in taxes alone.

Does Building a Garage Increase Home Value?

Building a garage will increase your home value by an average of between $14,900 and $16,800 in Indianapolis. The project normally provides between a 75% and 85% return on investment (ROI). You can maximize your ROI by building a two-car garage, which is the most popular size in the city, and by choosing materials that can stand up well to the heavy rainfall and occasional snowfall, as well as insulative roofing and siding materials that will lead to greater comfort in the more extreme summer and winter temperatures.

How Angi Gets Its Cost Data

Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We survey real Angi customers about their project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects. 

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