The Garage Plan Shop Blog

Garage apartment plans are available in a wide variety of sizes, styles and floor plans. They offer parking, storage space and accommodate a broad range of needs. In general, these designs offer at least one garage bay and finished living space either on the same level as the garage or above the garage. The living spaces can be optimized by adding the right kind of furniture, hiring an air conditioning contractor to install heating and air conditioning systems, choosing the lighting, and buying entertainment appliances.

With garage apartment plans, the garage varies in size from a 1-car garage to a 3-car garage with some bays large enough to accommodate an RV or a boat. To make it more secure, you may install a commercial fencing system all around the apartment garage.

Below is a list of eight garage apartment plans that are easily overlooked in our collection. Take some time to review these plans and find out what makes them special.

006G-0106 – This stylish 3-car garage apartment plan is designed to fit on a sloping lot. With the garage bays tucked into the hillside, the living quarters can be accessed from stairs in the garage or you might wish to add just a couple of steps leading to the optional deck and enter the living quarters from ground level. In addition to being well suited for a hillside, this garage apartment plan makes the ideal vacation home. With all the windows in the vaulted living room and the optional deck, this design is ideal for a lot with a view. Just imagine looking out from the mountain side or overlooking a beautiful lake!

010G-0022 – Rustic in design, this garage apartment plan has more to offer than meets the eye! At first glance, it appears to be a 2-car garage, but don’t be fooled! Tucked behind the double garage bay, you’
ll find a single garage bay that is accessed on the side. The extra bay is perfect for your weekend car! However, if you want to rent out the second floor apartment for additional income, your tenant can use the 1-car garage, and you can park your cars in the 2-car garage. Don’t miss the handy workshop! The living quarters feature a spacious great room, eating bar, and a stackable washer/dryer unit on the main floor.

012G-0047 – If you’re looking for a flexible design, this is on the one for you. In addition to the 2-car garage, this garage apartment plan features two carports, perfect for boat storage or of use as a grilling porch and just plain relaxing. The workshop accommodates the family handyman. Upstairs, the finished living space can serve as your art studio, workout room or home office, but when guest arrive, it can double as a living space for weekend visitors. A spacious bedroom  with one double bed and full bath complete the second floor.

027G-0011 – Efficient living with modern flair describes this stunning garage apartment plan! The garage floor plan offers a 1-car garage with storage in the rear. Don’t miss the rear overhead door making it easy to access the lawnmower, an ATV or motorcycle without having to back the car out of the garage. A utility sink and counter offer extra convenience. Upstairs, modest living quarters feature one bedroom, on bathroom, and an open floor plan anchored with an island and snack bar. A rear deck is ideal for those who enjoy grilling or relaxing outdoors. If you’re looking to add extra parking and living space to your modern home, this garage apartment design will compliment it well!

032G-0007 – As simple on the inside as it is on the outside, this 2-car garage apartment plan is designed for flexibility. The garage level can serve as extra parking, storage or a workshop depending on your specific needs. On the second floor, the finished living space is a flexible studio. With a kitchenette and a full bath, it works well as a guest suite, or it can provide that much needed home office or music studio that you don’t have room for in the main home. Or maybe this design will better serve your college student providing a quiet place to live and study without leaving home.

035G-0023 – This Craftsman-style garage apartment plan begins with a 3-car garage designed with extra deep bays. They are perfect for boat storage and oversized trucks and SUVs as well as other things. The apartment is a bit unusual in that it offers three bedrooms. This feature is uncommon among garage apartment plans making this design an excellent choice for a weekend getaway. You have room to store your boat, kayak, canoe or ATV in the garage and you have a space for the kids or friends to join you when it is time to get away from it all for a while. The living areas are spacious making it easy to gather, entertain or relax.

