{"_meta":{"compiled":"2026-08-04","basis":"Published US national cost guides, 2026 editions. Every range below traces to a cited source in _sources. Ranges are installed cost (parts + labor) unless marked materials_only.","confidence_key":{"high":"Multiple 2026 sources agreed within ~15%.","medium":"One 2026 source, or sources spanning a wide range.","low":"Derived from adjacent categories. Shown as a wider band and flagged in the UI."}},"sizes":{"1car":{"label":"One-car","dims":"12 x 22","floor_sqft":264,"wall_ceiling_sqft":876,"doors":1,"door_width":9},"2car":{"label":"Two-car","dims":"20 x 22","floor_sqft":440,"wall_ceiling_sqft":1196,"doors":1,"door_width":16},"3car":{"label":"Three-car","dims":"30 x 22","floor_sqft":660,"wall_ceiling_sqft":1596,"doors":2,"door_width":25}},"phases":[{"id":"structure","n":1,"label":"Structure & water","why":"Everything else is wasted money until the building is dry and sound."},{"id":"systems","n":2,"label":"Power & mechanical","why":"Wiring and door work mean opening walls. Do it before you close them."},{"id":"envelope","n":3,"label":"Insulation & walls","why":"Seals the box. Must follow anything that opens a wall."},{"id":"surface","n":4,"label":"Floor & finish","why":"Coatings fail over damp or cracked slabs. Always near-last."},{"id":"storage","n":5,"label":"Storage & layout","why":"Fit this to the finished room, not the one you started with."}],"items":[{"id":"roof_leak","phase":"structure","cat":"Roof & ceiling","label":"Roof leaks, or there are water stains on the ceiling","unit":"flat","confidence":"medium","levels":[{"id":"minor","label":"A small drip or one stain","low":200,"high":700},{"id":"mod","label":"Several stains or an active leak","low":300,"high":800},{"id":"major","label":"Sagging deck, rot, or daylight","low":500,"high":1500}],"diy":false,"diy_reason":"A leak you can see is rarely where the water gets in. Chasing it wrong costs more than the repair.","delay":"Water reaching the framing turns a $500 repair into a $3,000 structural one, usually within two seasons.","source":"northwestroof_2026","budget":{"tip":"Ask for a patch-and-monitor rather than a section replacement. A competent patch buys a season or two.","tradeoff":"Temporary. You will pay for this again.","factor":0.55},"code":{"code":"IRC R903","text":"Roof assemblies must shed water to the exterior. A garage roof draining into the wall cavity is a defect, not a maintenance item."}},{"id":"roof_replace","phase":"structure","cat":"Roof & ceiling","label":"The garage roof is at the end of its life","unit":"flat","confidence":"medium","levels":[{"id":"asphalt","label":"Asphalt shingle","low":1500,"high":3000,"default":true},{"id":"metal","label":"Metal","low":3000,"high":6000,"default":false},{"id":"tile","label":"Tile or slate","low":5000,"high":10000,"default":false}],"scale_by_size":true,"diy":false,"delay":"Add $500–$1,000 for tear-off and $100–$300 for permits — those are not optional and are often left out of quotes.","source":"northwestroof_2026","budget":{"swap":"asphalt","tip":"Asphalt shingle over metal or tile. On a garage nobody is looking at the roof.","tradeoff":"Shorter life — roughly 20 years against 40+."}},{"id":"water_intrusion","phase":"structure","cat":"Water & drainage","label":"Water runs in under the door, or the slab stays damp","unit":"flat","confidence":"low","levels":[{"id":"seal","label":"Just needs a threshold seal","low":60,"high":260,"default":false},{"id":"grade","label":"Water pools against the slab","low":700,"high":3200,"default":true},{"id":"drain","label":"Needs a trench drain or french drain","low":1800,"high":6500,"default":false}],"diy":true,"diy_levels":["seal"],"diy_low":40,"diy_high":120,"delay":"A damp slab will reject every floor coating you put on it. This is the single most common reason epoxy peels.","source":"derived_drainage","budget":{"swap":"seal","tip":"Fit a threshold seal FIRST and watch it through one heavy rain. It solves a surprising share of \"I need drainage\" problems for under $100.","tradeoff":"If water is coming from grade, this will not hold — but you will know in a week for $60 instead of $3,000."