How much does a brick garage cost? [2024]

A brick garage is a great home improvement to enhance the appearance, and value, of your home. When you’re thinking about adding one to your home, it’s common to ask one of the most important questions. 

How much does it cost to install a brick garage? 

At a glance, you can expect to pay $15,000 – $40,000 for a brick garage, depending on the size and type of roof you install. Though more complicated brick garages can cost up to $100,000. Single brick garages can cost around $15,000, while double brick garages can cost up to $40,000 with electricity and other features included.

Read this guide for a detailed breakdown of how much to build a brick garage in Australia.

• Brick garage costs explained
• Slab costs
• How much does bricklaying cost?
• Do you want to render your brick garage?
• How much will a garage roof cost?
• How much does a garage door cost?
• Budget, mid-range or high-end garage costs
• How much does it cost to build a single-car brick garage in Australia?
• How much does it cost to build a 2-car garage in Australia?
• Planning your garage
• Which tradies you’ll need for your garage build
• Hiring and getting quotes from a garage builder

How do I estimate the cost of a garage?

The cost to build a brick garage includes several parts:

• A slab
• The brick structure
• A garage door
• A roof
• Windows (if wanted)

One of the biggest factors that determine the cost of your brick garage is the size. 

• A single-car garage is 3.2 metres wide on average and as long as you want it to be. This width allows you to open an average car door inside but won’t fit much else.  
• A double-car garage is 5.8 metres wide by 5.8 metres long. At 5.8 metres wide, it allows two cars to be parked and gives space for opening car doors.
• A triple garage varies between 8.6 and 9.2 metres wide and is usually 5.6 to 6.0 metres long. As with the others, this allows ample room to open car doors.  
• You may choose to increase the size of your garage if you want to fit in extra storage or accommodate a workbench.

Once you know how big you want your brick garage to be, you can start to work out how much it will cost. 

You could save money on your renovation by also including brick fencing at the same time.

Slab costs

The first thing the garage needs is a slab. Concrete slab costs vary between $50 and $110 per square metre depending on the thickness of the slab. A garage slab might need to be a thicker slab because of the weight of the cars. 

Sometimes smaller jobs can cost more than large jobs as larger concreting companies charge a premium. It can be smart to look at a smaller concreter as they can sometimes charge less for small jobs to compete. 

The cost to hire a concreter for a garage slab might be:

• $1,600 - $2,400 for a single-car garage
• $2,700 - $3,700 for a double-car garage
• $5,300+ for a triple garage

These costs may be higher in some areas. If the brick garage supplier has a concreter on hand, the cost may be a little lower than quoted above.

How much does bricklaying cost?

Once the slab has been laid, the garage can be built. Bricklayers generally charge about $55 per hour depending on which state you’re in. But they will usually give you a quote based on how many bricks they need. Some brick costs may be:

• $1,500 for 1,000 common bricks
• $1,800 for 1,000 render bricks

These are the cost of the bricks only. Including labour, the cost of laying 1000 common bricks would be between $2,300 and $2,400, while render bricks would cost between $2,700 and $3,200. If your brick garage is going to be attached to the house, the cost could be lower, because less bricklaying will be needed.

One thousand bricks cover an area of approximately 8.75 metres. For a single-car garage that is 2.4 metres high and 3.2 metres wide, the garage would need around 27 metres. The garage door side would need fewer bricks, so the total cost might come to $6,500 to $7,500 for bricklaying only. A double-car garage could cost around $11,000 to $12,000 for bricklaying.

These costs are only good as ballparks and you will need to get proper quotes from brick garage builders to know exactly how much it will cost. Their rates will be based on several factors, including the type of site they are working on and the distance they have to move the bricks and mortar.

Do you want to render your brick garage?

Rendering a brick garage can give it a distinctive look and can help your garage fit in with the house design. Rendering costs between $30 - $50 per square meter depending on the render used and the site conditions.

For a single-car garage, expect to pay between $7,50 and $1,250. It might cost more because a single-car garage is a small structure and renderers may charge more to compensate for travel and setup time. 

A double-car garage may cost up to $2,500 to render, but the cost may be higher in some areas.

How much will a garage roof cost?

Every garage needs a roof and the roof cost will depend on the material you use. Three of the most popular roofing materials are concrete tiles, Colorbond and terracotta.

Tiles are generally more expensive to lay than Colorbond and the cost of a 65 square metre roof might be between $4,500 and $5,000 for roofing tiles and $2,800 and $3,350 for a metal roof.

These prices are approximate and you will need to work out how big a roof your garage will need to get accurate quotes. A roof structure will also be needed and will add to the cost of the roof. The roof may cost $6,000 to $7,000 for tiles and $4,000 to $5,000 for a metal roof.

How much does a garage door cost?

