Ask the Builder – FREE House Plan: 2 Bedroom Garage Apartment | Plan 149.3

Looking for a clever way to combine garage space, a workshop and comfortable independent living in one compact design?

This week’s Ask the Builder – Free House Plan is Plan 149.3, a modern two-storey 2 Bedroom Garage Apartment featuring a large double garage on the lower level and a complete two-bedroom home above.

It’s a practical design for anyone considering a garage apartment, carriage house, secondary dwelling, guest accommodation, home for adult children, rental accommodation or a compact home above a workshop.

FREE House Design – Plan 149.3 Download Here

The idea behind this design is simple: rather than using valuable land for a separate garage and home, the living accommodation is positioned above the garage.

The lower floor provides a substantial double garage together with a workshop, laundry, entry and storage.

Upstairs is a surprisingly complete home with two bedrooms, bathroom, kitchen, open living area, study nook and a large covered meals/balcony area.

House Plan Features

Upper Floor

• 2 Bedrooms
• Built-in robes
• 1 Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Open-plan living
• Study nook
• Linen storage
• Covered meals/balcony area
• BBQ/servery area

Lower Floor

• Double garage
• Workshop
• Separate laundry
• Entry
• Staircase to upper level
• Under-stair storage

Plan Sizes – Metric & Imperial

Overall Width: 7.8 m / 25' 7"
Overall Length: 10.9 m / 35' 9"

Lower Floor: 84.2 m² / 906 sq. ft.
Upper Floor: 65.1 m² / 701 sq. ft.
Total Area: 149.3 m² / 1,603 sq. ft.

Why I Like This Design – Ask the Builder

After many years in the building industry, one thing I always look for in a house plan is whether the design makes good use of the building footprint.

Plan 149.3 does exactly that.

A garage is normally a large portion of a home's footprint but provides no living accommodation. By putting the home above the garage, this design can make much better use of a relatively compact site.

The double garage and workshop also make the design particularly interesting for a builder, tradie, car enthusiast or anyone who wants substantial storage without sacrificing their living space.

Upstairs, the two bedrooms make it much more versatile than a simple studio above a garage.

Could This Work as a Secondary Dwelling?

Potentially, yes.

Depending on your property and local planning regulations, a design like this could be considered for secondary accommodation, a granny flat, guest accommodation, a rental dwelling or multi-generational living.

However, requirements vary considerably between councils and locations.

Before building, you should always check the proposed use with your local council, building certifier or other relevant building professional.

Download the FREE Concept House Plan

As part of our Ask the Builder – Free House Plan Series, you can download the Plan 149.3 design and use it to explore ideas for your project.

The free design is particularly useful for:

• Discussing your ideas with builders
• Obtaining preliminary building-cost advice
• Comparing different design options
• Working out whether the home may suit your property
• Developing your own customised version
• Starting a conversation with your local building professional

Important – This Is a Concept Design

The free downloadable plan is a concept house design and is not a permit-ready construction drawing package.

It should not be used as the sole documentation for construction, building approval or structural engineering.

Before construction, the design needs to be developed into appropriate construction documentation and reviewed for the requirements applying to your particular site and location.

These can include structural engineering, foundations, soil conditions, wind classification, energy requirements, bushfire requirements, planning controls and other local building regulations.

Want to Build Plan 149.3?

If you like the design and would like to take it further, we can prepare a Full Construction Plan package.

Construction documentation can include detailed floor plans, elevations, building sections, door and window schedules, electrical layouts, building notes, foundation information and other documentation required to develop the concept into a more comprehensive building plan package.

Local engineering, certification, energy assessments and professional stamps may still be required depending on where you are building.

Want to Change the Design?

You don't have to build the plan exactly as shown.

If the general idea suits you but you would like a different layout, simply send us your notes, marked-up plan or even a hand-drawn sketch.

We can use Plan 149.3 as the starting point and customise it to better suit your site, lifestyle and requirements.

Possible changes could include additional bedrooms, a larger workshop, different garage configuration, extra bathroom, altered balcony, different kitchen arrangement or changes to the exterior appearance.

Ask the Builder

Not sure whether this design would suit your project?

Send us your question.

The purpose of our Ask the Builder section is to provide practical building and house-design information based on real building experience—not just attractive floor plans.

You can also browse our collection of affordable concept house plans and find more Free House Designs at Australian Floor Plans.

Plan it first. Price it properly. Then decide if it's the right home to build.