Corsac Construction advertises a 22x22 double garage from $27,500 plus GST. Precision Construction & Decora, in a cost guide, puts a finished double of about the same footprint at $55,000 to $90,000 and describes those as typical market ranges, not fixed prices. Both numbers can be honest. The gap between them is what a garage package leaves you to work out.
Below: what a “starting from” package price normally covers, what it tends to leave out, and how to line up two or three quotes so you are comparing like with like. The figures below are what individual Calgary-area firms advertise, dated 2026. They are not a price list for this site, and this site does not build, quote or permit anything. If you want comparable written quotes from independent Calgary garage builders, call (403) 555-0162 or use the contact form, and ask each builder to quote the same size and the same list of inclusions.
What a “starting from” price in garage packages really means
A garage package is a fixed bundle: a size, a slab, a wood frame, a roof, siding, a door and some electrical. The price on the website is the cost of that bundle at its plainest. Think of it as a marketing anchor, not a forecast of your invoice.
Published package starting prices from Calgary builders begin in the high teens to mid-twenties of thousands of dollars for a single or small double. Brave Homes advertises packages starting at $18,000, and says custom garages on average run from $18,000 up to $45,000. Hammerhead Construction says a well-built double in most cases costs $32,000 to $38,000. A turnkey cost guide from one Calgary builder puts a finished double at $55,000 to $90,000.
Those numbers describe different things. The low end is a shell with basic electrical. The high end adds insulation, drywall, heat, upgraded doors, site work and finishes.
Two more things to keep in mind before you compare anything:
- “Starting from” excludes upgrades, and what counts as an upgrade differs by firm.
- Some prices say plus GST and some say nothing about tax. Ask every builder to state it.
For the wider picture on budgets, see our cost to build a garage in Calgary guide.
Comparing garage packages: what four advertised packages include
Four Calgary firms publish enough detail to compare. The table lists what each one says its package covers. “Not listed” means the firm’s page did not mention the item, not that the firm excludes it. Ask.
| Item | Corsac Construction | Calgary Garage Builders Ltd | Venkor Group | Hammerhead Construction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Example starting price | 22x22 at $27,500 + GST | 22x22 at $27,700 + GST | 22x22 at $30,126 (GST not stated) | Double, in most cases $32,000 to $38,000 |
| Slab | 4” to 5” pad with 6” curb | Slab with base preparation | 4” slab with 6” curb wall | 4” slab with 10” thickening |
| Framing | 2x4, 8’ walls | Framing and standard roof | 2x4, 9.5’ walls | Not listed |
| Siding | Not listed | Vinyl | Vinyl, to match the house | Not listed |
| Overhead door | Not listed | 16x7 | Not listed | 16x8 with operator |
| Electrical | 40-amp service, garage subpanel | 15-amp service | 240V 30A subpanel | 240V 30A subpanel |
| Permits | Garage electrical permit and inspection included | Not listed | City permits and design drawings included in the quote | Described as drive-in ready from permit to final inspection |
Read across any row and the differences show up quickly. Calgary Garage Builders lists a 15-amp service, and its 60-amp upgrade is advertised at $2,000 plus GST. Corsac starts at 40 amps. Venkor quotes 9.5’ walls where Corsac quotes 8’. A $200 gap between two headline prices can vanish, or flip, once you match the door, the walls and the electrical.
Our garage packages page explains how the sizes are usually grouped.
What garage packages usually leave out
The package covers the box. Most of the money that pushes a quote up sits outside it. These are the categories that catch people, each with the figure one named firm advertises. These are separate firms’ numbers, so treat them as prompts for questions, not as a budget.
Insulation, drywall and heat. Precision Construction & Decora says insulating and drywalling a double adds roughly $6,000 to $15,000, and a forced-air or radiant tube heater adds $2,500 to $6,000. In-floor heat is a further $6,000 to $12,000 in its guide. Corsac advertises a gas heater package at $6,600 that covers the heater, underground line, trenching, permits and dedicated electrical. Falcon Contracting says a heated workshop adds $2,000 to $5,000 for insulation and heating.
