FAQs

If you plan to build a new garage (or other structure), you will find a wide variety of resources to help you get started with your construction project. Talk to friends and family members who have built a new garage, shed, outbuilding, or even a home. Ask them to share any information they can with you. These people have a wealth of knowledge to share based on personal experience. Ask them what things went well and what things could have gone better. Contact your local building official and other professionals that work in fields related to residential construction such as a builder or contractor, the building inspector, or a carpenter. Ask questions about what to expect during the construction process and inquire about the responsibilities for each professional involved in your building project. Check with the professional staff at a lumberyard. These people are especially knowledgeable when materials are considered. Use the Internet. There are many helpful websites designed to relay construction information to the consumer. The Garage Plan Shop can help you too! Just visit our resources page. You will find a variety of articles and tip sheets to help you get started with the building process and carry you through to completion.

If you already have a good idea about the type of garage/building you would like to build, you can use our plan search to find plans that meet your specific criteria. Simply enter the criteria you want or need and let the website do the work for you. It will only display garage plans that incorporate the criteria you selected. If you find a garage plan that satisfies most of your needs, but it is not exactly what you want, you can complete and submit a modification request form to receive a free modification quote for the changes you will need.

The Garage Plan Shop offers a variety of plan packages and supplemental items. Please refer to our detailed outline, Plan Packages and Additional Options, under the Miscellaneous Information heading on our resource page.

The number of sets of construction drawings and the plan format (paper/printed sets or electronic files) you will need to build your garage depends on you and your builder's specific needs. As the owner, you should have a set of plans for yourself (either a paper/printed set or an electronic file in PDF or CAD format). Check with your builder to find out if he/she will need paper/printed sets of plans or electronic plans (PDF or CAD file). Also, ask the builder what will be required by the subcontractors. Typically, the mortgage lender and building inspector will require a set of construction drawings along with your local building department when you apply for building permits. It will be necessary to confirm with each person/entity what they require to ensure you have the proper format for each.

One-set/study-set plan packages and PDF study sets are stamped or watermarked “not for construction”. They are available for the purpose of reviewing your garage or other structure in detail before construction begins. Study sets can be used to determine how the building will fit on your lot and to obtain bids and estimates for materials and labor. However, they do not include a construction license, and building from a study set is strictly prohibited. Additionally, reproduction of stamped or watermarked construction drawings is a copyright violation. In most cases, you can upgrade your study set plan package to another buildable plan package within 90 days of the original plan purchase. Often, a portion of the original plan purchase will be applied to the cost to upgrade to the greater plan package.

Below is a listing of the elements typically incorporated in a set of construction drawings published by The Garage Plan Shop:

Coversheet – The cover sheet is an artist’s rendering of the finished garage. Typically, this page is not needed for construction, but rather offers a visual representation of what the structure will look like when construction is complete. Not all designers provide a cover sheet in their set of plans.

Foundation Plan – The foundation page is a detailed drawing of the foundation and includes necessary information such as the thickness of foundation walls, floor joist sizes and spacing, column locations, and other pertinent construction details and notes.

Floor Plan – The floor plan page(s) provide(s) the layout and construction for each floor of the structure. In general, these pages include room dimensions, window and door locations and sizes, wall sizes, notes about ceiling details and design, and other notes and details regarding layout and construction.

Basic Electric – Basic electrical information can be found on the floor plan page or on a separate page. This information reflects the suggested locations of switches, fixtures, and outlets when applicable.

Simple Plumbing – Simple plumbing information is found either on the floor plan page or on a separate page of the construction drawings. This information shows placement and locations of bathtubs, toilets, showers, and sinks when applicable.

Interior Elevations – When applicable, the interior elevations page describes and provides details and drawings about the built-in elements of a garage apartment or other finished living space such as, fireplaces, vanities, kitchen cabinets, moldings, handrails, and built-in bookshelves or niches.

Exterior Elevations – The purpose of the exterior elevations page is to describe the look and feel of the structure’s exterior finish. It provides views of the garage on all four sides and specifies the type and placement of finish and trim materials including brick, siding, stone, stucco, roof shingles, and decorative elements like window shutters. Other details are provided on this page as well, like roof pitches and ceiling heights. In some instances, window and door sizes are called out here.

