Cost to Build a Garage in Houston

The average cost to build a garage in Houston is $23,143, and most residents pay between $8,912 and $38,391. Costs vary mostly based on the size and type of garage you build, with detached garages costing more and larger garages driving up costs based on the square footage. The total in Houston is lower than in most cities, in part because the local cost of living is low compared to the national average.

Garage Building Cost Factors

Some homeowners in Houston, Texas, pay as little as $300 to build a garage, but prices can climb as high as $61,000 for larger detached garages. In addition to size and garage type, the finishing materials you choose, permit costs, and labor costs will all affect your total.

Size

You'll pay an average of $39 per square foot between labor and materials when working with a professional. However, you'll find prices as low as $24 per square foot for simple, attached garages and up to $94 per square foot for detached, high-end garages with all the bells and whistles.

The table below includes some standard pricing for garage builds based on square footage. The average garage size in Houston is 24 feet by 24 feet, which is the standard for a two-car garage. Going smaller will reduce costs but also space, and going larger will cost more and may yield a lower return on investment (ROI) since bigger garages aren’t as common.

Materials

The materials you choose for your garage build will have a major impact on your costs. You can go with budget-friendly materials to keep costs down, and you don’t have to worry as much about choosing high-end materials that will keep the interior cool during the long, hot Houston summers or stand up to the occasional tornadoes and supercell thunderstorms.

However, most homeowners match their garage to their existing home, which means the exterior materials common for home construction in Houston are also common for garages. Metal roofs that can reflect sunlight and reduce solar heat gain are popular, as are clay tile roofs that add insulation against the intense heat. These are both more costly than asphalt shingle roofs. Stucco and brick siding are also common for their insulative value, and these are generally more expensive than vinyl siding.

In the tables below, we’ll include some popular exterior building materials in Houston, along with pricing, to give you an idea of how materials can affect your total.

Roofing Materials Cost:

Siding Materials Cost:

Window Frame Materials Cost:

Type

The type of garage you want is another crucial cost factor and can create price swings of tens of thousands of dollars.

First, you should decide whether you want an attached or detached garage. An attached garage will be more affordable, costing between $30 and $60 per square foot, in most cases. A detached garage will cost between $40 and $70 per square foot, sometimes even more. 

However, you’ll have more freedom when it comes to size, layout, and even exterior materials since it doesn’t look as strange to have a mismatched detached garage. The average property size in Houston is 0.15 acres, so most residents will have enough space to choose detached if they wish.

Next, you’ll need to decide how big you want to go. The average household size in Houston is 2.5 people, and a two-car garage is the most common size to match the needs of residents. Most homeowners in Houston choose two-car garages to conform to the neighborhood, as close to 50% of all homes in the city have this size.

Permits

The City of Houston requires building permits for all new construction, including attached and detached garages, so it’s a good idea to budget for permit fees while you’re considering material and labor costs. The permit fee for construction in Houston is based on project size and cost, but you can use the city’s permit fee calculator or ask your garage builder to estimate your fees. Based on the average cost to build a garage in Houston, the permit fee will average $381.66.

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 many add-ons to choose from when building a garage, and while each one you choose will increase your garage addition cost, it will also add more utility and potential value to your project.

Garage Builder Costs

Hiring a professional garage builder in Houston will cost an average of between $11,600 and $16,200 in labor alone, which means labor accounts for between 50% and 70% of your total. On a per-hour basis, labor in Houston will cost about 5% less than the national average because the cost of living, which drives labor costs, is below average in Houston.

Hiring a pro to build your garage is undoubtedly expensive, but for such a complicated project, it’s well worth the investment. The City of Houston will also only issue permits for a project of this magnitude to an individual who has a general contractor’s license, so a professional is necessary to keep your project legal. Make sure your pro has the proper licensing before hiring.

One last factor to consider when it comes to labor is the sales tax that your expert will need to charge. The sales tax rate in Houston is 8.25%, so expect tax to add an average of $1,909.30 to your total.

Does Building a Garage Increase Home Value?

Yes, building a garage will increase your home value in Houston. On average, the project provides an ROI of between 75% and 85%, which means building a garage will add an average of between $17,300 and $19,700 to your property value.

You can get the most value add from your build by upgrading to a two-car garage, as this is the most common type in Houston, and conforming to the neighborhood is usually best in terms of value. Going with common exterior materials like metal or clay tile roofing and stucco, brick, or fiber cement siding can also help your project conform to the neighborhood and further boost value.

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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