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The Guard Shack Price Index

Published pricing across finish levels, configurations, foundations, site costs and all 50 states. Researched market estimates as of July 2026 — the numbers this industry normally makes you call for.

Finish levels

EssentialClean, durable factory finishes. Everything you need, nothing you don't.$265per sq ft, structure only
SignatureDesigner interiors, upgraded fixtures, premium cabinetry.$325per sq ft, structure only
PremiumArchitectural-grade finishes, custom millwork, luxury fixtures.$395per sq ft, structure only

Size benchmarks vs the national builders

Our delivered-and-installed figures against published national turnkey all-in pricing for the same size and configuration.

385 sq ft — Studio / 1 bathdelivered & installed$154,736market $298,800 · save $144,064 (48%)
500 sq ft — 1 bed / 1 bathdelivered & installed$187,812market $324,800 · save $136,988 (42%)
625 sq ft — 2 bed / 1 bathdelivered & installed$223,766market $358,800 · save $135,034 (38%)
800 sq ft — 2 bed / 2 bathdelivered & installed$274,100market $424,800 · save $150,700 (35%)
1,070 sq ft — 3 bed / 2 bathdelivered & installed$351,759market $464,800 · save $113,041 (24%)
1,195 sq ft — 3 bed / 3 bathdelivered & installed$387,712market $498,800 · save $111,088 (22%)

Product price matrices

Guard Booth / Guard Shack

4 x 6 (24 sqft)new · used · monthly$8,400$4,900 used · $285/mo
6 x 8 (48 sqft)new · used · monthly$12,900$7,400 used · $385/mo
8 x 10 (80 sqft)new · used · monthly$17,600$10,200 used · $495/mo
8 x 12 (96 sqft)new · used · monthly$21,400$12,600 used · $580/mo
Bullet-Resistant Level III (8 x 10)new · used · monthly$34,500— used · $1,150/mo
Bullet-Resistant Level IV (8 x 12)new · used · monthly$48,900— used · $1,620/mo

Foundation costs

Pier & BeamConcrete piers with steel beam carriage. Fastest, best on stable soil.$38per sq ft
Slab-on-GradeMonolithic reinforced slab. Most common for permanent placement.$46per sq ft
Stem WallPerimeter stem wall with interior piers. Required in many flood zones.$52per sq ft

The site costs nobody publishes

This is where quoted budgets and final invoices separate. Every one of these is a real line item on a real project.

Foundation$38–$52 per sq ft
Utility trenchingFirst 50 ft typical, then $185 per ft
CraneIncluded to 100 ft reach, then $2,900 + $95 per ft
Permits and plan check$8,900
Survey, staking and certification$5,400
Site clearing and grading$4,200
Slope or poor soil adder$3,600
Septic system$14,500
Well$11,800
Electrical service upgrade$3,400
Demolition of existing structure$9,200
Freight$7 per loaded mile

What drives each of these

  • Foundation — Pier and beam is cheapest and fastest. Slab-on-grade is most common for permanent placement. Stem wall is often required in flood zones.
  • Utility trenching — Distance from your unit to the existing water, sewer and electrical service. Long driveways get expensive quickly.
  • Crane — Driven by how close the truck can park to the final placement. Trees, slopes and narrow lots all increase reach.
  • Permits and plan check — Highly jurisdiction-dependent. Some counties are a few thousand, some urban jurisdictions with impact fees are far more.
  • Survey, staking and certification — Required almost everywhere before a foundation can be inspected.
  • Site clearing and grading — Assumes a reasonably level, accessible lot. Rock, heavy vegetation or fill requirements change this.
  • Slope or poor soil adder — Applies on grades roughly five to twenty percent or where soil bearing requires engineered footings.
  • Septic system — Only when no municipal sewer is available. Perc testing comes first and can disqualify a site.
  • Well — Only when no municipal water is available. Depth drives the number and depth is regional.
  • Electrical service upgrade — Common on older properties where the existing panel cannot carry the added load.
  • Demolition of existing structure — Applies to teardown and replacement scenarios. Asbestos or lead survey may be required first.
  • Freight — Calculated from the fabrication facility to your site. This is the line item that makes regional pricing differ most.

Cost by state

Signature finish, structure only, adjusted for regional freight, labor and code burden.