051G-0079 – Are you looking for a garage apartment plan that will provide your aging relative with independent living while still living close to you? This one-story garage apartment plan offers private living space for your loved one outside your home, but neatly tucked in your backyard. This keeps loved ones nearby in case of emergencies, while allowing them to still live as independently as possible. As our loved ones age, we worry about them falling or needing assistance and not being able to get in touch with us. On the other hand, they worry about us thinking they are no longer able to live alone. This garage apartment design is the ideal solution offering the best of both worlds. The living quarters offer a modest kitchen and comfortable great room, plus a generously sized bedroom and full bath with laundry facilities. If your loved one still drives, there is one garage bay beside the living quarters for them, plus an extra one for you. And the best thing is the 2-car garage has extra deep bays, ideal for boat storage or there is room in the rear for a small workbench or storage space.

053G-0013 – Here’s another 3-car garage apartment that delivers plenty of parking plus flexible living space. For those with a growing family fleet, a detached garage plan delivers extra parking and storage space. It is perfect for additional family cars, or other items like golf carts and ATVs, the family bikes, recycling bins or maybe a workshop. The second floor offers a studio apartment with full bath and galley kitchen. It is just right for your college student or rental property for those looking to earn a little extra income. If you prefer, finish the second level as recreation room, hobby area or home office. Furnished with a pull out couch and a few other basics, it can easily convert to a guest suite when weekend visitors arrive.

Though the basic nature or garage apartment plans is the same no matter the design, it is easy to see with the variety of floor plan we offer that there is something for everyone. And after you’ve considered these designs that you might have missed, take some time to browse our entire collection of garage apartment plans.

Tags: Garage Apartment Plans, garage apartments

Not just limiting itself to providing additional parking, this unique three-car garage apartment plan avails itself of a variety of other uses adding extra value to your already existing home.

With two bedrooms, a living room, kitchen, timber flooring and a dining room located above the garage, the possibilities of how to utilize this space are quite extensive. Serving as a guesthouse, it allows visiting friends and family not only their own privacy, but also gives you, as host, the chance to relax without feeling like you’re running a bed and breakfast. A more permanent occupant may appreciate the living quarters as they may be utilized as residence for a nanny or other home-based employee. To make the rooms more ideal for various purposes, you may hire an air conditioning contractor to install an hvac system. Schedule regular ac and heating repair services to keep your hvac system energy-efficient.

If the kids have their nanny years behind them, this garage apartment plan works wonderfully as a home for returning college students or even the post college student who is still hanging around. Beyond serving living needs, the finished living space could function as the setting for a home-based office by providing a meeting area for clients in a rustic, welcoming, and professional setting. For those with storage needs, there is plenty of room for parking and storage in the three-car garage. To view even more garage plans with living quarters like this one, please browse our collection of garage apartment plans.

Tags: 3-Car Garage Plans, garage apartment plan, Garage Apartment Plans, three-car garage plans, Unique Garage Plans

While the stock plans offered by The Garage Plan Shop can be built almost anywhere, we often hear from Canadian customers looking for plans drawn by Canadian designers. We are pleased to offer two collections of detached garage plans drawn by designers in Canada. Additionally, we also offer a collection of garage apartment plans drawn by a Canadian designer. Garage apartment plans are thoughtfully designed to offer distinct parking and living areas. Typically, they are two-story structures designed with the garage on the main level and living quarters above. Just like garage apartment plans drawn by US designers, those drawn by our Canadian designer are designed to meet national building codes. Keep in mind it may be necessary to take the plans to a local designer to have any changes made or notes added to the plans in order to meet specific provincial codes before construction begins. Additionally, if your building department requires engineering, it will be necessary to hire a local engineer to review the plans and engineer them to meet local building codes and requirements. The engineer must be registered/licensed in the province where you plan to build. Below is a link to our garage apartment plans drawn by a Canadian designer:

Canadian Garage Apartment Plans

For more designs, please browse our entire garage apartment plan collection which includes those drawn by US designers as well.

Tags: Canada garage plans, Canadian Garage Plans, Garage Apartment Plans, garage apartments

In 2009, The Garage Plan Shop began experiencing a greater interest in garage apartment plans due to the economic downturn. Today, as the country continues to press forward in these tough economic times, little has changed. Countless families are still facing foreclosure and unemployment. They are combining households and pooling resources to survive. Many are realizing garage apartment plans continue to provide a feasible and comfortable solution to their economic woes.

