The Garage Plan Shop Blog

From the simple to the sublime, The Garage Plan Shop, has it all for discerning homeowners who need to add to their abode. Let’s start with the simple. Plan 050G-0015 is a one-car traditional garage with 288 square feet of parking and a 9’ ceiling. If all you need to do is keep one car safe from the elements, this plan will fit the bill. Or, maybe your vehicle is already accommodated with an attached garage and you need more space for all the extras like lawn equipment and tools. This plan is still right for you.  But wait, of course, there’s more.

With the quick search feature, you can choose garages that have from one to four or more garage bays. There are drive-thru garage plans, plans that will hold RVs and boats, garages with carports, and many other styles. Check out garage plans with loft space and flex space and apartments. You can have your workshop or exercise room and provide a nifty apartment for family or boarders. Plus, the multitude of architectural styles makes it easy to compliment your house.

Check out the fanciful design of garage plan 035G-0018. This unique design offers 2190 sq ft of garage space and 2045 sq ft of heated living space. The garage bays are deep enough for boat storage, so take advantage and locate this beauty on the water. With an outdoor living room, covered porches, pergola, decks, pool and spa, it’s easy to overlook the stunning open interior design. Features include a kitchen island, a great room with a two-story ceiling, a second-floor deck, interior stairs and plenty of storage.

The Garage Plan Shop offers plans that can help you take a shade tree mechanic’s hobby to a full-time business. Garage plans are available with multiple bays, offices, rest rooms, party rooms, decks, and of course lots of storage solutions for more than just vehicles. Meet your family’s needs by expanding with one of the many plans we have to offer!

Tags: Building A Garage, garage plans

Talk to just about anyone you know and they will tell you they need more space – more storage space, more parking space, more work space, more living space, etc. Detached garage plans are the perfect “space” solution for a broad range of needs. Homeowners add detached garages to their backyards in an effort to create space. Some build garages on different types of property to create space for other specific needs. If you take a little time to think about your needs and consider the variety of garage plans available, you too, will see that detached garages have much to offer. With so many detached garage plans available, we’ve probably got a garage plan that will accommodate your needs. So, take some time to consider your lifestyle and needs and determine what type of garage plan will accommodate you best. Make sure to contact crawl space waterproofing knoxville in case there’s any damage at home you need to fix.

Need more parking? We’ve got garage a garage plan for that!

Whether you need to add just one extra sheltered parking space or a few, we probably have the design you’re looking for. We offer everything from simple 1-car garage plans to 3-car and 4 car garage plans. They are available in a variety of sizes and architectural styles ensuring you’ll find the right one to match your home and fit your lot. Our garage plans are available in traditional, country and modern styles just to name a few. Some are simply basic designs while others have all the bells and whistles like a full or half bath, storage closet, loft space, or workshop area. If you only wish to have extra parking, a basic garage plan will do.

Need a place to store your boat or RV? We’ve got garage a garage plan for that!

No matter if you prefer the open road or the open water, we’ve got detached garage plans that will protect your investments from the elements. Garage plans with boat storage offer at least one extra deep bay and sometimes an oversized garage door for storing boats and trailers. Our RV garage plans deliver at least one oversized garage bay that is extra deep, extra tall and outfitted with an oversized garage door to accommodate the height, length and width of a motor home, RV or camper.

Need more storage space? We’ve got a garage plan for that!

Face it. Over time, people accumulate A LOT of STUFF! If you’re in need of more storage space, consider our garage plans with storage or our garage loft plans. Some garage plans with storage offer parking for the family cars plus a separate room for storing boxes, lawn and garden tools, the family bikes, patio furniture, lawn mower or recycling bins. Other storage garage plans just offer extra space on one side of the garage or in the rear giving you room to add storage shelves or cabinets to get organized. Garage plans with a loft offer just that! They feature parking on the main level and an unfinished storage loft above. Depending on the design, the loft can be accessed by a pull-down stair or a full staircase, and it is a great place for storing seasonal items, holiday decorations, and basement or attic overflow.

