Cost to Build a Garage in Portland, Oregon [2025 Data]

Adding a garage to your Portland home protects your vehicles, provides storage space, and increases your home’s value. Building a garage in Portland costs an average of $25,058, with most homeowners paying from $14,715 to $39,538. We explore the cost factors that affect how much you’ll pay to build a garage so you can accurately budget for the project.

Garage Building Cost Factors 

Factors determining the cost to build a garage in Portland, Oregon, include garage size and type, materials, add-ons, labor costs, permit costs, and more. Take a closer look at some of these factors and how you can expect them to affect your project budget.

Size

You'll pay about $43 per square foot on average between labor and materials when working with a professional. However, you'll find prices as low as $26 per square foot for simple, attached garages and up to $102 per square foot for detached, high-end garages with all the bells and whistles.

Below, we've listed the average cost to build a garage by size:

Materials

Durable, weather-resistant materials like brick, cinderblock, or a stick-built garage will have a higher initial cost than more budget-friendly materials, but will last longer and be less susceptible to damage. Here are some common garage materials and their average cost.

Type

The type of garage you build will significantly affect the total cost. Building a one-car garage will be more cost-effective than one that accommodates multiple cars, and an attached garage that uses an existing exterior wall will cost less than a fully detached garage.

Permits

You’ll need a building permit from the City of Portland to build a garage that’s more than 200 square feet, or one that’s more than 400 square feet if your lot is larger than two acres. A garage smaller than 200 square feet may require a zoning permit. 

If your garage of any size will include living space, you’ll need to obtain a building permit. Permit fees are based on the valuation of the work—a project that costs $25,000 to $50,000 will have permit fees of $496 for the first $25,000 and $9.41 for each additional $1,000 or fraction thereof. 

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

Customizing your garage with add-ons will affect its total cost. From the type of garage door you choose to adding flooring, storage, or security, any additional features will increase the cost. If you want to use your garage year-round comfortably, remember to budget for insulation installation.

Garage Builder Costs

Labor costs to hire a garage builder in Portland, Oregon, will make up 50% to 70% of your project cost. Building a garage requires extensive experience to ensure structural integrity and code compliance, so this is a job best left to the pros. 

Additional Pros to Consider Hiring 

Depending on the specifics of your garage build, you may need to hire additional pros for specific projects. Hiring a structural engineer to review building plans can cost from $200 to $1,500. 

Want an automatic garage door, outlets, and lights in your new garage? You’ll need to hire an electrician for $50 to $100 per hour. A plumber to install a sump pump or utility sink will cost $40 to $150 per hour, and a drywall installer to finish the interior walls will cost $1 to $2.10 per square foot plus the cost of materials.

Does Building a Garage Increase Home Value?

Building a garage offers an impressive return on investment (ROI) of 60% to 85%. How much value a garage adds to your home depends on the specifics. If part of the garage is considered living space because it’s been fully finished, it’ll add the most value to your home since it adds livable square footage. 

A well-constructed garage is a sought-after feature in the competitive Portland real estate market, so it can make your home easier to sell and allow you to set a higher asking price.

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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