The most common garage changes people make to a plan
The garage is the single most requested change on stock house plans. A plan is drawn for thousands of buyers, but your garage has to fit your vehicles, your lot and your street. The requests we see most often:
- 2-car to 3-car — adding a third bay for a car, boat, workshop or storage.
- Deeper bays — going from 20′ to 24′ or more so a full-size pickup fits with the door closed.
- Front-load to side-load — turning the doors away from the street for curb appeal.
- Taller doors — 8′ instead of 7′ for lifted trucks, vans and roof racks.
- An RV or boat bay — a single tall, deep bay added to the side. See house plans with an RV garage.
- Shrinking the garage — to fit a narrow lot or to give square footage back to the house.
Garage dimensions that actually work
Many stock plans draw the minimum. Minimum looks fine on paper and feels tight the first winter. These are the working sizes our designers use:
| Garage | Tight | Comfortable | Door sizes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-car | 12′ × 20′ | 14′ × 24′ | 9′ or 10′ wide |
| 2-car | 20′ × 20′ | 24′ × 24′ | One 16′ or two 9′ |
| 3-car | 30′ × 20′ | 34–36′ × 24′ | 16′ + 9′, or three 9′ |
| RV bay | 14′ × 40′ | 16′ × 45–50′ | 12–14′ wide, 12–14′ tall |
Also check the step down into the house. Garage floors usually sit a step or two below the house floor (and some local codes require it), and those steps eat into the depth right where you park.
What else changes on the drawings
“Just make the garage bigger” sounds like one line on a floor plan. On a real set it touches several sheets:
- Floor plan — new walls, door openings, the house-to-garage door and any storage or mudroom next to it.
- Foundation plan — a larger slab, new footings and a longer stem wall.
- Roof plan — a wider garage usually means a longer ridge, a new hip or gable, or a lower secondary roof. This is often the biggest design decision.
- Front elevation — garage doors dominate the façade. A third door changes the whole look, so we rebalance windows, trim and roof lines.
- Site fit — a 10′ wider garage has to fit inside your side setbacks. Check your lot width before you commit (see setback requirements).
That's why we price garage changes as a Standard Modification: the change itself is simple, but every affected sheet has to be redrawn so your builder and building department see one consistent house.
Front-load vs. side-load garage
A side-load garage turns the doors 90° so the street sees a wall with windows instead of two or three garage doors. It looks more custom, but it needs more lot:
- You need a turning apron in front of the doors — plan on roughly 25–30 feet of paved space beside the garage to back out comfortably.
- The driveway is longer and wider, which adds concrete cost.
- It works best on wider or corner lots. See house plans for corner lots.
On a narrow lot, a front-load garage with a well-designed façade — carriage-style doors, a porch that steps forward, a gable over the garage — is usually the better answer.
Estimate garage construction cost by size, finish and state before you commit to the change.
Open the garage calculatorWhat a garage modification costs
There are two separate costs: redrawing the plan, and building the bigger garage.
| Cost | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Redrawing the plan with us (Standard Modification) | $599, all affected sheets, two revision rounds |
| Plan modification by other designers | Often $500–$2,000+ (see breakdown) |
| Building an extra garage bay | Varies by state and finish — estimate yours with the garage cost calculator |
Garage space is some of the cheapest square footage in a house because it's unfinished, but it still adds foundation, framing, roofing, a door and a longer driveway. Run the numbers before you draw it.
How to get your garage changed
- Upload your plan — PDF or a photo of a printed plan you own or have the right to modify.
- Tell us what you need — vehicles, door sizes, depth, storage, side-load or front-load.
- We confirm scope within 1 business day — including anything that affects the roof or your setbacks.
- We redraw the plan — floor plan, foundation, roof and elevations, delivered in about 7 business days.
Want CAD files for your builder? Add CAD/DWG at checkout. Want to know what the modified house will cost? Add a cost-to-build estimate.
Frequently asked questions
Can you change the garage on a plan I bought from another website?
Yes — provided you own the plan or have permission / the right to modify it. Most plan stores sell a license that allows modifications; we may ask for it.
How much does it cost to change the garage on a house plan?
With us, a garage change is a Standard Modification at $599, including every affected sheet and two revision rounds. Adding CAD/DWG files is +$149.
How deep should a garage be for a pickup truck?
Plan on at least 24 feet of clear depth for a full-size crew-cab pickup, and more if you want a workbench or storage at the front wall.
Will a bigger garage change my roof?
Usually, yes. A wider or deeper garage extends the roof, which can mean a longer ridge, a new hip or gable, or a separate lower roof. We redraw the roof plan and elevations to match.
Can a 2-car garage become a 3-car garage on a narrow lot?
Sometimes. A tandem bay (one bay two cars deep) adds parking without adding width. We check your lot width and setbacks during scope confirmation.