However your basement is an important space of your property. While it’s a storage space for some, it’s another room outfitted for maximum comfort for others. Therefore, a wet basement is really frustrating and could cause serious damage but this could be solved with the help of a good company like Ottawa foundation repair services. Let some experts of basement waterproofing services similar to the ones at seepageseal.com/basement-waterproofing help you deal with this problem!

Need more living space? We’ve got a garage plan for that!

Whether you’re outgrowing your home and cannot afford to buy a larger house or you just need a private living space for work or weekend guests, we probably have a detached garage plan to accommodate your needs. Our collection of garage plans with flex space and garage apartment plans provide extra finished living space in a variety of arrangements. Garage plans with flex space offer parking plus a finished living area that can “flex” and change as your needs and lifestyle changes. For example, design 051G-0089 offers a recreation room, hobby room and full bath. This might be ideal if you’re raising teenagers. They will have a place to hang out with friends in the rec room or use the hobby room for jam sessions. You’ll appreciate that the noise is contained away from the main house. However, after the kids have grown and moved away, you might opt to use the living space as a small apartment for when the kid and grandkids come home to visit for the holidays. Or you might opt to convert the rec room into your yoga studio or home office and convert the hobby area into your sewing room.

Garage apartment plans are another solution for parking and living space. In addition to at least a 1-car garage or larger, these designs offer living quarters either as a studio apartment or as a full apartment with walls and separated living spaces. Most garage apartment plans offer the basic amenities when it comes to living quarters but they will all include at least one full bath and a kitchenette. These designs are well suited for use as a guest retreat, mother-in-law suite, or living quarters for the nanny, hired hands, etc. Additionally, they work well for college students who are looking for a little independence but aren’t quite yet ready to leave home. Garage apartment plans can even be used as rental property providing extra parking and a source of income.

In addition to the types of garage plans mentioned above, we also offer tandem garages, garage plans with a workshop, and garage plans with a carport. And for those who need sheltered parking but can’t afford the costs of building a garage plan, take some time to consider building a carport plan instead. Please visit The Garage Plan Shop to view our extensive collection of garage plans.

Tags: Detached Garage Plans, garage plans

If you are thinking about building a detached garage plan, you probably have questions about the blueprints before you purchase them.

If you are struggling with plumbing damage, you can get more help by reading this article. Below are the six most commonly asked questions about our garage plans and their answers to help ensure you make the right decision when it comes to buying your garage plans.

Can the garage plans be modified?

Yes! If you’ve found a garage plan that is close to what you need, but it isn’t exactly perfect, our modification team can help you. Simply complete and submit our modification request from, and our modification team will provide a free quote for your changes within a couple of business days. This gives you an opportunity to find out what the extra costs will be for your project before you spend any money on blueprints. We recommend that you review our garage modification page to get a good understanding of how the modification process works and to download the modification request form.

What is included in a set of garage blueprints?

The garage plans published on our website are complete sets blueprints designed for each structure to be built from the ground up. They typically include floor plans, exterior elevations, a foundation plan, interior elevations when applicable, details and/or cross sections, simple plumbing repair and basic electrical information. NOTE 1: The information included in the blueprints varies from one designer to another. Please contact us with a specific plan number for verification regarding the elements included in a particular blueprint. NOTE 2: Our garage blueprints are actual construction drawings. We do not include any “how to” information or step-by-step instructions. It is necessary that you hire a builder to build your garage or have proficient knowledge of how to read a blueprint in order to build our garage plans. For additional information, please review our recent blog: What is Included in a Set of Garage Blueprints? 

How much does it cost to build a particular garage plan?

Unfortunately, we do not provide an estimated cost to build or a material estimate for our designs. We know the costs for materials and labor vary greatly from one city to the next and sometimes even within the same city. It is impossible for us to know the going rates for materials and labor in all cities, counties, municipalities, etc. So, rather than guessing and quoting you a price that is much too high or much too low for your area, we recommend checking with a few local builders or lumberyards to find out what the going rates are for materials and labor in your area. For instance, if you need plumbing, you can connect with plumbing services in Woodinville, WA and nearby areas. Experts will usually quote you a dollar amount per square foot, based on mid-grade materials, but it is best to confirm if they are quoting high-end materials, mid-grade, etc. Also, make sure to ask what the quote includes as sometimes it does not include foundation materials and a few other things. We realize this requires a little more research and work on for the person wishing to build a garage, but checking locally with experts will provide you with a reasonable ballpark estimate. You may also need to hire a foundation repair contractor who can provide expert residential foundation excavating service to ensure that the ground is level and stable for your garage’s foundation. For the roof of your garage, you may contact a roofer to discuss materials and get an estimate of labor costs.