Doors and openers. Prime Garage Doors’ 2026 guide lists insulated steel doors installed at $1,499 to $2,099 for a single and $2,099 to $3,399 for a double. Carriage-style doubles run $3,000 to $4,200. A smart opener starts from $480 installed.
Concrete beyond the basic slab. Patriarch Construction says most pads fall between $4,500 and $8,000. Precision Construction & Decora says a double-garage slab with the right footings runs $9,000 to $18,000 of the total.
Electrical beyond the basics. Falcon says basic service runs $800 to $1,500 and EV charging prep adds another $1,200 to $2,500. Precision Construction & Decora puts a 240V outlet, subpanel and extra lighting at $2,000 to $6,000.
Removing the old garage. Corsac advertises removal of an existing detached garage starting at $17.50 per square foot. That covers the old pad, fencing and capping electrical and gas. On a 12x20 single (240 sq ft), that rate works out to about $4,200. That is arithmetic on an advertised rate, not a quote.
Site conditions. A sloped lot, poor lane access or a buried gas line can change the work, and no package price can account for them before someone visits. Before anyone digs, call Click Before You Dig at 1-800-242-3447. The City’s guidance is never to build over a gas line: the garage must sit at least 0.3 m away, or the line must be sleeved.
Three examples of how a garage package number moves
These are anonymised illustrations, not case studies or references. They use only figures advertised by the named firms and simple addition.
A 2008 Evanston two-storey with a gravel parking pad. The owners want two cars inside before winter. They start with Corsac’s 22x22 at $27,500 plus GST. They then add Corsac’s $6,600 gas heater package and Precision Construction & Decora’s $6,000 low end for insulation and drywall. That totals $40,100 before GST and before any door upgrade, extra electrical or site work. It is not a quote, since the figures come from different firms, but it shows how a $27,500 headline becomes a $40,000-plus conversation.
An Airdrie family comparing a 22x22 and a 24x24. A 22x22 is 484 sq ft and a 24x24 is 576 sq ft, about 53.5 m2. Calgary Garage Builders advertises $27,700 plus GST and $31,995 plus GST for those sizes, a difference of $4,295. Corsac’s pair is $27,500 and $29,900 plus GST, a $2,400 difference. Venkor’s are $30,126 and $34,988, a $4,862 difference.
Airdrie has its own rules. A permit is needed for any garage over 10 m2, and the town restricts windows, doors and vents within 1.2 m of a property line. Since 1 March 2026, roof truss designs in Airdrie and Rocky View County need an Alberta engineer’s seal, under provincial STANDATA. Ask the builder whether that is in the package price.
A Springbank acreage owner planning a heated triple garage. Corsac’s 36x20 triple is $49,000 plus GST and Venkor’s 30x24 triple is $48,606. Corsac notes that a triple needs an engineered pad with stamped drawings. The insulation and heating figures above are for doubles, so a heated triple is a separate quote. Precision Construction & Decora puts an oversized, triple or tall-door garage at $90,000 to $140,000 plus. Rocky View County also requires engineer-stamped truss layouts, and its size and height limits vary by district, so confirm with the County before you settle on dimensions.
Permits and engineering: what a garage package may or may not cover
In Calgary, a detached garage is an accessory residential building. It needs a building permit if it is greater than 10 m2 (107 sq ft). The City’s 2026 fee for a new garage building permit is $321 plus a 4% Safety Codes Council fee, or $333.84. The City says that if you hire someone to do the work, they will need to apply for the permit.
Every new garage also needs a separate electrical permit. Only a Master Electrician can pull it for a contractor. A homeowner can pull one only for work they do themselves in the home they live in. So when Corsac says the electrical permit and inspection are included, or Venkor says City permits and design drawings are included, that is a real line item. When a package says nothing, ask who applies and who pays.