}},{"id":"slab_crack","phase":"structure","cat":"Concrete slab","label":"The floor is cracked","unit":"linear_ft","confidence":"high","low":3,"high":8,"qty_prompt":"Roughly how many total feet of cracking?","qty_default":20,"qty_min":1,"qty_max":300,"diy":true,"diy_low":0.6,"diy_high":1.6,"diy_note":"Polyurethane crack filler is about $20 a tube and genuinely works on hairline cracks.","delay":"Cracks widen with each freeze-thaw cycle. Filling at 1/8 inch costs a tenth of what it costs at 1/2 inch.","source":"costtorenovate_2026","budget":{"diy":true,"tip":"Polyurethane crack filler, about $20 a tube. This is a genuinely easy job.","tradeoff":"Cosmetically obvious up close."}},{"id":"slab_surface","phase":"structure","cat":"Concrete slab","label":"The surface is pitted, flaking or spalling","unit":"sqft_floor","confidence":"high","low":3,"high":8,"diy":false,"diy_reason":"Resurfacing is unforgiving of bad prep, and bad prep is the number one DIY failure in this category.","delay":"Spalling accelerates. Once aggregate is exposed, resurfacing turns into replacement.","source":"costtorenovate_2026","budget":{"factor":0.35,"tip":"Patch only the failed areas instead of resurfacing the whole slab.","tradeoff":"Visible patchwork, and you will likely resurface eventually."}},{"id":"slab_replace","phase":"structure","cat":"Concrete slab","label":"The slab is heaved, sunken or structurally failing","unit":"sqft_floor","confidence":"high","low":6,"high":15,"diy":false,"delay":"Includes demolition and disposal. Get the drainage diagnosed first — a new slab over the same water problem fails the same way.","source":"costtorenovate_2026","budget":{"factor":0.45,"tip":"Grind and overlay instead of replacing. Buys 5–10 years if the slab is not actively moving.","tradeoff":"Not a fix. If the slab is heaving, this fails fast."}},{"id":"door_spring","phase":"systems","cat":"Garage door","label":"A spring is broken, or the door is very heavy to lift","unit":"flat","confidence":"high","levels":[{"id":"ext","label":"Extension springs (along the side tracks)","low":300,"high":400,"default":false},{"id":"tor","label":"Torsion spring (bar above the door)","low":350,"high":540,"default":true}],"per_door":true,"diy":false,"diy_reason":"Torsion springs hold enough stored energy to kill you. This is the one item on this list where we will not show you a DIY price.","delay":"Running a door on one good spring destroys the opener next. Replace both at once — the second spring costs almost nothing extra in labor.","source":"thisoldhouse_2026","budget":{"tip":"Get three quotes. Spring pricing varies more between companies than almost any other repair on this list.","tradeoff":"None. This is free money.","factor":0.85}},{"id":"door_cable","phase":"systems","cat":"Garage door","label":"A lift cable is frayed, snapped, or off the drum","unit":"flat","confidence":"high","low":170,"high":320,"per_door":true,"diy":false,"delay":"A failed cable lets the door drop crooked and bends the track, which is a $200 problem becoming a $700 one.","source":"thisoldhouse_2026","budget":{"tip":"Bundle it with a tune-up in the same visit — you are paying the call-out fee either way.","tradeoff":"None.","factor":0.85}},{"id":"door_offtrack","phase":"systems","cat":"Garage door","label":"The door is off its