Convenience Store Budget Estimator

Budget estimator

Planning-grade ranges from published sources. Not a quote.

Store size (sq ft)

Project

Add a beer cave

Store building and canopy$150–$350 per sq ft (Terrapin, 2026)$450,000 – $1,050,000

Store designJayComp's published range for a full store design$15,000 – $75,000+

Planning range$465,000 – $1,125,000+

Excludes land, site work, fuel systems and tanks, permits and fees, and any equipment your contractor's rate does not cover. Regional costs vary widely. Use this to frame a budget conversation, then get a written quote.

How to use the estimate

The number above is a planning range, not a price. Use it to answer one question: is the project you have in mind roughly in line with the money you have? If the range is far above your budget, the store size or the scope needs to change before design starts. If it is comfortably inside, you have room for food service, a beer cave or a bigger cooler wall.

What moves your real number

Region. Labor and material costs vary widely across the country.
Food service. A kitchen adds a hood, fire suppression, grease handling, plumbing and electrical capacity.
Refrigeration. The cooler wall, walk-ins and a beer cave are among the most expensive items in the store.
Existing building condition. On a remodel, the electrical service, roof and plumbing decide how much has to change.
The fuel side. Tanks, dispensers, canopy and site work are a separate budget, often as large as the building.

For the detail behind each line, see cost to build a convenience store and remodel cost.

Sources

Terrapin Construction Group, "Convenience Store & Gas Station Construction Cost (2026)," budgetary ranges for planning only.
Cushman & Wakefield, "2026 U.S. Retail Fit Out Cost Guide," survey of 15 general contractors in 15 markets.
CStore Decisions, as reported by The Hustle, for beer cave costs.
JayComp Development, published design-fee range on our services page.

Frequently asked questions

Where do the numbers come from?

New-build rates use Terrapin Construction Group's 2026 range of about $150 to $350 per square foot for the store building and canopy. The remodel reference uses Cushman & Wakefield's 2026 national average of $157 per square foot for an in-line retail fit-out. The design range is JayComp's published $15,000 to $75,000+. Beer caves use the $15,000 to $75,000 range reported by CStore Decisions.

Why is the range so wide?

Because real projects are. Region, finishes, food service, refrigeration and the condition of an existing building all move the price. The low end assumes a simple store in a lower-cost market; the high end a high-amenity store.

What is not included?

Land, site work, fuel systems and tanks, permits and fees, and any equipment your contractor's rate does not cover. On a fuel site, the forecourt can cost as much as the building.

Turn a planning range into a quote for your store

JayComp Development has designed and built more than 2,500 convenience stores, liquor stores and travel centers since 1996, from Ravia, Oklahoma to all 50 states. We design the store, then supply and install the equipment.

Send the site, the store type and your timing. Quotes are free, with no obligation.