Details – Construction details may be found on a separate page of the construction drawings or on various pages throughout. The details communicate information about how smaller elements should be constructed such as, the design of the handrail spindles, the sizes and styles of moldings and other trim used throughout, and the look of the fireplace or built-in cabinets.

Sections – Construction drawing sections may be a separate page in the set of plans or they may be found on various pages throughout. In general, they are views of the structure showing the elements and composition of the foundation, exterior and interior walls, roofs, floors, and stair details. These drawings show the relationship between floors and indicate ceiling heights and rooflines.

**Note: Not all pre-drawn plans incorporate every element described here. Plan pages vary by designer.

A reproducible master is one complete, printed set of construction drawings that comes with a copyright release granting legal permission to modify the designer’s original copyrighted plan. If you would like to make simple changes to the garage plan, the reproducible master may accommodate your needs. This allows your builder or a local residential designer to make necessary changes to the construction drawings by hand without investing the time or money it would take to completely redraw the stock plan or draw a custom garage plan. Once your changes are completed, you can make the copies needed to build your garage. You will need to take the copyright release with you to the print/copy shop. The copyright release does not give you the right to build the structure more than once with the same set of construction drawings. Not all designers offer the reproducible master plan package, so check for availability. (Note: While some designers print reproducible masters on erasable vellum paper, others print the plans on bond paper, and it is necessary to use White Out to make changes.)

A CAD file is a complete set of garage plans in an electronic file format. If you want to make substantial changes to your construction drawings, a CAD file is recommended. It will be necessary to hire a design professional to make changes to the electronic files. A copyright release is included with the CAD file allowing you to legally make changes to the copyrighted plans and print the copies needed for construction. In most cases, it can be emailed to you within one to two business days of placing your order during regular business hours, Monday – Friday. Please be aware that some of our designers require customers to sign and return a license agreement before the CAD file is emailed to the customer. Note: CAD software is required to open CAD files. CAD files are not available for all plans. CAD files are non-returnable once the designer has emailed the file to you.

The PDF plan package is an electronic version of the construction drawings that comes with a copyright release granting legal permission to modify and print the plans. It allows you to make minor changes to the construction drawings and reproduce the sets of plans necessary for obtaining bids and permits, as well as constructing your new garage or other structure. In most cases, the PDF can be emailed to you within one to two business days of placing your order during regular business hours, Monday – Friday. Simply take the PDF to a local print shop (or forward it by email) to have your construction drawings printed. Please be aware that some of our designers require customers to sign and return a license agreement before the PDF is emailed to the customer. Note: PDF files are not available for all plans, and they are non-returnable once the designer has emailed the file to you.

The stock plans published by The Garage Plan Shop are designed to meet national building codes, but they do not necessarily meet any specific state, county, or municipal codes. Therefore, these construction drawings do not include extensive HVAC, plumbing, and electrical details. Information about your HVAC system (when applicable) will depend on the size of the space you wish to heat and cool, the types of units you use, climate, and common practices for your area. Ductwork will be defined by your local building codes and the type of heating and cooling system you choose. Be sure to discuss all HVAC with your builder and HVAC contractor before construction begins. Plumbing fixtures are included in the construction drawings showing the kitchen and bath fixture symbols and locations. The flow of water lines and sewer system are site specific and must be determined locally. Take time to discuss plumbing details with your builder and plumber before construction begins. They should be able to provide you with the necessary information based on your local building codes. A basic electrical plan reflecting suggested locations of outlets, fixtures, and switches is sometimes included in the construction drawings, but not always. Availability of this information varies by designer and by plan number. It is necessary to review the electrical details with your contractor and local electrician to ensure local codes are met.

Many construction drawings published by The Garage Plan Shop include detailed sections of the framing, floor joists, and roof layouts, but it is not often that they include the entire layout. An experienced builder or contractor will be able to construct your garage or other structure using the information provided on the construction drawings.

