The Garage Plan Shop Blog

When it comes to building a detached garage plan, choosing the right one can be a bit overwhelming. With hundreds of designs available online, how do you know which one will be best for you? The Garage Plan Shop has a few tips to help you begin your search for the right garage blueprint and then narrow down your choices to find exactly the right one.

1. 1. Know what you are looking for and consider what type of garage you need. What is your lot size? What how many bays do you need? What do you plan to store/park inside? Do you need extra storage space?

1. 1. Use the search tool on the website to narrow the selection based on the maximum width and depth of your lot or property to find only those plans that will fit in the allotted space.

1. 1. From these results, eliminate the plans you don’t want. If you are only looking for a 2-car garage, eliminate everything else with more or less bays.

1. 1. Now check the elevations of the remaining plans. Try to picture each garage on your property and how it will look with your house or any other surrounding buildings. Eliminate any designs that do not have the “look” you desire.

1. 1. Now review the floor plans and pay attention to traditional elements like the overhead door arrangements and special features. Does it matter to you if you have one large overhead door or do you prefer two smaller ones? Would it be helpful to have a half bath, workbench or storage closet in the garage. Consider the pros and cons of the features each remaining garage plan offers. Eliminate any that don’t get your attention.

1. With the few remaining garage plans, determine which garage plan has the right look, roofing style, and features that will best accommodate your needs and select the one you like most.

With these handy tips you’ll be on your way to selecting the garage plan that will best satisfy your needs.

Tags: Choosing a Garage Plan, Detached Garage Plans, garage blueprints, garage plans

Before a customer makes a final decision on the right garage plan or purchases blueprints, we are often asked how much it will cost to build a particular garage design. The experts at The Garage Plan Shop understand this is an important factor in making a final decision, as customers want to be sure they can afford to build the design. However, we know the costs for materials and labor vary greatly from one state to the next and sometimes even within the same city, making it impossible for us to provide an estimate for one of our garages in any specified location. We can’t possibly know all the going rates for materials and labor all across the US and Canada.

So, how can you get an estimated cost to build a particular garage plan? We recommend checking with a few local builders or lumberyards. These professionals deal with construction and materials costs on a daily basis. They also know the going rates for materials such as steel, concrete and Concrete wire mesh, and also the labor rates in your particular area. Just ask for an estimated cost to build. If you want a shingle roof installation on your garage, local builders can give an estimate for that project. You may also consider metal building kits for your garage construction. Often, these professionals will quote a dollar amount per square foot. Be sure to ask what this quote includes as sometimes it will not include foundation materials and a few other things. Checking locally is the best way to get an estimated cost to build for any of our garage plans. 

Tags: ballpark estimate, Building A Garage, building estimate, cost to build, garage plans

Attention fishermen and boating enthusiasts! The Garage Plan Shop has the perfect detached garage plan for your boat! Take a look at this drive-thru garage designed to eliminate the hassle of backing your boat and trailer in and out of the garage. Thoughtfully planned with front and rear overhead doors, this boat storage design simply allows you to pull your truck straight thru the garage and unhitch the boat trailer leaving it neatly parked inside. You’ll have peace of mind knowing there won’t be any more hassles with backing the trailer in and out of the garage, and your boat will be protected from Mother Nature’s furry when you’re not on the water. Pay close attention to the floor plan. It even offers enough room on the sides for storage of all the things you’ll need on the water like lifejackets, water skis, fishing poles and tackle boxes. Delivering 669 square feet of usable space, this boat storage garage with gambrel roof is an instant winner!

For more boat storage garage plans and drive-thru designs, be sure browse our versatile collections.

Tags: boat garage, boat storage garage, drive-thru garage, drive-thru garage plan, garage plans

If you’ve found yourself asking, “I want to build a garage, but where do I start?” You’ve come to the right place. First thing is to remove all those unused items, like what you inherit from your grandparents, you can sell it or whatever you want to do, For more tips you can view here. There is a wide range of resources available to help you get started on your garage building project. Most are easy-to-access and will offer insight and knowledge about the construction project you are about to tackle. Below are just a few of the resources available to you.

• • Contact local building professionals that have experience with residential construction and ask lots of questions. Some of these people include builders, a roofing contractor to install a residential roofing system, residential designers, carpenters, electricians and the like. Expert electricians Brisbane North can help you with various projects such as installing electricity, installing security systems, installing smoke alarms, and more. 

• • Check with your local building department or a Building Inspector Brisbane to find out what your city/town/municipality will require in order to start and finish the project. Ask about building codes and requirements specific to your geographic location as well as local building codes. Find out if there are any restrictions for your neighborhood.

• • Take some time to talk with family members and friends who have completed a residential construction project recently whether they built a garage, home, shed, barn or outbuilding. Ask them to share any information they can. These people will speak from experience and have a wealth of knowledge to share. Ask them what pitfalls they encountered during construction, what went well, what could have gone better and what they’d do differently next time. They may also recommend builders, a roofing contractor, electrician, etc.

• • If you need to get a loan, check with various mortgage lenders and a mortgage broker you can rely on. Find out how to get a mortgage and what steps you need to take to qualify for a loan and what the lender expects throughout the lifetime of the construction loan. The best way to get a complete picture of your applicants is with Certified Credit’s merge credit report. 

• • Spend some time at the lumberyard. The professionals at the lumberyard are especially knowledgeable about building materials.

• • Search the Internet. There are all kinds of helpful websites offering construction information for all phases of the building process.

• Don’t forget about us. We have an extensive resources page with many articles and tips to help you through building process. You can also follow us on Twitter and check out our Facebook page for current postings about garage construction and related information.

Tags: Building A Garage, building tips, garage building, garage plans, resources

Having a detached garage plan for extra parking or storage is convenient, but did you ever think about how much more convenient your garage would be if it had at least one drive-thru bay. Drive-thru garage plans offer practical conveniences that you might not ever think of when it comes to detached garages. Consider these points:

• • Drive-thru garage plans are available in a variety of sizes and styles included single and tandem bays as well and simple designs and more complex plans with a loft or storage space above.

• • The rear overhead door makes it easy to access items at the back of the garage, such as the riding lawn mower or leaf blower, without having to back the cars out just to get to it.

• • On the right lot or property, the drive-thru garage bay eliminates the hassle of back in or out of your garage. You can simply pull straight thru instead.

• • If you wish to store a boat or trailer, simply pull into the garage with your truck, pull thru leaving the boat or trailer centered in the garage bay. Unhitch the boat or trailer and close the door. When it comes time to access the boat or trailer later, back your truck up to the garage door, hitch to the boat or trailer and pull away. There is no need to back the boat or trailer in and out of the garage any longer. Add dock lights for lighting during the night.

• • Drive-thru RV garage plans are a dream-come-true for RV and camper owners. It is already challenging enough to drive such a huge vehicle, so you’ll appreciate the convenience of a drive-thru RV garage eliminating the hassle and frustration of trying to back the RV in or out of the garage.

• A drive-thru garage plan with the rear door opening to the backyard works well for families with small children. The kids can access bikes and toys inside from the safety of the backyard without having to go to the front of the garage or driveway near the street.

Practical and convenient, there are many other good reasons to build a drive-thru garage plan. Take some time to check out The Garage Plan Shop’s collection of drive-thru designs.

Tags: Detached Garage Plans, drive-thru garage, Drive-Thru Garage Plans, garage plans, garage plans with drive-thru