Garage Plans: What You Need To Know Before You Build
If you are looking to build your own garage to store your vehicles safely, you’ll need to start with a good set of garage plans. You should expect your plans to clearly illustrate every aspect of the garage construction process and provide tips and advise on how you can save time and effort. You will have no problem finding just the plan you want as there are as there are many choices available both online and in DIY books and magazines. If you do some online research you’ll more than likely find a plan that will be just right for your project.
Simple Garage Plans
The least complicated plans will be for a garages that will hold one or two vehicles. The number of vehicles you want to store in your garage will determine its size plus any additional space you would like to have. These plans normally have an overhead door for each bay and a side walk-in door for easy access. Some people like having just one large overhead door that accommodates two bays. Others prefer car garages with two overhead doors – a large door for SUVs, trucks, and other large vehicles and a smaller door for subcompacts, compacts, and other small sized vehicles. The plan you choose will depend on your personal preference and the amount of money you can afford for the project.
Multi-functional Garage Plans
One of the biggest advantages of building your own garage is that you can design it the way you want. You can modify your plan to accommodate specific features such as having a workshop area in the garage. If you’re considering building a multi-funtional garage that will be used for more that just storing vehicles you’ll find that there are numerous plans available for this type of garage.
Car Lift Ready Garages
If you are into working on cars you’ll want to have a garage with a tall ceiling so that it will accommodate a car lift.
Drive-Through Garages
These have large overhead doors on both sides that enable you to move large vehicles in and out of the garage easily. This really comes in handy if you have a trailer which you keep in the garage along with the towing vehicle.
Garages with Lofts
Having a loft over a garage can provide for more storage space and in some cases can be used as an extra bedroom.
Garage Apartments
These types of car garages give a whole new meaning to the term ‘multi-functional’ garage. They feature a garage space, where you can park your vehicles, and a living space, where people can stay.
Garages with Workshops
Usually they have two floors. If you do not want to tie up a lot of space by installing a permanent workbench, you can build a folding table. The table can be attached to the walls where it will be out of the way until it’s needed.
Garages for Storing RVs and Boats
Garages that are build for storing boats or RVs will have deep, wide bays and high ceilings so you can easily accommodate these types of vehicles.
As you begin looking for garage plans you’ll find that you have a large assortment of options to choose from. These plans can help you build any type of garage you can imagine – right from simple, one car structures to large garages with lofts, storage shelves, workshops, living space, and much more. So make sure you take your time and do your research and you’ll find the perfect garage plan for your project.
If you have a limited budget and would rather not build an enclosed garage you could think about constructing a carport which will offer some protection to your vehicle at minimal cost.
Summary
Building a garage can be a major project particularly if you plan a more elaborate structure with multiple bays and a second floor storage area. If you feel comfortable building a moderate size shed you can probably handle building a one car garage yourself.