Our construction drawings will not be engineered for your specific city, state, county, or province, and they WILL NOT include an engineer's/architect's seal or stamp (engineering requirements). Engineering (or a BCIN for Ontario) is a local requirement. Often, engineering requirements are influenced by climactic and geographic elements that are specific to the area where you plan to build, making them local requirements. If you need engineering or an engineer’s/architect’s review, seal, or stamp, to obtain building permits, it will be your responsibility or that of your builder to hire a local engineer/architect to review and seal/stamp the plans. This professional must be licensed in the state/province where the structure will be built. We recommend finding someone who can help you with this before you purchase plans.

The finished living square footage encompasses all the finished areas of the garage apartment, or other finished spaces, that are dry-walled, painted, carpeted, heated and cooled. Typically, square footage calculations are made from outside the exterior frame wall, but do not include any brick. Decks, porches, verandas, screened porches, fireplaces, attics, bonus rooms and basements are not included in the living square footage. The actual finished living square footage of a design is calculated using the construction drawings. Therefore, you will not be able to calculate square footage based on the room sizes provided on the spec floor plans shown on our website. It is important to note the dimensions of smaller spaces such as closets and hallways are not shown on the spec floor plans published on this website. If you have questions about the finished living square footage of a particular garage apartment plan, please contact us.

The Garage Plan Shop offers plans with a variety of wall framing options. Please use our plan search tool to select the type of exterior wall framing you need, and then begin your plan search. Please note: Some plans are available with optional wall framing types for an extra fee. These options and fees will be listed on the respective plan page. If a particular wall framing type is not available for a specific plan, please submit a modification request to receive a free quote to convert to design to the wall framing type you desire.

Yes. All plans sold on The Garage Plan Shop website are copyrighted and cannot be reproduced. Copies can only be made if a reproducible master, PDF, or CAD file is purchased. All plans and illustrations published on this website are the exclusive property of The Garage Plan Shop and the designers and architects represented on this website. Only one structure may be constructed from the plan package you purchase. Plans may not be resold or copied. We strive for accurate representation of renderings and plans and will not be responsible for errors or omissions on this website. Copyright laws strictly prohibit reproduction in whole or in part of any plans or illustrations on this website.

Some of our designers require that you sign and return a license agreement before your order is emailed or shipped to you. This requirement varies by designer and by plan package. Please be sure to check your inbox and junk mail for a license agreement after you place your order. If the designer requires you to sign a license agreement, it will be emailed to you.

Most plans are designed using a double-hung divided-light window. Each set of construction drawings uses a generic window sizing system that does not apply to any specific brand of windows. For example, a common size seen on plans is 2850. This is a window that is 2'-8" wide by 5'-0" tall or 32" wide and 60" tall. This standard system is used to identify the door sizes as well. A door labeled 2468 is a standard 2' 4" wide by 6' 8" tall door.

The following is a list of abbreviations commonly used on spec floor plan drawings shown on The Garage Plan Shop website.

BR – Bedroom

BRK – Breakfast Room or Nook

CLG - Ceiling

DN - Down

DW – Dishwasher

E – Entry

F or FURN – Furnace

FPL – Fireplace

KS – Knee Space

LN – Linen Closet

MBR – Master Bedroom

MC – Mechanical

OPT - Optional

P or PAN – Pantry

PDR – Powder Room

R or REF – Refrigerator

SHWR – Shower

SKLT – Skylight

STOR – Storage closet/space

VLT – Vaulted Ceiling

W/D – Washer/Dryer

WH – Water Heater

WIC – Walk-in Closet

WS – Woodstove

Abbreviations are common on construction drawings. Please see The Garage Plan Shop’s tip sheet, Construction Drawing Abbreviations, under the Miscellaneous Information heading in the resource section to review a full listing of abbreviations used on stock garage plans and in the residential building industry.