track or binds when it moves","unit":"flat","confidence":"medium","low":150,"high":350,"per_door":true,"diy":false,"delay":"Forcing a binding door bends rollers and hinges as it goes.","source":"derived_door","budget":{"tip":"Book a tune-up first. A good share of \"off track\" doors are dry rollers and a loose bracket.","tradeoff":"If it is a bent track you will pay for both visits.","factor":0.45}},{"id":"door_panel","phase":"systems","cat":"Garage door","label":"A panel is dented, cracked or rotted","unit":"flat","confidence":"high","low":440,"high":725,"per_door":true,"diy":false,"delay":"Panels for doors older than about 15 years are often discontinued, which turns a panel repair into a door replacement.","source":"thisoldhouse_2026","budget":{"factor":0.3,"tip":"Dent-pull and repaint rather than replacing the panel. On a steel door this often looks fine from the street.","tradeoff":"Close up you will see it."}},{"id":"door_opener","phase":"systems","cat":"Garage door","label":"The opener is failing, noisy or dead","unit":"flat","confidence":"high","levels":[{"id":"repair","label":"Repair what's there","low":150,"high":350,"default":false},{"id":"replace","label":"Replace the opener","low":430,"high":730,"default":true},{"id":"new","label":"Add an opener (none now)","low":500,"high":860,"default":false}],"per_door":true,"diy":true,"diy_low":180,"diy_high":420,"diy_note":"Opener replacement is a realistic weekend job if the door itself is balanced and healthy.","delay":"An opener straining against a bad spring or dry rollers burns out its gears. Fix the door first.","source":"thisoldhouse_2026","budget":{"swap":"repair","diy":true,"tip":"Repair before replace, and if it must be replaced, installing it yourself is a realistic weekend job.","tradeoff":"An older opener repaired is still an older opener."}},{"id":"door_tuneup","phase":"systems","cat":"Garage door","label":"It works, but it's loud and hasn't been serviced in years","unit":"flat","confidence":"high","low":120,"high":240,"per_door":true,"diy":true,"diy_low":25,"diy_high":60,"diy_note":"Rollers, hinges and a can of proper garage-door lubricant. Never use WD-40 on a door.","delay":"A tune-up is the cheapest item on this entire list and it prevents the three most expensive ones.","source":"thisoldhouse_2026","budget":{"diy":true,"tip":"Rollers, hinges and proper garage-door lubricant. Never WD-40.","tradeoff":"None. Do this one yourself."}},{"id":"door_replace","phase":"systems","cat":"Garage door","label":"Replace the garage door entirely","unit":"flat","confidence":"high","levels":[{"id":"steel_un","label":"Steel, not insulated","low":1200,"high":2800,"default":false},{"id":"steel_in","label":"Steel, insulated","low":1800,"high":4000,"default":true},{"id":"glass","label":"Aluminium and glass","low":3500,"high":8500,"default":false},{"id":"wood","label":"Wood or composite carriage","low":3500,"high":12000,"default":false}],"single_door_factor":0.66,"diy":false,"delay":"If you're insulating the garage, an uninsulated door undoes a large share of the benefit. Decide these two together.","source":"remodelcalculators_2026","budget":{"swap":"steel_un","tip":"Buy the UNINSULATED steel door and add a $50–$200 retrofit insulation kit yourself. You land close to insulated performance for hundreds less.","tradeoff":"Slightly lower R-value and a bit more noise than a factory-insulated door."