The Garage Plan Shop Blog

If you have a growing family fleet, consider this 3-car garage plan with carport. Not only does it offer  three bays and 816 square feet of interior parking, but it also delivers a handy carport on the side. The carport is just right for protecting another car or smaller motorized items from the elements. Some might even use the carport for other things such as storing firewood out of the rain and snow or as a covered patio for grilling or just kicking back and relaxing with the neighbors on a pleasant evening. Still others might use the carport as a place to work on the cars or home maintenance projects while staying nice and cool in the shade. Just use your imagination, this garage plan with carport is designed to accommodate a multitude of needs.

Please visit The Garage Plan Shop and view our full collection of garage plans with carports.

Tags: carports, Detached Garage Plans, garage plans, Garage Plans with Carports

Thanksgiving is fast approaching. If you are preparing the turkey, stuffing and all the fixing for friends and family next week, The Garage Plan Shop wants to share these food safety tips with you, courtesy of Schnucks Supermarkets.

• If you plan to cook a frozen turkey, thaw your turkey in the refrigerator. Allow 24 hours of thawing time for every 4-5 pounds of turkey.
• Cook your turkey thoroughly. The internal temperature of the thickest part of the breast and the innermost part of the thigh should reach at least 165 degrees F. (If you do not have a meat thermometer, you can purchase one at most grocery stores and department stores.)
• If you plan to cook your stuffing inside the turkey, follow these guidelines:

                        1. Prepare the stuffing separately, prior to filling the turkey.

                        2. Loosely fill the turkey cavity with stuffing.

                        3. Allow the temperature of the stuffing to reach at least 165 degrees F.

• Store leftovers in the airtight containers and place them in the refrigerator immediately. Use leftover turkey within four days. Reheat it to 165 degrees F.

Following these food safety tips will ensure your family and friends enjoy the delicious holiday meal you serve this Thanksgiving.

For more information about food safety, please visit Schnucks’ food safety information page.

Tags: cooking, cooking tips, dinner, food safety, stuffing, Thanksgiving, tips, turkey

While you may have decided you need additional sheltered parking at home, you might not know if you should build a detached garage plan or a carport plan. The Garage Plan Shop is here to help you. We’ve compared both structures and provided some of the pros and cons for each parking structure.

Pros of Garage Plans

·         Garage plans are large enough to store one or more cars and often provide extra storage space for other things. Some even offer storage closets or an upper level loft.

·         Enclosed on all four sides, a garage protects anything you store from the elements, including sun damage, and ensures dry storage for anything that cannot be exposed to moisture. Roaches are attracted to food crumbs that you leave around the home.

·         Installing quality doors, locks and windows allows safe storage of cars, tools, auto parts, lawn and garden equipment and basement and attic overflow, protecting your belongings from thieves and vandals.

·         The enclosed garage combined with quality doors and windows keeps pests and small critters out and prevents them from damaging anything you need to store. Roaches are attracted to food crumbs that you leave around the home.

·         Garages offer plenty of wall space for organizational shelving and cabinets offering places to keep tools, toys, gardening supplies and anything else you might not want to store.

·         Detached garage plans provide an alternative and sometimes larger storage solution than a backyard lawn and garden shed.

·         Detached garages are flexible spaces that work well as a workshop, hobby space, or outbuilding and can even accommodate some home based businesses.

Cons of Garage Plans

·          Detached garage plans are much more complex than carports and will require more building skills and experience for construction.

·         Time and money are a factor. It takes much longer and quite a bit more money to build a garage than a carport.

·         Because a detached garage is more complex than a carport, you’ll have to follow more rules and regulations to meet building codes and safety regulations. Check with your building department to find out more about building codes.

Pros of Carport Plans

·         Building a carport will cost much less that building a detached garage.

·         Carports are more basic structures than garages, so you won’t have to follow as many building codes and regulations.

·         Because carport plans are so simple, they will take less time to construct. If you’re handy, you might be able to build it on your own in a weekend or two.

