How much does a garage cost to build?
How big do you need to make your garage for it to fit your vehicle(s)? How big should it be for a two-car garage, or three-car garage? What size should your garage be if you own a large truck? Or if you need a space for RV storage? Your house provides you and your family with warmth, protection from the elements, and a roof over your heads. A garage provides the same amenities for your vehicles, equipment, and more. Many people want or need the space to store cars.
Whether you're looking to build a detached garage or an attached garage, we've got it covered. Below is a quick and easy guide so that you can find the ideal garage size for your needs. When people start planning a new post frame garage, one of the most common questions we get is “What size garage should I build?”
40x100 Multi-Purpose Garage and Storage Barn in Indiana
It's pretty simple — but with vehicles getting bigger, hobbies expanding, and tools/storage increasing every year… choosing the right garage size matters more than most people realize.
Below is a clean breakdown of recommended garage sizes from 1 car to 5 car — plus RV and semi truck garages — along with two versions for each:
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Practical standard sizes
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Upgraded ideal sizes if you want workshop space and/or extra storage space.
- Please note: we are not including a third option (the smallest sizes that are possible) for each type of garage in the main portion of this article, as we don't typically see people as happy with the smallest size available, as it's just not comfortable. For example, many one-car garages get as small as 12' x 20', but the vast majority of people choosing post frame/pole barn garages do not end up wanting to go this size simply because it's so tight and gives very little breathing room. It will give you enough space to open your car doors, but that's about it. We do include a breakdown of the smaller sizes at the end of the article though, if you are wanting to see more of the minimum garage sizes, as opposed to what will be more comfortable.
- Please note 2.0: we are also not covering ideal sizes for garages with living space or with an apartment. We do build these and we cover the info about them in another article. But for this article we are covering more vehicle garages and garages with bonus space and/or extra storage.
1 Car Garage Size
| Use case | Standard recommended size | Ideal w/ workshop space |
|---|---|---|
| 1 vehicle + basic storage | 14’ x 24’ | 20’ x 24’ or 24’ x 24’ |
It's actually not all that common for us to get requests for garages that are 14' x 24' or smaller, as typically you can get more bang for your buck if you go bigger than the above. The less square feet doesn't always mean it's a lot cheaper, because you still have the cost of the labor to do all the things you would on a larger build (site prep, ordering materials, running electrical, etc.) Sure, it will cost a little less overall because of the size, but the bigger you go the less per square foot it typically is. Check out our pole barn and garage cost information article here for a better breakdown on the costs and what impacts pricing the most (including sizes!)
Also, pro tip! If you choose a size that is in multiples of 8 feet, it uses the materials ordered to their maximum benefit (less waste, and bigger build? Win-win.) Example: instead of building a 30x40, if you do a 32x40, then you'll be in those multiples of 8 feet category and you'll be using essentially the same amount of material, so it doesn't cost more (except for the concrete, if you are having that included in your build.)
2 Car Garage Size
| Use case | Standard recommended size | Ideal w/ workshop space |
|---|---|---|
| 2 vehicles + storage | 24’ x 30’ | 30’ x 36’ or 30’ x 40’ |
The 30x40 is one of the most popular garage sizes we see, overall. We see the 30x40 so often for personal/residential garages (in both urban and rural environments) as it is small enough to fit on many people's existing property space, but large enough to easily accommodate a couple of vehicles and some extra equipment storage and/or shop space.
30x40x10 Garage Build in Michigan
24x32x10 Post Frame Garage Build
30x40x16 Garage Interior in Indiana
3 Car Garage
| Use case | Standard recommended size | Ideal w/ workshop space |
|---|---|---|
| 3 vehicles or 2 cars + shop/storage | 36’ x 36’ | 36’ x 48’ or 40’ x 50’ |
36x48x15 Garage in Indiana
40x50 Garage in Indiana
36x48x15 Garage and Storage Barn Interior in Indiana
4 Car Garage
| Use case | Standard recommended size | Ideal w/ workshop space |
|---|---|---|
| 4 vehicles or 3 vehicles + shop/storage | 40’ x 50’ | 48’ x 60’ |
40x60x14 Garage and Shop
40x60x16 Tractor Storage Barn/Hobby Garage and Shop in Illinois
5 Car Garage
| Use case | Standard recommended size | Ideal w/ workshop space |
|---|---|---|
| 5 vehicles or 4 vehicles + shop or storage | 50’ x 60’ | 60’ x 72’ or 60’ x 80’ |
50x64x18 Sportsplex Pole Barn with Bathroom and Loft Storage in Indiana
The above is an example of a highly custom "garage build" we constructed for a car collector (and awesome client!) located in Ohio. It features an 8-vehicle garage/storage area located in the main build, a horse barn/stables in one wing, and an apartment in the other wing. With a second story spanning the length of the build.