A garage that meets every Land Use Bylaw rule needs a building permit but no development permit. A development permit is needed if the garage is higher than 4.6 m, if the wall-to-truss height from the parking surface is over 3 m, if it is over 75 m2, or for any relaxation. The City lists approximately 7 days for a building permit and 10 to 12 weeks for a development permit, though it notes higher than seasonal volumes and delays. If a package includes tall walls, ask how the 3 m test applies to your design.
On slabs, the City says a garage slab over 55 m2 (592 sq ft) without a concrete foundation 1.2 m below grade needs a slab designed by a professional engineer. A 24x24 is about 53.5 m2, so it stays under that line. A 26x26 does not. Ask whether engineering sits in your package before you upsize.
City of Calgary pages carry a disclaimer that they have no legal status. Always confirm with the City, or with your Town or County, before building. The City’s own garage permitting page is the place to start, and our Calgary garage permit guide covers the steps in plain language.
How to compare garage package quotes side by side
Ask two or three independent builders to quote the same size, the same door, the same wall height and the same electrical. Then compare line by line. A quote that looks $1,500 cheaper may simply leave out the permit.
Put these questions to each builder and get the answers in writing:
- What exactly is included? Ask for the slab thickness, footings, wall height, roof and siding.
- Who applies for, and pays for, the building and electrical permits, and is the City fee in the price?
- Is GST included or added?
- What is priced as an extra: door upgrades, openers, insulation, heat, old garage removal, site grading?
- Are engineered drawings or stamped truss designs included where your town needs them?
- What are the payment terms, and when do you start and finish?
Sahi Contracting says most builds are done 3 to 5 weeks after permits, and Falcon says 4 to 8 weeks from excavation to inspection. Hammerhead calls summer the busy season, and both Hammerhead and Falcon say winter builds are possible but concrete needs winter heat, which can add cost. Those are builder statements, not promises. If you can, gather quotes in winter, before the spring rush.
On the contract itself, Service Alberta explains that a builder who sells at your home and takes money before the work is done needs an Alberta prepaid contractor licence. You can check a business through Service Alberta’s licence search or call 1-877-427-4088. A licence is not an endorsement of quality. Service Alberta also explains that direct sales contracts can be cancelled within 10 days of receiving the written contract. A contract should itemize prices, the total, payment terms, start and completion dates, and cancellation rights.
Every builder quotes and contracts with you directly. This site only helps you get in front of independent Calgary garage builders. When you are ready to compare, call (403) 555-0162 or send the details through the form. If you are still deciding on size, start with how big a double garage should be and the overview of detached garages.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do garage packages usually include?
Most list a concrete slab, wood framing, a roof, siding, an overhead door and basic electrical. Venkor, for example, lists a 4” slab with 6” curb, 2x4 framing, vinyl siding, 9.5’ walls and a 240V 30A subpanel. Corsac lists a 4” to 5” pad, 2x4 framing with 8’ walls and 40-amp service. Inclusions differ by firm, so compare the list, not the headline.
Is the “starting from” price what I will actually pay?
Usually not. It is the price of the plainest bundle at that size. Insulation, heat, doors, extra electrical, old garage removal and site conditions sit on top. One Calgary builder’s cost guide puts a finished double at $55,000 to $90,000, which is well above the package starting prices.
Do garage packages include the building permit?
It depends on the builder. Venkor says City permits and design drawings are included in its quote, and Corsac says the garage electrical permit and inspection are included. Others do not say. In Calgary, whoever does the work must apply for the permit, so ask who applies and who pays before you sign. Confirm requirements with the City or your Town.
Can I pay a deposit before a garage builder starts?
Builders set their own payment terms, and those terms should be written into the contract. Service Alberta says a builder who sells at your home and takes money before the work is done needs a prepaid contractor licence, which you can check online. Read the payment schedule, and get written answers on timing and cancellation before you commit.