Building a Carport

by Jordan McPelt

Building a Carport may make more sense than building a Garage.  Here is why.

No one really wants to leave their car outside exposed to the elements. When a car is parked in a garage or under a carport it is protected from rain, snow, dust, hail, sun, and other weather that might damage it. Either option also makes a car less visible, deterring potential thieves. However, what are some reasons you should build a carport instead of a garage?

One of the most obvious advantages carports have over garages is the price. For even a simple, one-car garage, it is easy to spend thousands of dollars; while it is very possible to get a carport for only a few hundred.

Because building a garage is a larger project, you will have to find a contractor you can hire to complete the project. You don’t always know what you could be getting yourself into when you have a stranger come in and work on your house. Many garages connect directly to high-traffic areas of the house, so you will have construction workers actually in your home for a least part of the building process. Even if you decide to build an attached carport, it is very unlikely that anyone building it will need to enter your home. In fact, while a garage can take weeks for contractors to build, most carports can be assembled by you and a friend in just a day or two.

In addition, because a garage is a much larger project and needs a foundation poured, it is much more likely that governing bodies in your area will require you to get the project permitted, though you should always get any major home improvement project approved beforehand and make sure you don’t need to fill out any extra paperwork.

The aesthetic of a carport is also very different than that of a garage. A garage can seem imposing and make your lot look much smaller, especially when built as an addition. A carport structure, on the other hand, is open and feels much smaller.

A carport also has more versatility than a garage. When you have parties, you can bring picnic tables and chairs under the carport so your guests can be out of the sun. You can tie rope between the support posts of your carport structure and hang laundry out to dry even when it’s raining and it will be protected. If you get creative, you can find all sorts of uses for a carport besides just a place to store your car.

You also have more options for decorating a carport. You can put seasonal plants around the edges so that they will grow up the supports. You can also hang things like plants, lights, or wind chimes from your carport. You could even use your carport as a staging area for a more elaborate holiday decoration setup that will be better protected.

One other perk of building a carport is that they are often portable. You have invested in an addition to your house and gotten used to the advantages of having it, now if you move you have the option of taking it with you. It is very expensive and nearly impossible to move any garage like that.

Carports may not be for everyone, but for many people’s situations building a carport offer many advantages over building a garage. You should now be more informed and in a better position to make this decision for yourself.

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