The cost to install a garage door on a brick garage might be:

• $600 to $1,350 for a single roller door or between $1,350 and $1,850 for a double roller door
• $850 to $1,900 for sectional doors for a single car or $1,400 to $4,600 for double sectional doors
• $1,700 to $2,250 for a single tilt door or $2,200 to $2,750 for a double tilt door

These costs are for supply and installation, but prices may vary in your area.

Read more: How Much Does a Garage Door Cost?

Budget, mid-range and high-end garage costs

You have a range of options when it comes to the type of garage you build, specifically relating to the materials, features and type of roof you choose. Here are three general price points and what features you can expect to get with each:

• Budget garage (from $25,000): standalone, single car bay garage using brick on a concrete slab with a metal roof, manual door and no internal finishes
• Mid-range garage (from $35,000): double garage with brick walls, a tiled roof, sealed concrete floor, automated garage and lined walls
• High-end garage (from $50,000): double or three car bay garage in brick, with a tiled roof, polished concrete floor, custom cabinetry for storage, workbench – and a bathroom/shower

In terms of individual items, you can expect to pay from:

• $1,500 to $1,800 for a double roller door (installed)
• $2,000 and $3,000 for a double sectional garage door

How much does it cost to build a single-car brick garage in Australia?

When you add up all these costs, a single-car garage might cost between $15,000 and $18,000. The cost will depend on the size of the garage, the roofing materials and the garage door. With electricity and other costs included, single brick garages can cost around $20,000.

Extra features, like rendering the outside or inside and painting the interior will add extra costs depending on your needs. Rendering costs are typically calculated by square metres, so expect prices to increase with the area that you need rendered. 

How much does it cost to build a 2-car garage in Australia?

A 2-car brick garage can cost around $40,000 with electricity and other features. This will depend on the same things as a single-car garage and if you want a bigger space or more expensive materials then the price will go up accordingly. 

Extra features like rendering the exterior or interior and painting will add extra costs.  A triple-car garage can be up to $100,000.

Planning your garage

First up in terms of planning is getting your hand around the various elements that make up a garage, specifically a concrete slab, the brick structure, garage door, windows, and roof. Then ask yourself some questions, such as:

• What size space do I need, based on the size and number of vehicles you have?
• What regulations – including building and council permissions, apply where you live?
• Will it be freestanding or attached to your home?
• Who will design my garage, including pros like an architect , drafter, building designer who can produce plans for your structure.
• Who will build my garage, specifically a dedicated garage builder?

Your project planning will also need to take into consideration if it is going to be freestanding or attached and/or integrated with your home. The latter is more expensive but could add more value to your home, while a freestanding version is quicker and cheaper to construct. In terms of a timeframe for your project – depending on the size and complexity of your job, it could take from 6 weeks or more to complete.

Which tradies will you need for your garage?

Wondering what kind of amazing tradie team you might need to help you build your garage? Read on for a breakdown of who these people might be, and how much they typically cost.

Builders

Builders typically cost between $1,200 to $1,680 per square metre. Ideally, you should source a builder who specialises in garages, as they will be across all the regulations in your area, and be able to advise what is possible on your site.

Concretor 

Concretors can cost between $75 to $110 per square metre. A concretor can lay the slab of your garage, which will need to be reinforced to withstand vehicle traffic. It will also need time to set and strengthen.

Plumbers 

Plumbers usually charge $100 – $150 per hour for their services. You’ll need a plumber if you’re adding high-end features to your garage, like a toilet and/or shower

Plasterer 

Plasterers can charge between $30 to $70 per square metre (for hard plaster) or $45 to $90 per square metre (for wet plaster). A plasterer will help you complete the finish of your internal and external garage walls, before they are painted

Electricians 

Electricians typically charge a flat rate service fee (approximately $100), with additional costs by the hour (approximately $70 – $95 per hour). You may need the help of an electrician if you’re installing lighting and power points, or if you need to connect your electric garage door

Cabinet makers 

Cabinet makers typically charge $80 – 100 per hour for their services. Cabinet makers can help install custom storage in your garage, for tools or anything else you want to keep in your garage

Hiring & getting quotes from garage builders

Most garage builders can provide you with everything from the slab to the roof and garage doors. Many also have renderers on staff or available to call on. Because garage builders can provide everything you need for your new garage, you can get itemised quotes, choose the type of garage door you want and what type of roofing material you prefer.

The best way to find out how much your brick garage is going to cost is to get quotes from garage builders in your area. Specify the size of the garage you want, the roofing material and the type of garage door. Also mention other inclusions such as electricity, insulation, windows or any other additions you need. 

To help you hire the right tradie for your job, it can also be good to ask them a series of questions about their business and experience. These include: 

• Are you appropriately qualified and registered or licensed?
• Do you hold valid insurance (professional indemnity and public liability insurance)?
• Do you have experience in my project?
• Can you provide a written quote?
• How long will my job take?
• Do you have references I can follow up on?

Brick garage costs can vary, but don't choose the lowest quote unless you're sure the garage builder can do the job just as well as a more expensive service.