Building codes are safety guidelines and regulations dictating how a building should be constructed in a particular area. These building codes range from nationally recognized guidelines to specific city and county building laws. Building codes are set forth and adhered to as a means of protecting the builder and the buyer/owner of a garage or other structure. Many of the building rules and regulations in a particular geographic region or area are based upon elements specific to that area such as soil and weather conditions. All plans published on this website were designed to meet or exceed the requirements of the nationally recognized building code in effect at the place and time each plan was drawn. Generally, construction drawings designed after the year 2000 conform to the International Residential Code (IRC). Portions of four major building codes compose the IRC. They are listed below. Typically, garage plans drawn before 2000 conform to one of these four building codes in effect at the time of creation.

BOCA (Building Officials & Code Administrators) CABO (Council of American Building Officials) ICBO (International Conference of Building Officials) SBCCI (Southern Building Code Congress International)

Each state, city, county, or municipality follows some form of one or any combination of these residential building codes. To learn more about the required building codes in your area, please consult a local building official.

Our plans are designed to meet the national building codes in place at the time each plan is created. However, we DO NOT guarantee the plans will meet all local building codes. Due to the wide range of building codes and zoning requirements in cities, counties, municipalities, and states/provinces throughout the United States and Canada, it is possible the construction drawings may not include all the information required by your local building department. It may be necessary to hire a local design professional or engineer/architect to adjust the plans to comply with your local building codes.

There are a few options for modifying or changing a plan. We offer a modification service for customers who need to make changes to their construction drawings. Our team will be happy to provide a free, no-obligation quote for your changes before you purchase plans. All requests for changes must be submitted in writing using the modification request form. Simply click on the “Modify this Plan” link at the top of any plan page to complete and submit the modification request form for that specific plan number. NOTE: It is necessary to monitor your inbox and your junk/spam folder after submitting your modification request. Sometimes modification quotes will end up in your junk mail.

Learn more about our modification service.

Another option is to hire a local design professional to modify the construction drawings. When you purchase a PDF, CAD file, or reproducible master plan package (depending on availability), you will receive a copyright release granting legal permission to modify the original copyrighted construction drawings. This allows you to work with a design professional of your choice. Sometimes, your builder or contractor can make minor changes at the jobsite. You should discuss any changes you want to make with your builder before purchasing plans. In some cases, your builder can make changes during construction without the extra expense of having the original construction drawings modified.

Modification costs vary greatly depending on the plan and the types of changes you want to make. Please submit a modification request if you would like to receive a free quote for your desired changes. The Garage Plan Shop modification team will email a quote to you within one to three business days.

In most cases, you can upgrade your plan package or purchase supplemental items within 90 days of placing the original order. When you place an upgrade order, a percentage of what you paid for the original plan package will be applied to the upgraded order/plan package. Additionally, you may be charged a service fee for your upgraded order or supplemental items. Percentages and service fees vary by designer, plan number, and plan package. Please Note: You cannot place your order for an upgraded plan package or supplemental items online. Please contact us by phone or email and we will be happy to help you with your plan package upgrade or supplemental items.

In general, a material list is a complete list of the building materials needed to construct a garage, barn, or other structure. It calls out the sizes and quantities of building materials needed for construction such as lumber, doors, windows, drywall, exterior finishes, and more. Appliances, HVAC, foundation materials, rough plumbing, and other various interior finishing materials may not be included. Note: The material lists offered on our website only include the materials for the base plan with the standard wall framing and foundation options (those offered at no extra charge). The materials for alternate wall framing and foundation options available for an extra charge will not be included in the material list. Additionally, please be aware the materials included in material lists vary by designer.

Material lists are available for some plans published on The Garage Plan Shop website. If a material list is available for a specific plan number, it will be listed on the plan page under the “Additional Options” heading for an additional charge. When a material list is not available, we recommend checking with a local lumberyard. Most lumberyards will create a material list for you at no charge when you supply the lumberyard with a copy of your construction drawings. Note: Material lists are only available with the purchase of a plan package for the same plan number.

Material lists are only available with the purchase of a plan package for a garage plan or other design of the same plan number.

A material list is not necessary to build your new garage. Please remember however, material lists indicate the quantities and sizes of materials needed to build the structure. They will save your contractor time and allow you to get accurate bids from lumberyards and material suppliers in a short amount of time.