}},{"id":"elec_power","phase":"systems","cat":"Electrical","label":"The garage has no power, or not enough of it","unit":"flat","confidence":"high","levels":[{"id":"circuit","label":"Add a dedicated circuit","low":250,"high":900,"default":false},{"id":"subpanel","label":"Add a subpanel","low":500,"high":1700,"default":true},{"id":"detached","label":"Run power to a detached garage","low":500,"high":3800,"default":false}],"diy":false,"diy_reason":"Permit and inspection territory in most jurisdictions, and it's what your insurer will look at after a fire.","delay":"Do this before insulation and drywall. Running wire through a finished wall costs several times more.","source":"homeguide_electric_2026","budget":{"swap":"circuit","tip":"One dedicated 20A circuit instead of a subpanel, if your main panel has room. An electrician will tell you in five minutes.","tradeoff":"Caps what you can run later. No welder, no EV charger."},"code":{"code":"NEC 210.8(A)","text":"All 125V receptacles in a garage must be GFCI protected. If yours are not, they predate the requirement and are worth updating whoever does the work."}},{"id":"elec_ev","phase":"systems","cat":"Electrical","label":"Add an EV charger","unit":"flat","confidence":"high","low":750,"high":2600,"diy":false,"delay":"Even if you don't own an EV yet, running the conduit while the wall is open is a fraction of retrofitting later.","source":"homeguide_electric_2026","budget":{"factor":0.08,"tip":"Level 1 charging on an existing 120V outlet costs nothing. It adds 3–5 miles of range an hour, which covers most daily driving overnight.","tradeoff":"Slow. Wrong answer if you drive far daily or own two EVs."},"code":{"code":"NEC 625","text":"EV supply equipment has its own article. A permit and inspection is normal, and your insurer may ask for it."}},{"id":"elec_light","phase":"systems","cat":"Electrical","label":"Lighting is dim or there's a single bulb","unit":"flat","confidence":"low","low":180,"high":900,"diy":true,"diy_low":90,"diy_high":320,"diy_note":"Linkable LED shop lights plugged into an existing outlet need no electrician at all.","delay":"Nothing else on this list changes how the room feels for as little money.","source":"derived_lighting","budget":{"diy":true,"tip":"Linkable LED shop lights that plug into an existing outlet. No electrician, no permit.","tradeoff":"A visible cord run, and you are limited by where the outlet is."}},{"id":"insulation","phase":"envelope","cat":"Insulation","label":"The garage is uninsulated, or freezing and boiling by season","unit":"sqft_wall","confidence":"high","levels":[{"id":"batt","label":"Fiberglass batts","low":0.8,"high":2.6,"default":true},{"id":"blown","label":"Blown-in","low":1,"high":2.8,"default":false},{"id":"rigid","label":"Rigid foam board","low":1.2,"high":3.7,"default":false},{"id":"spray","label":"Spray foam","low":1,"high":4.5,"default":false}],"diy":true,"diy_factor":0.42,"diy_note":"Batts between open studs are a genuinely approachable DIY job. Spray foam is not.","delay":"Must happen before drywall. Insulating a finished wall means tearing it open again.","source":"homeguide_insulation_2026","budget":{"swap":"batt","diy":true,"partial_label":"ceiling only","factor":0.45,"tip":"Fiberglass batts, installed yourself, ceiling first. The ceiling is where most of the heat goes.","tradeoff":"Walls stay cold. Roughly two thirds of the benefit for a third of the cost."},"code":{"code":"IECC R402.1","text":"If the garage is ever converted to living space, insulation must hit the climate-zone minimum. Insulating to that standard now costs little extra and avoids doing it twice."}},{"id":"door_insul","phase":"envelope","cat":"Insulation","label":"The garage door itself is uninsulated","unit":"flat","confidence":"high","low":50,"high":530,"per_door":true,"diy":true,"diy_low":50,"diy_high":200,"diy_note":"Retrofit kits are cut-to-fit panels with adhesive. An afternoon.","delay":"The door is usually the largest uninsulated surface in the room. Insulating walls but not the door is half a job.","source":"homeguide_insulation_2026","budget":{"diy":true,"tip":"Retrofit kit, cut to fit, adhesive backed. An afternoon.","tradeoff":"Less tidy than a factory-insulated door."