Shop House Floor Plans:
Live and Work Under One Roof.

Side-by-Side

2,400–3,600 sqft

Living space and shop share a long wall with a fire-rated separation. Each zone has its own entry and HVAC system. The most common layout for shop-house barndominiums.

Best for: Equal priority on living and working space

Front-to-Back

2,000–4,000 sqft

Living space faces the road with the shop behind it. Creates a traditional home appearance from the street while hiding the shop area. Good for properties with road-facing visibility requirements.

Best for: Properties with road-facing appearance requirements

L-Shape

2,800–4,500 sqft

Shop wing extends at a right angle from the living wing. Creates natural separation with a covered breezeway or mudroom between zones. Allows independent expansion of either zone.

Best for: Maximum zone separation with expansion flexibility

Loft Living Over Shop

1,800–3,000 sqft

Living space sits above the shop level, often as an open loft or mezzanine. Smaller footprint on the land, but requires careful fire separation and sound insulation between floors.

Best for: Smaller lots or shop-priority builds

Fire-Rated Wall Between Zones

Canadian building codes require a minimum 1-hour fire-rated separation between garage/shop space and living space. This typically means a double-layer of 5/8" Type X drywall on the shop side of the shared wall, with fire-rated penetration seals for any HVAC, plumbing, or electrical passing through.

Separate HVAC Systems

Shop air contains carbon monoxide, dust, and chemical fumes. Your living space must have a completely separate HVAC system — never share ductwork between zones. A sealed combustion furnace on the living side prevents shop-air contamination.

Air Pressure Management

Your living zone should be slightly positively pressurized relative to the shop. This prevents shop air from migrating into living space when doors open. An HRV (heat recovery ventilator) on the living side helps maintain this balance.

Shared Wall Penetrations

Every pipe, wire, and duct that passes through the fire-rated wall must be sealed with fire-rated caulk or intumescent putty pads. These are the most commonly missed items in shop-house inspections.

Sound Isolation

A fire-rated wall alone won't stop shop noise from reaching living space. Add resilient channel, sound isolation clips, or a double-stud wall with an air gap to prevent compressor, grinder, and impact noise from travelling through.

Floor Drain & Slab Separation

Shop slabs should slope to their own floor drain, separate from living-side plumbing. A thickened slab edge or control joint at the zone boundary prevents cracks from propagating between zones.