Will the garage plans meet my local building codes?

Our plans are considered to be pre-drawn stock plans. They are designed to meet the national building codes in place at the time each plan was created. However, we do not guarantee the plans will meet all local building codes. Our plans are sold and built all over the US and Canada. The codes and requirements you have in your area may be completely different than the codes and requirements for someone building the same plan you are considering in another part of the country. It will be up to you/your builder to make any adjustments necessary to meet local building codes and requirements. You may need to hire a local design professional to add notes to the blueprints regarding some of your local building codes if your builder cannot make these adjustments at the jobsite or if you building department requires them to be shown on the plans in order to get building permits. We recommend talking with your builder and your building department to find out what is allowed in your city, county, etc. as far as making changes and adjustments to meet local building codes.

Are the garage plans sealed or stamped by an engineer or architect?

Our garage plans do not come with an engineer’s or an architect’s seal or stamp. They are considered pre-drawn, stock plans. This means they are designed to meet the national building codes in place at the time each plan was created. However, we do not guarantee the plans will meet all local building codes and requirements. Because our plans are sold and built all over the US and Canada, it is impossible for our designers to ensure they will meet all local codes for every location, city, county, municipality, etc. Therefore, our garage plans do not include a seal or stamp, as the seal/stamp is a local requirement. The items required for the seal/stamp in your area are completely different than the requirements for a customer building the same plan you are considering in another part of the country. Often the requirements that coincide with a seal/stamp for a particular state, province, city, etc., are influenced by climactic and geographic elements that are specific to the area where you plan to build making them local requirements. It will be up to you/your builder to hire a local professional to review and seal/stamp the plans. This professional must be licensed in the state/province where the structure is to be built. We recommend finding someone who can review the blueprints and provide a seal before you actually purchase plans. Sometimes the design professional providing the seal/stamp will have a preference as to which plan package he/she works with, and this will influence which plan package you purchase. Most likely he/she will want the CAD file or PDF because it is much easier to work with the electronic format when it comes to adding extra notes and elements to the plan that are necessary to meet local building codes. The only way to be sure about what plan package to purchase is to ask your local design professional before you make a blueprint purchase.

Discover the answers to more garage plan questions like these by visiting our FAQs.

Tags: Detached Garage Plans, garage plans

When building a new garage, it is possible that your city, county, province or local municipality might require that your garage plans are sealed or stamped by an engineer or an architect. Our garage blueprints do not come with an engineer’s or architect’s seal or stamp on them. They are considered pre-drawn, stock plans. This means they are designed to meet the national building codes in place at the time each plan was created. We cannot guarantee that our garage blueprints will meet all local building codes and requirements for your specific area. Because our plans are sold and built all over the US and Canada, it is impossible for our designers to ensure the blueprints will meet all local codes for every location, city, county, municipality, etc. Therefore, our plans do not include an engineer’s or architects seal or stamp, as the seal or stamp is a local requirement. If you need to send or receive large paper documents such as blueprints, you may use paper cores to protect them during transport.

To fin the best advice from an experienced architect, visit https://www.archute.com. You may also consult a commercial electrician to review the electrical design for your garage and make sure it complies with local codes. Once the design is approved, you may start looking for contractors to build your garage. One of them is a commercial roofing contractor to help build and install the roof.

