The Garage Plan Shop Blog

If you’ve been shopping for the perfect garage plan or outbuilding plan for a while, you have probably realized it isn’t always easy to find the perfect garage plan to satisfy all of your needs, fit your lot, and/or match your home or other structures on your property. You’ve probably found designs that are close to what you want, but may not be exactly what you need. One of the most common comments from our customers is, “I found a garage plan I like, but I need to make some changes to it.”

There is a simple solution to this problem. We can help you with your changes! The Garage Plan Shop offers a modification service for customers who wish to make changes to any garage, shed, outbuilding, barn, carport or other design published on our website. This will ensure the design will satisfy all of your needs, match your home, fit you lot, etc. Our modification team will be happy to provide a free quote for your changes before you purchase blueprints.

Some of the most common modifications include the following:

• Changing the exterior look of the garage such as adding/eliminating windows, modifying the roof pitch,  or changing the exterior finish
•  Flipping the floor plan from left to right (mirror reverse or right reading reverse)
• Increasing the overall size (width and/or depth) of the garage by adding an extra garage bay, making the garage bays deeper, etc. (we can also reduce the overall size of the design)
• Changing the garage entry from front to side, side to rear, etc.
• Creating new/extra usable space such as a storage closet, workshop, full/half bath, unfinished loft or apartment above
• Redesigning the finished space, apartment, or flexible areas to accommodate specific needs

Some of the things our modification team cannot do:

• Combining two different garage plans into one design (due to copyright laws)
• Engineering or modifying a plan to meet local building codes

Our modification service is easy to use, just follow these easy steps:

1. Decide what changes you want to make to your desired plan.
2. Complete and submit the modification request form for a free quote. Be sure to include all of your contact information and the plan number. Then describe the changes you’d like to make to the plan. Please be as specific as possible when describing your changes. Describe your changes as if you are looking at the plan from the front of the garage. Use key words such as “in the rear”, “on the left side”, and “on the second floor.” When referring to rooms and spaces on the floor plan, use the same titles or labels shown on the floor plan. If the floor plan refers to a storage space, use the words “storage space” rather than “closet.” Provide dimensions whenever possible. Remember to use “width” when referring to measurements running left to right on the floor plan, and use the term “depth” for measurements running from front to back.The more details you provide, the more accurate your quote will be from the modification team. Finally, please provide any sketches you may have that illustrate your modifications.
3. Our modification team will provide a quote for your modifications by email within a couple of business days. The quote will list the cost for your desired modifications (those you listed on your modification request form) plus the cost of the PDF or CAD file of the original plan. The PDF or CAD file will be necessary to legally change the original copyrighted blueprint. The total cost of your modification project will be the combined total for the modification fees and the blueprint package (PDF or CAD file) listed in the quote.
4. Follow the instructions outlined in the emailed quote to purchase the original PDF or CAD file of your garage plan, arrange payment for your modifications and proceed with your desired changes to the blueprints.

Other important information:

• The blueprints for the garage plans and other designs published on this website are drawn to meet national building codes. Modifications are not drawn or designed to meet any particular state, county, or local building codes. We cannot guarantee all revisions to the blueprints will meet your local building codes. It may be necessary to hire a local residential design professional to review the modified blueprints to ensure compliance with your state, county or other local building codes.
• All modification requests must be submitted in writing using the Modification Request Form. Verbal requests are not accepted.

Learn more about our modification service here.

NOTE: Please keep in mind you always have the option to purchase a plan package that comes with a copyright release and take your blueprints to a local design professional to make your changes.

Tags: garage plan modifications, modifications, modifying garage plans

I spent quite a bit of time searching online for the right garage plan. I found one that I really like in an architectural style that matches my house. My lot accommodates the width perfectly, but I’d like it to be a bit deeper to accommodate my boat and give me room to add a bath. (I spend most of my time outside doing dirty jobs, like yard work, gardening and working on my favorite old car. The last thing I want to do is walk into my new home with dirty hands and feet when it isn’t necessary.) After checking with my builder, I learned that desired modifications are fairly easy to make, but he informed me the city building department will not issue building permits if the changes are not drawn on my garage blueprints. I verified this with the building department, and yes indeed, I will have to make modifications to floor plans before I submit them to the city for approval.

I didn’t really know what my next step would be, so I contacted The Garage Plan Shop for advice. I was happy to discover I have a couple of choices regarding the modifications I want to make, and either choice seems fairly easy to work with. The customer service representative to me I can submit a modification request form detailing my changes to their customizing department to receive a free quote for the modifications. If I am happy with the quote and the estimated time frame works with my schedule, they will handle everything. A designer will even send me a sketch of my desired changes for my approval before the plans are modified. My second option is to purchase a reproducible master or CAD file of the garage plan and work with a local residential designer, an architect or my builder (if he is qualified) to make the changes to the plans. Either way, making changes to the design I have selected will be simple and easy.

I am happy to know that I will be able to change my blueprints to suit my needs hassle free.

Tags: blueprints, customizing, modifications