For those who just do not have any more room in the home to accommodate another person or entire family or there is no basement to finish with a couple extra bedrooms and a bath, practical garage apartment floor plans deliver all the comforts of home in an affordable package. They provide all the basics including a modest kitchen, full bath, and living and sleeping area making them suitable for someone facing a budget crunch. To make an ideal place to hangout in, you may hire a local hvac contractor to install an hvac system. Just like the hvac system in your main home, you should also have your garage’s hvac unit serviced regularly by an air conditioning repair technician to maintain its efficiency. 

In time, the economy will turn around and families will go back to living independently. So, when your adult children or the grandkids move out, you’ll have the ideal in-law suite or guest room for weekend visitors. Furthermore, the living quarters could double as a recreation or hobby room. And, there is always the opportunity to rent the garage apartment out to a tenant or college student allowing you to earn a little extra income sometime down the road. Finally, don’t forget about all that added garage space. The garage area is just right for parking the cars, extra storage, a craft area or just keeping things better organized like lawn and garden tools. Install a video surveillance system in your apartment garage to improve the security of your cars and all the other items you have stored there.

Garage apartment plans come in a broad range of architectural styles and a multitude of sizes. With such a varied selecting, chances are you’ll have no problem finding the right one to blend with your home and satisfy your needs.  

Tags: carriage house plans, economic downturn, economy, Garage Apartment Plans, garage apartments, living quarters, tough economy

Building a garage apartment plan is a practical home addition, and garage apartments are becoming more and more popular given the conditions of the present economy. Discover some of the top reasons Americans are building garage apartment plans.

1. 1. Families need more parking space, especially those with up teenage drivers.

1. 1. Families are outgrowing their homes and need more living space.

1. 1. Families love their neighborhoods and don’t want to move but need extra room.

1. 1. Growing families do not have the finances to upgrade to a lager home or build a brand new home, but can afford a smaller construction project that will provide much needed living area.

1. 1. Some homeowners need extra storage space.

1. 1. The family handyman needs a workshop.

1. 1. The work-at-home parent desires a home office that provides peace and quiet and the ability to visit with clients without disturbing the rest of the home.

1. 1. Home-base business owners want a private place to work without actually leaving home.

1. 1. Homeowner’s desire a guest suite that provides all the comforts and privacy of home for frequent weekend visitors.

1. 1. Homeowners want to add a hobby room, craft area, or exercise area, but don’t have a basement or enough room in the basement to add one.

1. 1. Some homeowner’s need a place for aging relatives to have the privacy of their own home with the opportunity to seek immediate assistance if necessary.

1. 1. Grandparents are looking for a place for grandkids to stay when visiting for the holidays without having to listen to loud music or be disturbed when the grandkids come home in the wee hours of the morning.

1. 1. Parents need additional housing for college students who require privacy and independence, but still need parental guidance from time to time.

1. 1. Parents are looking for a place for boomerang children to stay until they get back on their feet.

1. 1. Families need room to relax and often use the apartment for a playroom, home theater or game room for everyone to enjoy.

1. 1. Growing families are looking for an additional source of income and rent the living quarters to tenants.

1. 1. Owners of large estates may wish to provide living quarters for the maid, groundskeeper, etc.

1. 1. Families may need living quarters for the nanny.

1. 1. Outdoor adventurists and nature enthusiasts may not build a garage apartment in the backyard at all, but rather near their favorite lake or in the woods using it as a vacation home or weekend retreat.

1. Garage apartments make nice temporary living quarters while the main home is being constructed and easily convert to a guest house when it is time to move into the main home.

If you have decided to build an apartment garage, you may start with a garage plan that will cater to your needs. Then, you may look for builders, roofing contractors and suppliers of your chosen materials. If you want a flat roof on your garage apartment, you may look for a suitable garage plan and a contractor who knows how to install flat roof. The roof style and materials will determine the longevity of your roof and how often you’ll need roof repair.

Interested in viewing garage apartment floor plans? Check out The Garage Plan Shop’s extensive collection from North America’s top rated designers.

Tags: Building A Garage, Detached Garage Plans, Garage Apartment Plans, garage apartments, garage plans