}},{"id":"drywall","phase":"envelope","cat":"Walls & ceiling","label":"Walls are bare studs, or the drywall is damaged","unit":"sqft_wall","confidence":"high","low":1.5,"high":3.5,"diy":true,"diy_factor":0.35,"diy_note":"Hanging is doable. Taping and finishing a ceiling is where most DIY attempts show.","delay":"Fire code in most areas requires drywall on any wall shared with the house. Worth confirming before you sell.","source":"homeguide_drywall_2026","budget":{"diy":true,"factor":0.5,"tip":"Hang it yourself and hire out only the taping and finishing — that is where DIY shows. Or use OSB on non-shared walls: cheaper, and you can screw shelving anywhere.","tradeoff":"OSB is not permitted on any wall shared with the house. That wall needs drywall."},"code":{"code":"IRC R302.6","text":"Any wall or ceiling shared with the house needs a fire separation — normally 1/2 in. drywall on walls, 5/8 in. type X under living space. This is not optional and inspectors look for it."}},{"id":"paint","phase":"envelope","cat":"Walls & ceiling","label":"Walls need painting","unit":"sqft_wall","confidence":"low","low":0.9,"high":2.2,"diy":true,"diy_factor":0.25,"diy_note":"The most forgiving job in the whole garage. Do this one yourself.","delay":"Paint after drywall, before the floor coating. Rollers drip.","source":"derived_paint","budget":{"diy":true,"tip":"The most forgiving job in the garage. One coat of masonry primer and a cheap roller.","tradeoff":"None worth mentioning."}},{"id":"floor_coat","phase":"surface","cat":"Floor finish","label":"Coat or seal the floor","unit":"sqft_floor","confidence":"high","levels":[{"id":"sealer","label":"Concrete sealer (1–3 yr)","low":1,"high":3,"default":false},{"id":"epoxy","label":"Epoxy","low":4,"high":10,"default":true},{"id":"urea","label":"Polyurea","low":5,"high":10,"default":false},{"id":"aspartic","label":"Polyaspartic","low":5,"high":12,"default":false}],"diy":true,"diy_levels":["sealer","epoxy"],"diy_low":0.3,"diy_high":0.6,"diy_note":"A DIY epoxy kit is roughly 30–60 cents a square foot in materials. It is not the product a pro uses, and the failure rate on unprepped concrete is high.","delay":"This is the item people do first and should do last. Coating over a damp or cracked slab peels within a year.","source":"homeguide_coating_2026","budget":{"swap":"sealer","diy":true,"tip":"A DIY concrete sealer is roughly a tenth the cost of professional epoxy and still stops dusting and stains. Or coat one bay instead of two.","tradeoff":"1–3 year life against 10+, and none of the showroom look."}},{"id":"storage","phase":"storage","cat":"Storage","label":"Nothing has a place — it all ends up on the floor","unit":"flat","confidence":"medium","levels":[{"id":"start","label":"Start with the basics","low":400,"high":1000,"default":false},{"id":"full","label":"A full wall and ceiling system","low":1500,"high":3500,"default":true},{"id":"prem","label":"Cabinets, bench and slatwall","low":3500,"high":8000,"default":false}],"diy":true,"diy_factor":1,"diy_note":"This is the one category where the products are the cost and the labor is a Saturday. It's also the only one we can hand you an exact shopping list for.","delay":"Do it last, and size it to the finished room.","handoff":"photo_tool","source":"cgh_catalog_2026","budget":{"swap":"start","diy":true,"tip":"Overhead racks and totes first. They reclaim the most floor per dollar of anything you can buy.","tradeoff":"No cabinets, no bench, no finished look — yet."