Parking capacity estimator
Fast, reliable stall count estimates with cost analysis and automatic optimization
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The Parking Capacity Estimator provides fast, reliable parking garage capacity estimates optimized for financial analysis and feasibility studies. This tool automatically generates optimal solutions across multiple construction methods, layout types, and efficiency presets.
Simply enter your total garage floor area or footprint dimensions with number of levels, and the calculator generates ranked scenarios optimized for maximum stalls, lowest cost, or balanced performance. Each scenario includes detailed cost breakdowns by stall type, level multipliers for multi-story structures, and vertical circulation costs for ramps and elevators.
The tool supports four layout types (90-degree double-loaded, 60-degree angled, 45-degree angled, and compact-heavy), three efficiency presets (Typical, High Efficiency, Urban Tight), and automatically calculates ADA-compliant accessible and van-accessible stalls. Optional EV infrastructure costs are included for forward-thinking developments.
This is explicitly NOT a code-compliance calculator—it focuses on capacity estimation and financial analysis to help developers, architects, and real estate professionals make informed decisions during early design phases and feasibility studies.
Features
Everything you need
- Automatic scenario optimization across layout types and construction methods
- Cost analysis with detailed breakdowns by stall type
- Multi-level structure cost multipliers and vertical circulation costs
- Side-by-side comparison of up to 4 scenarios
- Efficiency factor calculations (sf/stall) for space optimization
- ADA-compliant accessible stall auto-calculation
- EV infrastructure cost estimation
- Compact stall percentage optimization (0-30%)
- Circulation loss sensitivity analysis (10-30%)
- Ranked recommendations: best overall, most stalls, lowest cost
How it works
Simple workflow
- 1Enter total garage floor area OR footprint dimensions (length × width) with number of levels
- 2Choose optimization goal: balanced, maximum stalls, or minimum cost
- 3Optionally set constraints: target stall count, maximum budget, or preferred number of levels
- 4Review automatically generated top recommendations ranked by your optimization goal
- 5Compare scenarios side-by-side with detailed cost breakdowns and efficiency metrics
- 6Export results or copy data for financial analysis
Use cases
Built for real-world scenarios
Financial analysis
Generate capacity estimates and construction costs formatted for financial models and investment analysis.
Feasibility studies
Quickly evaluate multiple construction methods and layout options to find the most cost-effective solution for a given site.
Design optimization
Compare efficiency factors and stall counts across different layout types to optimize space utilization.
Cost estimation
Get detailed cost breakdowns by stall type, including multi-level multipliers and vertical circulation costs for accurate budgeting.
Scenario comparison
Evaluate up to 4 scenarios side-by-side to understand trade-offs between stall count, efficiency, and construction costs.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Efficiency factor measures square feet per stall, including aisles and circulation. Lower values indicate better space efficiency. Typical ranges are 300-420 sf/stall, with high-efficiency layouts achieving 300-340 sf/stall and urban-tight configurations at 350-420 sf/stall.
Multi-level garages incur additional costs: approximately 15% structural cost multiplier per additional level (e.g., 2 levels = +15%, 3 levels = +30%), plus vertical circulation costs for ramps and elevators. The calculator automatically includes these costs in all scenarios.
Four layout types are supported: 90-degree double-loaded (most common, efficient), 60-degree angled one-way (good for tight sites), 45-degree angled two-way (flexible traffic flow), and compact-heavy (maximum density, lower cost per stall). Each has different efficiency factors and construction costs.
Accessible stalls are automatically calculated per ADA requirements: 1 accessible stall per 25 total stalls, with 1 van-accessible stall per 6 accessible stalls. These are included in all scenarios and factored into cost calculations.
Yes, the calculator allows you to select up to 4 scenarios for side-by-side comparison. Each comparison shows total stalls, efficiency factor, total cost, cost per stall, and detailed breakdowns to help you evaluate trade-offs.
No, this tool focuses on capacity estimation and financial analysis. It does not check jurisdiction-specific parking requirements or building codes. Always verify local zoning codes and accessibility requirements with your local authority.
Have a suggestion?
We're always looking to improve our calculators. If you have ideas for new features, improvements, or found something that could work better, we'd love to hear from you.
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