How much does a brick garage cost in Australia?

A brick garage is one of the most flexible additions to your home, serving as a long-term space for vehicles, personal projects, and even hobby gear. The cost to build a brick garage in Australia starts at around $20,000 to $30,000 for a basic structure with a single car bay.

Brick garage cost could go as high as $50,000 or more if you’re adding multiple car bays and extra features like custom cabinetry and a workbench. Your location, choice of bricks, and roof design can also affect the final bill. This price guide will show you what else goes into the cost of building a brick garage.

What are the benefits of a brick garage?

A tidy brick garage with driveway access (Source: iStock)

How much you spend is one thing, but why you’re building the garage matters just as much. For many Aussies, a brick garage offers more than extra space for vehicles. Its benefits also extend to the home’s appearance, durability, and long-term value.

Brick can complement your home’s look, especially if you use the same or complementary brickwork. It can also offer weather resistance that’s particularly valuable in bushfire-prone areas. Maintenance is relatively low for brickwork that’s left unpainted and unrendered.

If you’re looking to build a double garage, it could add up to $50,000 to your home’s value, more in urban areas where parking is at a premium.

How much does a brick garage cost by city?

Garage construction costs can vary depending on where you live. Differences in local labour and material costs, and in how much space you’ll need, can push prices up or down. Here’s a look at typical brick garage prices across major Australian cities.

Note: The following estimates include single- and double-car garages.

Compared with the cost of Colorbond double garage, brick builds can cost 30% or more due to the intensive masonry and foundation work involved. However, brick garages can last 50+ years, making them a longer-lasting option.

Brick garage designs in Australia that use linear bricks, dark manganese bricks, or painted brick finishes can increase material costs or require additional finishing work. Tight access in inner-city areas (such as Melbourne’s Inner North or Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs) can also push up costs due to specialised transport.

What factors affect the cost of a brick garage?

Several more parts of your brick build can move the total cost up or down. From the concrete slab and garage door to council fees and labour, here are the key factors to consider when planning your budget:

Size

Garage size is one of the biggest factors in the final cost. A larger build means more bricks, concrete, roofing materials, and labour.

At around $1,200 to $2,000+ per square metre for a custom brick garage, the estimated costs are:

Note: These are estimates based on the indicated price per m² and are not a complete project price. They may not include the garage slab, council fees, utilities, doors and other extras.

Concrete slab

Levelling concrete before it sets (Source: iStock)

A garage needs a solid foundation, which often starts with a poured concrete slab reinforced with rebar or wire mesh. Concrete slabs can cost $110 or more per m², depending on the concrete mix, slab size, and required reinforcement.

Site preparation and soil type can also add to the price, with uneven terrain or unsuitable soil potentially requiring excavation, fill, or other groundworks before the slab can be installed. If the garage is part of a wider renovation, factor these into the overall house renovation costs. 

Brick type and structure

When building your garage walls, you’ll generally choose between full brick (solid masonry) and brick veneer. Full brick uses brick for the structural walls, making it the pricier option due to the materials and labour involved. Brick veneer uses a timber or steel frame with a layer of brickwork on the outside.

The garage’s structure can also affect your final bill. An attached garage shares a wall with your home, while a freestanding garage needs four external walls, which can mean higher material and labour costs.

Looking to keep future costs down? Learn more about brick cleaning costs and how your choice of brick can affect maintenance.

Garage door

A garage door is commonly included in the overall quote when you contact brick garage builders. A roller garage door starts at around $600, while a sectional garage door costs around $860.

Sectional doors push up double garage costs, particularly with additions like windows, decorative panels, or premium finishes. Insulated roller doors can also match or exceed the price of sectional doors.

Roofing material

For the roof structure, some of the most popular options you’ll find are Colorbond and other metal roofing, concrete tiles, and terracotta tiles.

So, how much does it cost to build a brick garage with Colorbond roofing? The average price per m² is around $45 to $100. For a roof area of roughly 20 to 24m², the cost would be around $900 to $2,400.

Meanwhile, tiled roofing costs around $45 to $140 per m², and is also a good option for bushfire-prone areas due to its non-combustible nature.

Rendering

Rendering can give your brick garage a different finish, whether you prefer a smooth, textured or decorative look. Options include acrylic, cement, and lime render.

Rendering costs range from $50 to $80 per m², with acrylic at the higher end of the range. Acrylic offers better crack resistance and sticks well to many surfaces, including painted masonry.

Once the render has cured, you can also paint the garage. Mid-to-light greys offer a soft, versatile look, while Surfmist (off-white) can contrast well with popular garage door colours like Monument and Woodland Grey.

Council permits and approvals

Reviewing building plans and permit paperwork (Source: iStock)

Brick garage construction usually requires a building permit, although requirements vary by state or territory. You may need certification from a structural engineer, particularly for sites with complex slopes or highly reactive soils.

So, how much does a building permit for a garage cost in Australia? It typically ranges from $1,200 to $3,500, depending on your location and whether you hire a private building surveyor.

A planning permit, sometimes called Development Approval, is separate from a building permit. You may need one if your garage exceeds local size limits, sits too close to property boundaries or is affected by planning overlays.

Tradespeople you’ll need to build a brick garage

Depending on the design, size, and location, a brick garage build may involve around four to six specialists. Here’s what each one typically handles:

• Builder: Oversees the project from planning through to completion, and may also arrange permits, inspections, and subcontractors.

• Concreter: Prepares the site and installs the concrete slab and footings that support the garage.

• Bricklayer: Builds the garage walls, including the brickwork around windows, doors, and other openings.

• Roofer: Installs the roof covering and other components, like flashing and gutters.

• Carpenter: Builds or installs timber components (for brick-veneer garages), as well as door frames and roof framing.

• Electrician: Installs lighting, power outlets, and an electrical sub-board, particularly if the garage will also be used as a workshop.

On Airtasker, here’s what people typically pay for individual trade jobs. These figures aren’t specific to brick garage projects and are provided as a general guide to what each type of task can cost:

Sourced from Airtasker data over the last 12 months to June 2026.

How to save money on your brick garage build

Bricklayer setting a brick along a string line (Source: iStock)

A few decisions made early in the project can help keep your brick garage costs under control. Consider these tips when planning your build:

• Choose brick veneer over full brick: If budget is a priority, consider brick veneer as this allows you to save on labour hours and brick volume.

• Design around standard material sizes: Keeping your garage dimensions in line with standard building material sizes, like sheet sizes and brick courses, can reduce cutting, waste and labour.

• Secure your permits before starting work: Retrospective permits can cost more than standard approvals for unapproved building work. Approval also isn’t guaranteed, and demolition may be ordered if the garage breaches boundary setbacks or planning overlays.

• Get at least three detailed quotes: Comparing quotes gives you a better sense of what’s included in each job. It can also help you spot additional fees before choosing a builder or tradie. The same approach can be used when managing broader house-building costs.

Turn your brick garage plans into reality

A brick garage is a big project, but the right people can make the process much easier. Once you’ve settled on the size, materials, and permits, it’s time to turn those plans into a space that works for you and your home.

Airtasker helps you connect with local tradies who can support different stages of your project. Find a builder or a bricklayer by posting a task, then compare profiles, reviews, and quotes to choose the right fit for your garage build.