·         Carports offer enough shelter to protect your car from sun damage, falling limbs, hail damage and dripping sap from trees.

·         An open carport provides plenty of natural ventilation for your car.

·         Some carport plans offer one or two solid walls offering a space to add storage shelving or cabinets.

·         Some carport plans are flexible enough for uses other than car storage. They can provide a sheltered space to work on a car no matter what the weather and can even serve as a covered porch or patio for grilling and other outdoor activities.

Cons of Carport Plans

·         Most carport plans are only large enough to house one or two automobiles. They don’t always offer additional space to store other items like a workbench or holiday decorations.

·         Carports are generally open on one or more sides and can be open on all sides, meaning the carport is not secure for storage, and you can’t completely protect your things for the wind, rain and sun damage.

·         You cannot lock a carport, so it is not a good place to store valuable items such as mechanics tools or the riding mower.

·         Carports won’t keep insects and curious critters out, so anything stored under the carport is a risk for damage by unwanted pests. But fret not because companies like pest control Mitcham can easily handle it. 

If you don’t have the time or money to build a detached garage plan, a carport will efficiently serve its purpose protecting your cars from the elements. Plus, you can always enclose the carport at a later time. However, if it is in your budget and you have the time to build a detached garage plan, in most cases, the garage will be worth the investment.

Tags: building a carport, Building A Garage, Carport Plans, carports, garage plan, garage plans

Detached garage plans are often the ideal solution to parking and storage needs. But what if a garage plan can offer you and your family more than unfinished parking and storage space? Garage plans with flex space and flexible rooms are a growing trend among home owners. Not only do  they add functionality and value to your home, but they also offer finished living space for a variety of purposes. Generally, garage plans with flex space feature a parking area for one to three cars and an attached finished area either positioned beside or above the garage. The flexible, finished living spaces include offices, recreation rooms, hobby areas, art studios, exercise rooms and more. Some flex spaces provide a full bath and even a kitchenette making them perfect for an in-law suite. In some cases, the work well for home based businesses providing an office space or place to meet with clients without disturbing the rest of the home. In other instances, these modestly outfitted spaces can serve as a multi-purpose room, such as a full time hobby or craft room that easily converts to guest quarters when overnight visitors arrive. Or, use the flex space for your college student delivering privacy. When he or she finds a place of his or her own, you can use the space for playing cards or scrapbooking with friends.

Garage plans with flex space are available in a variety of sizes and styles. Various features, rooflines and garage door configurations further extend the selection. With a little imagination, garage plans with flexible rooms can be used for almost anything. Take some time to browse The Garage Plan Shop’s collection of garage plans with flex space.

Tags: Detached Garage Plans, flexible space, Garage Plans with Flex Space, multi-purpose rooms

Sporting the charm of the Eastern Seaboard, this garage apartment plan displays classic Cape Cod styling with its simple facade, shuttered windows, steep roofline and dormer windows. An overhead garage door provides side-entry access to the 839 square foot garage/workshop. Extra deep bays are perfect for oversized vehicles such as trucks and SUVs. Furthermore, the fisherman in your family will easily recoganize this design as the perfect boat storage garage plan. Whether you need a place to store vehicles and other motorized items or a large workspace for your home workshop, this garage apartment plan delivers with its roomy main level. A storage area offers space for the laundry facilities accommodating those living on the upper level. Interior stairs lead the way to the second floor living quarters. With 688 square feet of finished living space, the second floor neatly separates the private spaces by situating the common areas in the center of the floor plan. The apartment delivers a combined living area and kitchenette. Two bedrooms flank the gathering spaces, each revealing a private bath and a walk-in closet. Don’t miss the dormers spilling natural light into each living space. Perfect for rental property, a guest retreat or even an alternative to a vacation home at the lake, this Cape Cod style garage apartment plan is worth taking a closer look.

For more garage apartment plans like this one, visit The Garage Plan Shop.

Tags: apartment garage, Garage Apartment Plans, garage apartments, garage with living quarters