Sometimes a particular plan will work better on a lot if the original plan layout were reversed. In these cases, right reading reverse plans are available for some plans advertised on The Garage Plan Shop’s website. Availability is indicated under the “Additional Options” heading when you view the plan page. If right reading reverse is not available for a specific plan, our modification team can help you. Please complete and submit the modification request form for a free modification quote. Our modification team will email a quote to you within one to three business days.

The right reading reverse option will flip the floor plan(s) from left to right with all text, symbols, and notes reading correctly. If you order a right reading reverse plan, all sets in the plan package will be shipped in right reading reverse. Availability is noted on the plan page. Note: Your order will be fulfilled in right reading reverse format only. The standard format of the construction drawings will not be included with your order.

Processing and shipping options and rates vary by plan and plan package. The processing and shipping method(s) available for the plan you wish to purchase will appear under the “Shipping” tab on the plan page. U.S. Ground delivery typically takes 8-12 business days. Some of our designers also offer other options such as Priority shipping (3-5 business days) and Express shipping (1-2 business days). Orders placed before 11:00 a.m. CST Monday through Friday (on normal business days, excluding holidays) will be processed the day they are placed. Orders placed after 11:00 a.m. CST Monday through Friday or over a weekend may be held until the next business day. For orders shipping to Alaska, Hawaii, and Canada, or for orders shipping from Canada to the U.S., please check the available shipping options listed on the webpage for each respective design. Many of our designers will sell their plans to overseas customers. Please contact us for further information before placing your international order (outside the U.S and Canada).

Many plans available through The Garage Plan Shop can be sold overseas or internationally. If you are not a resident of the United States or Canada, please contact us for plan package availability.

Sales tax is charged on any purchase made in the state of Missouri.

The charges on your credit card will appear under the name of our parent company, The HousePlanShop, LLC.

Your plan purchase is NOT returnable or refundable. Since our construction drawings are printed and shipped or emailed directly to you in response to your order, The Garage Plan Shop does not honor any requests for returns, refunds, or exchanges under any circumstances. Review your order before placing it. Be certain you need and want the items you plan to order. Also, it is EXTREMELY important that you check the dimensions of your land, construction site, or lot before purchasing a plan. All sales are FINAL.

The building license is not transferable. It is only granted to the person who originally purchased the construction drawings/plan package.

You are licensed to build one garage or structure from the plans you purchase, unless you purchase a plan package that includes a multi-build license. Some of our designers offer plan packages that include a multi-build license. When available, the multi-build license will be shown on the respective plan page with the plan package pricing. If you wish to build a plan multiple times that does not have a multi-build license listed on the plan page, please contact us for a quote. NOTE: As the original purchaser of the construction drawings, you are licensed to build a single structure from the plans. Constructing the building more than one time with the original purchase of the plan package is copyright infringement and violates copyright laws. Buying a multiple-set plan package does not entitle you to build the structure more than once. In the same manner, purchasing additional sets of the construction drawings does not give you the right to build the structure again.

Photographs are available for some of the garages and other plans published on our website. If they are available, the photos are posted on the plan page for each respective design. If there are no photos posted on the plan page, there are no photos available for that plan. As we receive new photos of completed structures, they are added to our website. Please check back periodically for new photos. If you would only like to view plans with photographs available, please visit our photo collection. Note: The photographs published on our website may differ from the actual plans, depending on the modifications made by the owner/builder. Refer to the floor plan for the actual layout of the home.

The Garage Plan Shop sells garage plans throughout the United States and internationally. While we know where we have shipped the plans, we do not know the exact locations where the plans have been built. To protect the privacy of our customers, we do not track this information. However, we have photography for some of our garage plans and other structures. If photos are available, they can be viewed on the plan page. New photos are posted as we receive them.

In most cases, if additional elevations or photos are available for a specific plan, they are published on our website. When The Garage Plan Shop receives new elevations or photos, we make an effort to post them on the website as soon as possible. However, if you would like to see an elevation that we do not currently publish, please contact us, and we will do our best to obtain the elevation from the designer.