AlabamaAL · 700 loaded miles$306freight $4,760
AlaskaAK · 4,200 loaded miles$462freight $28,560
ArizonaAZ · 2,200 loaded miles$332freight $14,960
ArkansasAR · 1,050 loaded miles$299freight $7,140
CaliforniaCA · 2,700 loaded miles$416freight $18,360
ColoradoCO · 1,900 loaded miles$354freight $12,920
ConnecticutCT · 1,450 loaded miles$384freight $9,860
DelawareDE · 1,240 loaded miles$338freight $8,432
District of ColumbiaDC · 1,180 loaded miles$422freight $8,024
FloridaFL · 180 loaded miles$344freight $1,224
GeorgiaGA · 620 loaded miles$315freight $4,216
HawaiiHI · 4,800 loaded miles$514freight $32,640
IdahoID · 2,500 loaded miles$335freight $17,000
IllinoisIL · 1,330 loaded miles$361freight $9,044
IndianaIN · 1,250 loaded miles$312freight $8,500
IowaIA · 1,450 loaded miles$309freight $9,860
KansasKS · 1,400 loaded miles$306freight $9,520
KentuckyKY · 1,080 loaded miles$309freight $7,344
LouisianaLA · 880 loaded miles$328freight $5,984
MaineME · 1,720 loaded miles$351freight $11,696
MarylandMD · 1,180 loaded miles$364freight $8,024
MassachusettsMA · 1,520 loaded miles$403freight $10,336
MichiganMI · 1,380 loaded miles$325freight $9,384
MinnesotaMN · 1,620 loaded miles$348freight $11,016
MississippiMS · 830 loaded miles$296freight $5,644
MissouriMO · 1,200 loaded miles$309freight $8,160
MontanaMT · 2,350 loaded miles$351freight $15,980
NebraskaNE · 1,550 loaded miles$309freight $10,540
NevadaNV · 2,450 loaded miles$344freight $16,660
New HampshireNH · 1,600 loaded miles$358freight $10,880
New JerseyNJ · 1,350 loaded miles$387freight $9,180
New MexicoNM · 1,750 loaded miles$322freight $11,900
New YorkNY · 1,420 loaded miles$410freight $9,656
North CarolinaNC · 880 loaded miles$318freight $5,984
North DakotaND · 1,900 loaded miles$338freight $12,920
OhioOH · 1,250 loaded miles$318freight $8,500
OklahomaOK · 1,300 loaded miles$302freight $8,840
OregonOR · 2,900 loaded miles$364freight $19,720
PennsylvaniaPA · 1,300 loaded miles$344freight $8,840
Rhode IslandRI · 1,500 loaded miles$377freight $10,200
South CarolinaSC · 760 loaded miles$315freight $5,168
South DakotaSD · 1,750 loaded miles$315freight $11,900
TennesseeTN · 900 loaded miles$315freight $6,120
TexasTX · 1,200 loaded miles$312freight $8,160
UtahUT · 2,300 loaded miles$338freight $15,640
VermontVT · 1,620 loaded miles$354freight $11,016
VirginiaVA · 1,080 loaded miles$338freight $7,344
WashingtonWA · 3,050 loaded miles$377freight $20,740
West VirginiaWV · 1,120 loaded miles$318freight $7,616
WisconsinWI · 1,500 loaded miles$335freight $10,200
WyomingWY · 2,050 loaded miles$341freight $13,940

Pricing questions

Why do you publish prices when nobody else does?
Because the absence of published pricing in this industry is a sales tactic, not a technical limitation. Every supplier knows what a module costs to build. Withholding it forces a phone call, and the phone call is where the anchoring happens. We would rather you arrive knowing the number and spend the call on your site conditions.
Are these prices guaranteed?
No, and anyone who guarantees a price without seeing your site is not being straight with you. These are researched market estimates for budgeting. Structure pricing is firm once a design is locked. Site work genuinely varies — foundation type, utility distance, crane reach, permit fees and freight distance all change the total, which is why we quote them as separate lines rather than folding them into one figure.
How do you compare to the national builders?
Published national turnkey pricing runs roughly $375 to $538 per square foot all-in. Our configurations land twenty to twenty-seven percent lower for comparable size and finish. The gap is process — bulk purchasing, minimal waste, parallel site work — not specification.
What is the cheapest way to get this built?
Essential finish level, pier and beam foundation, a site with existing utilities close to the placement, good truck access so crane reach stays inside the included envelope, and a jurisdiction with reasonable permit fees. Those five choices swing a project more than any negotiation will.
Do prices change?
Yes. Material costs move, freight moves with fuel, and permit fees change by jurisdiction. We revise these figures as the underlying research changes. Anything you are planning around should be confirmed against a current site-specific quote.

Get a Guard Shack quote

Tell us the scope and the ZIP. You get a real delivered-and-installed number, not a "contact us for pricing" runaround.

Or call/text (954) 488-0700 · surplus713@gmail.com. Photos and a site address get the fastest confirmed number.

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