Helpful Tips for Building a Carport

Guest Blogger #527, Entry #1189, May 18, 2012

Whether you just bought your teen his first car but you don’t have enough space to house it, you’ve decided to transform your garage into an additional room (man cave?), or your Great Aunt Edna shuffled off this mortal coil and left you a houseful of heirloom furniture that you’re storing until you can sell it, you may find yourself in need of some outdoor coverage for one or more cars. Since you probably don’t want to spend an arm and a leg having someone come in and build a carport for you (especially if the situation is only temporary), you might be looking for ways you can do it yourself for less. So here are just a few design tips to get you started.

Helpful tips to consider before building a carport

Image via: Tumblr

Confirm with code officials

First you should check with your local zoning board to find out if you can, in fact, build a structure on your property. In some cases you will have to obtain a permit and there could be laws pertaining to how close you can erect new structures to the property line (as well as other ordinances you’ll need to be aware of before you get started). Generally speaking, such laws will only pertain to permanent structures, so depending on what you intend to put up, permits and such may not be necessary. But it’s in your best interest to know about any rules, regulations, and limitations going in so that you don’t have to pay fines or make changes after the fact.

Measure out your area

Next you need to measure the space you plan to use to make sure you can erect a structure that is suitable for your needs. You must have enough clearance to get your car into the carport, and depending on how long you plan to use the structure (will you leave it for the next owner?) you might want to fashion it to fit larger vehicles as well. You’ll also want to make sure that you can still access your garage without any issues if you plan to stack park with your carport (as in, put it in front of one garage bay).

Carports can be modern and reflect the home’s architecture

Image via: CS Architect

What materials will you use?

Now it’s time to think about materials. There are many options here. You could use wood, metal, insulated concrete forms, or even heavy-duty PVC piping for the framework and the top could be something as simple as canvas to a more complex contraption made of roofing materials, aluminum sheeting, or even glass panels. You may also want to apply siding of some sort to protect your car during inclement weather. You’ll find a wide variety of materials and prices to suit your budget and your aesthetic. A word to the wise, though: if you plan to make a permanent addition to your home with the carport, make sure it matches your house in both design style and materials so that it doesn’t stick out like a sore thumb.

Of course, you could just go to your local hardware store or a website like Get Carports.com to buy your carport and have someone else assemble it for you. But with careful planning and a little elbow grease you can easily erect a workable solution to your parking woes on your own. And whether it’s only temporary or you plan to sink supports into concrete moorings, you’ll end up with a structure that makes your home a little more functional.

For more outdoor home ideas on Stagetecture, click here.