The items required for the engineer’s or architects seal or stamp in one part of the country are completely different than the requirements for a customer building the same plan in another part of the country. Often the requirements that coincide with a seal or stamp for a particular state, province, city, etc., are influenced by climactic and geographic elements that are specific to the area where the plan is built making them local requirements. For example, someone building a garage in certain parts of California will need engineering to meet seismic codes, while a customer building the same plan in the Rocky mountains may need engineering for wind and snow load. It will be up to you or your builder to hire a local engineer or architect to review and seal or stamp the garage plans before obtaining building permits. This design professional must be licensed in the state or province where the garage will be built. We recommend finding someone who can review the blueprints and provide an engineer’s or architect’s seal or before you actually purchase plans. Sometimes the design professional providing the seal or stamp will have a preference as to which plan package he/she works with, and this will influence which blueprint package you purchase. Most likely he/she will want the CAD file or PDF because it is much easier to work with the electronic format when it comes to adding extra notes and elements to the plan that are necessary to meet local building codes. The only way to be sure about what plan package to purchase is to ask your local design professional before you make a blueprint purchase. There is information about this topic in our FAQs should you need to reference it later. Additionally, you can find other helpful information about our blueprints in our Resource section.

Tags: architect’s seal, engineer’s stamp, garage blueprints, garage plans

Are you planning to build a garage? If the answer is, “Yes!” then you have a couple of options when it comes to purchasing a garage blueprint. You might choose to hire a local design professional to draw a custom garage plan, or you might opt to purchase a pre-drawn stock garage plan like those found at www.thegarageplanshop.com. Many people choose to purchase a stock garage plan, but often wonder what is included in a set of blueprints. The list below summarizes the information typically included in a set of construction drawings. Most stock garage plans will include:

1. Coversheet: This page is an artist’s rendering of the finished garage. It is used as a visual aid and represents the completed structure after it is built. In most cases, the coversheet is not necessary for the construction of your new garage. Therefore, some designers do not included it in their construction drawings.
2. Exterior Elevations: The exterior elevations page(s) depict the exterior of the garage on all four sides. They indicate the exterior finish and trim of the garage by calling out the materials used to finish the outside of the structure such as brick, siding, stone or stucco. The elevations note the placement of these materials on the exterior of the garage. Additionally, roofing materials are specified and roof pitches are indicated. Finally, the exterior elevations note or depict decorative elements like porch columns, carriage lamps, and window shutters. Door and window sizes may be shown on the exterior elevations as well.
3. Foundation Plan: The foundation plan is a detailed drawing of the garage foundation. According to some trusted sites like toledofoundationrepairspecialists.com, it reflects the pertinent information about the foundation such as dimensions, column locations, and concrete thickness of footers and foundation walls, as well as other necessary details. You can laso click over here now to find the best foundation for your home.
4. Floor Plans: The floor plan page(s) indicate the layout and construction of each floor of the garage. They typically provide room dimensions, wall sizes, door and window locations, notes about ceiling details and design, and other pertinent construction notes and details.
5. Interior Elevations: When applicable, the interior elevations describe and provide details and drawings about the built-in elements of a garage apartment or other finished space such as cabinets, handrails, moldings, vanities and built-in shelves or niches.
6. Simple Plumbing: The simple plumbing information is usually found on the floor plan page, but sometimes it is on a separate page. It depicts placement and locations of bathtubs, showers, toilets and sinks when applicable. In case you need some expert help reading or updating the blueprints, do not hesitate to reach Plumbing Company or visit sites like moffettplumbing.com for additional guidance.
7. Basic Electric: The basic electrical information the can be found on the floor plan or on a separate page. It reflects the suggested locations of outlets, fixtures and switches when applicable.
8. Sections: Garage plan sections may be found on a separate blueprint page or they might be found on various pages throughout the construction drawings. Typically, they are views of the garage which show the elements and composition of the foundation, interior and exterior walls, Epoxy Floor Coatings, stair details and roofs. The sections show the relationship between floors and indicate rooflines and ceiling heights.
9. Details: Construction details can be found throughout the set of blueprints or they may be found on a separate page. These details convey information about how smaller elements of the structure should be constructed. Some examples include the design of handrail spindles, sizes and styles of trim and moldings, or the look of the fireplace. If you want tile flooring, you can contact professional tilers dublin to have it properly installed.

Please Note: Blueprint pages vary by designer. Not all stock garage plans incorporate every element described above.

For additional information, please read, What you Need to Know about Stock Garage Plans.

Understanding the elements of stock garage plan and the information that composes a set of blueprints will help you determine if a stock garage plan is right for you.

Tags: garage blueprints, garage plans, stock garage plans