}}],"state_index":{"_note":"Relative construction cost, national average = 1.00.","AL":0.88,"AK":1.25,"AZ":0.86,"AR":0.8,"CA":1.15,"CO":0.91,"CT":1.18,"DE":1.05,"DC":1.02,"FL":0.85,"GA":0.88,"HI":1.2,"ID":0.88,"IL":1.1,"IN":0.9,"IA":0.97,"KS":0.9,"KY":0.87,"LA":0.82,"ME":0.86,"MD":0.93,"MA":1.18,"MI":1.03,"MN":1.06,"MS":0.8,"MO":0.95,"MT":0.91,"NE":0.88,"NV":0.95,"NH":0.93,"NJ":1.11,"NM":0.88,"NY":1.18,"NC":0.8,"ND":0.92,"OH":0.92,"OK":0.83,"OR":1.08,"PA":0.96,"RI":1.07,"SC":0.86,"SD":0.89,"TN":0.85,"TX":0.82,"UT":0.89,"VT":0.85,"VA":0.85,"WA":1.05,"WV":0.93,"WI":0.99,"WY":0.9},"_sources":{"thisoldhouse_2026":"https://www.thisoldhouse.com/garages/garage-door-spring-cost","remodelcalculators_2026":"https://remodelcalculators.com/garage-door-cost","homeguide_coating_2026":"https://homeguide.com/costs/garage-floor-coating-cost","homeguide_drywall_2026":"https://homeguide.com/costs/cost-to-drywall-a-garage","homeguide_insulation_2026":"https://homeguide.com/costs/garage-insulation-cost","homeguide_electric_2026":"https://homeguide.com/costs/cost-to-run-electric-to-garage-shed-or-shop","costtorenovate_2026":"https://www.costtorenovate.com/projects/flooring/garage-floor-repair/","northwestroof_2026":"https://northwestroof.com/garage-roof-repair-and-replacement-costs-a-complete-guide/","state_index":"https://roofobservations.com/relative-construction-costs-by-state/","derived_drainage":"Derived from basement/foundation drainage guides. Flagged low confidence.","derived_door":"Derived from adjacent garage-door repair categories. Flagged medium.","derived_lighting":"Derived from electrician hourly rates ($50–130/hr + $100–200 call-out) and fixture costs. Flagged low.","derived_paint":"Derived from interior painting per-sq-ft guides. Flagged low.","cgh_catalog_2026":"CleanGarageHelp product catalog, prices verified 2026-08-02.","zonda_cvv_38":"https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/zondas-38th-annual-cost-vs-value-report-confirms-exterior-projects-continue-to-deliver-the-highest-roi-302559084.html"},"roi":{"garage_door":{"pct":267.7,"rank":1,"job_cost":4672,"resale_value":12507,"note":"Garage door replacement is the highest-return home improvement project in the United States — the only one that returns more than double its cost two years running.","source":"zonda_cvv_38"},"conversion":{"pct":41,"note":"Garage conversions return about 41% at resale, against 80% for a mid-range bathroom and 112.9% for a minor kitchen. Part of the reason is that converting destroys the highest-ROI exterior feature the house has.","source":"zonda_cvv_38"}},"exclusions":["Mould, asbestos or lead remediation","Structural repair beyond the slab and roof items listed","Permits, inspection fees and architectural drawings","Anything outside the garage walls — driveway, apron, site grading beyond a french drain","Converting the garage into living space, an ADU, or a new build","Emergency or after-hours call-out premiums","Disposal fees where a dumpster is required"],"zip_prefix":[[5,5,"NY"],[10,27,"MA"],[28,29,"RI"],[30,38,"NH"],[39,49,"ME"],[50,59,"VT"],[60,69,"CT"],[70,89,"NJ"],[100,149,"NY"],[150,196,"PA"],[197,199,"DE"],[200,205,"DC"],[206,219,"MD"],[220,246,"VA"],[247,268,"WV"],[270,289,"NC"],[290,299,"SC"],[300,319,"GA"],[320,349,"FL"],[350,369,"AL"],[370,385,"TN"],[386,397,"MS"],[398,399,"GA"],[400,427,"KY"],[430,459,"OH"],[460,479,"IN"],[480,499,"MI"],[500,528,"IA"],[530,549,"WI"],[550,567,"MN"],[570,577,"SD"],[580,588,"ND"],[590,599,"MT"],[600,629,"IL"],[630,658,"MO"],[660,679,"KS"],[680,693,"NE"],[700,714,"LA"],[716,729,"AR"],[730,749,"OK"],[750,799,"TX"],[800,816,"CO"],[820,831,"WY"],[832,838,"ID"],[840,847,"UT"],[850,865,"AZ"],[870,884,"NM"],[889,898,"NV"],[900,961,"CA"],[967,968,"HI"],[970,979,"OR"],[980,994,"WA"],[995,999,"AK"]]}