Church floor plans and designs

Construction of a church is required whenever a congregation increases or starts anew. If you’re in the planning stages, consider these three types of church floor plans and designs, and be aware of the important details you need to ask about throughout the process.

There are multiple variables that factor into the construction of a new church. No longer are churches just about an area to worship. They’re multi-use facilities that can include:

Cooking or warming kitchen
Activity space
Daycare facilities
Conference rooms
Classrooms
Administrative offices

It’s common for a congregation’s eyes to grow wide with all the possibilities, but the approach needs to be pragmatic, as costs can escalate quickly without smart planning.

Before we share some floor plans and designs, take a look at multiple factors to consider during the planning process:

Think About Your Needs

Start with a wish list. Think about all the needs you have in the facility, and consider how space would address them.

Do you need more space for worship, or would you like a fellowship hall, too?
Would you like to expand your facility to include classrooms and daycare facilities?
Do you want to include risers, music areas, sound boards and wiring runs in the worship area?

Beyond your immediate space needs, there are some big picture considerations in terms of building, such as:

Sustainable building: Is your church going to be a green building?

Building techniques: Are you comparing different construction approaches?

Choosing a builder: Are you looking for someone who can meet your building needs?

Keep in Mind Building Codes

Building codes are important, as certain limits trigger requirements. Here are some examples:

Sprinkler systems: A building needs to be sprinkled based on the number of occupants and square footage.

Kitchens: The type of kitchen you’re using is important. A warming kitchen is different from a commercial kitchen.

Check out our post on building codes for more details.

Consult With a Design and Engineering Team

When you’re moving from a simple worship facility to multi-use, there are multiple factors to consider. These require building engineering and design expertise. You’ll obviously need to work with a construction team, but in the planning stage, you’ll need a team that is experienced with the entire process.

Ok, let’s jump into the floor plans and designs!

Small Church Floor Plan

Church: Short Creek Baptist Church (under construction)
Capacity: Under 100
Description: Small countryside worship facility. This is strictly a worship space, with some additional office space included.

Interior Space

Exterior View

Mid-sized Church Floor Plan

Church: Abiding Love Baptist Church, Kearney, MO
Capacity: Just under 300
Description: Multi-use facility. Includes kitchen, room for daycare, extended fellowship hall. Includes 2nd floor storage area.

Interior Space

Exterior View

Actual View

Big Church Floor Plan

Church: South Creek Church of God, Kokomo, IN
Capacity: Over 500
Description: Multi-use facility, includes a gymnasium and church classrooms. This large open center space, designed to be all-purpose, is surrounded by classrooms. The open areas don’t have fixed seating, which allow the flexibility to be used as a gymnasium or a performance area.

You’re limited when you anchor things to the ground — but when you have movable walls and seating, you can use the facility for multiple purposes.

Interior Space

Exterior View

Actual View

Download Church Floor Plan PDFs

The images we’ve shared with you here are just the start of the building process. Quite often we work with churches that want these basic designs and the shell only. They then enlist the help of the congregation to help with interior walls, electrical, plumbing and HVAC.

Other buildings, such as the large First Church of God, require expert contractors to complete the task.

Use these floor plans as inspiration. You can download them here.

Small church floor plan PDF

Mid-sized church floor plan PDF

Large church floor plan PDF

And if you’d like, you can also reach out to a Wick Builder to learn about how this design and construction process can work for your congregation.

	Yes	No
You understand that barndominium/shouse pricing is comparable to studwall home construction, particularly those with traditional 2-3 car garages and basements. Interior finishes are the same in either building type, and the advantages of a barndominium/shouse largely go away when the garage/shop space is modest and a basement is required. In many cases, you can expect to pay the same as studwall construction (i.e., somewhere between $175 - $250 per square foot depending on your market).
You want an attached garage and/or shop space > standard 2-3 car garage (i.e., > 1,200 square feet). Using post-frame building design, a barndominium/shouse is able to create large usable spaces cost-effectively in ways that traditional studwall construction cannot.
You like the aesthetic of steel (for the roof and sidewalls) typically used in a barndominium/shouse. Alternate materials may be used on the exterior, but they add cost.
You are comfortable using a concrete floating slab (or equivalent) to meet your foundation needs. A barndominium/shouse can be built on nearly any concrete foundation, including traditional basements. However, traditional basements are not necessary with a barndominium/shouse and having one increases cost.
You want to do some of the interior work yourself (such as mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fixtures), or you want to be the general contractor for that scope of work. While some builders will do full turnkey projects, most prefer to perform work through completion of the building shell.

	Yes	No
You understand that barndominium/shouse pricing is comparable to studwall home construction, particularly those with traditional 2-3 car garages and basements. Interior finishes are the same in either building type, and the advantages of a barndominium/shouse largely go away when the garage/shop space is modest and a basement is required. In many cases, you can expect to pay the same as studwall construction (i.e., somewhere between $175 - $250 per square foot depending on your market).
You want an attached garage and/or shop space > standard 2-3 car garage (i.e., > 1,200 square feet). Using post-frame building design, a barndominium/shouse is able to create large usable spaces cost-effectively in ways that traditional studwall construction cannot.
You like the aesthetic of steel (for the roof and sidewalls) typically used in a barndominium/shouse. Alternate materials may be used on the exterior, but they add cost.
You are comfortable using a concrete floating slab (or equivalent) to meet your foundation needs. A barndominium/shouse can be built on nearly any concrete foundation, including traditional basements. However, traditional basements are not necessary with a barndominium/shouse and having one increases cost.
You want to do some of the interior work yourself (such as mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fixtures), or you want to be the general contractor for that scope of work. While some builders will do full turnkey projects, most prefer to perform work through completion of the building shell.

Back to Blog

3 Types of Church Floor Plans and Designs: Small, Mid-Sized and Big

September 25, 2018

Think About Your Needs

Keep in Mind Building Codes