RV Garage (plus a truck)
| Use case | Standard recommended size | Ideal w/ workshop space |
|---|---|---|
| Class A RV + pickup | 20’ x 50’ w/ 16’-18’ wall height | 24’ or 30’ x 60’ w/ 18’+ wall height |
RV depth is where people almost always underestimate for RV storage and garages — extra depth pays off. If you have more of a camper or a mini RV, you may not need as much, so feel free to consult with our team on design and planning for more unique sizing.
Semi Truck Garage
The needs for a semi truck garage vary greatly by the needs of the client building it. Factors include things like, are you just wanting to keep the truck stored out of the weather, or are you wanting a service bay area too? Do you want a large enough area to be able to store additional equipment in the garage, or do you want the basic fit only. If you want a space to bring the whole tractor and trailer in, then of course you will require a much larger building. Even the lengths of the cab cause a variation of needs - a sleeper cab can be longer than a standard, and so on.
Additional Things To Consider
You'll need to decide whether your garage will need extra storage space. Many people choose to use their garage to store extra belongings. Whether your storing tools or Christmas decorations, garden supplies or a car lift, you’ll need to consider how much space these type things will take up in order to determine the size of your garage.
You’ll want to keep in mind the size of your specific vehicles. A Ford F-250 takes up a lot more space than a Kia Soul does. If you own a large truck, SUV, or minivan, make sure to take that into consideration when planning out your garage. Alternatively, if you only own and only PLAN to own small or midsized vehicles, you can consider choosing a smaller garage design.
The total cost of your garage will vary based on many different factors, but if you want a quick estimate of how much your garage will cost, check out our other knowledge article, “How Much Does a Garage Cost.”
The Most Important Takeaway
People are never upset that they built a little bigger. And we're not just saying that because we're the builder and we "want you to buy more." The truth is that we only want to support you in exactly the way you need. We have only ever seen clients regret building too small.
We've never had someone come back and say "Man, this garage was too big, I shouldn't have gone this large with my build." But we have had many clients return after a few years asking us to build them an addition or a second garage/barn because they've added to their car collection, bought a boat, or underestimated how much time they would spend in their new build and now have reason to expand to accommodate their hobbies and work.
Post frame gives you the best cost-per-cubic-foot of building volume — which means if you’re on the fence between two sizes, going a step up almost always results in a better user experience, resale, and long-term value.
Summary of the smaller (or more minimum sized) garages for the respective number of vehicles.
These are not the sizes we normally recommend, simply because we know the history of people building and regretting going with the minimum size possible. But these are still considered smaller standard sized garages. There is also nothing wrong with these sizes if that's what you need!
If your garage only needs to house a singular car, the average one-car garage is 12 feet wide and 20 feet deep. This size leaves room around your car to open car doors.
If you have a couple of cars that just need protection from the elements a two-car garage might be your best bet. The standard smaller size for a two-car garage is 22 feet wide by 20 feet deep. This size accounts for the average size of a vehicle, which is 6 feet by 15 feet. If you own larger vehicles, such as trucks or SUVs, they might fit a too snugly inside a standard two-car garage. The best standard smaller size for a two-bay garage, if you own larger vehicles is 22 feet by 24 feet. These added couple of feet allow you to safely swing your car door open without worrying that you’ll hit the walls of your garage, or even worse, another car.
If your considering building a three- or four-car garage, you’ll need to plan out how to park your car. Parking your cars side by side will require you to make your garage longer, especially in the case of a four-car garage. While parking your cars in a grid makes your garage less long, it can also cause inconveniences if all vehicles in the garage are being used frequently. If you don’t want to shuffle cars around to get out of the garage in the morning, you can consider making your garage longer to allow you to park all vehicles side by side.
Three-car garages are a bit more varied than other sizes. If you're planning to store this many vehicles, consider how big your vehicles are when choosing dimensions. Smaller three-car garage sizes range from 32 feet wide and 22 feet deep to 36 feet wide and 24 feet deep, for a side-by-side vehicle layout.
Four-car garages are useful for those who have several vehicles to store. The standard size for a smaller four-car garage is 45 feet wide by 24 feet deep. These dimensions allow for four vehicles to fit in your garage.
40x80x14 Garage and Multi-Purpose Storage Barn in Illinois
30x40x16 Garage and Storage Build in Indiana
Ready to design your garage?
Milmar Buildings can quote the smaller, standard and upgraded versions so you can compare pricing and choose what fits your needs and budget. We can also help you through the design of your build to ensure that you are able to maximize the layout to best suite your needs. We are committed to helping you adjust to what you need, and not just trying to sell you more build. So if it's wise for your budget, your property, or use needs, we will help you stick to those too - bigger builds aren't always best for everyone. We're just well aware that we don't see clients regret a larger build size, when they're able to go with that from the start.
Build it once. Build it right. Build it to last.
