Two important factors to consider before building a carport on your property
Carports are a great alternative to traditional garages. They enable car owners to protect their vehicles from the rain, wind and bird droppings without building a fully-enclosed and potentially obtrusive building. Moreover, if constructed with care, they can also increase a property's resale value. If you've been thinking about adding a structure like this to your home, here are some of the things you'll need consider before the building process gets underway.
Materials
The materials that you use to build your carport will determine its durability and its appearance. When it comes to the roof, there are several options, but most people opt for timber or polycarbonate. The latter is the more lightweight of the two. Whilst it is very strong and able to withstand long-term exposure to heavy wind and rain, it should be noted that polycarbonate can be difficult to keep clean, as it tends to be damaged quite easily by abrasive cleaning products. Many people prefer the look of timber, but this material isn't quite as robust as polycarbonate and needs annual re-staining to prevent rot and revive its colouring.
When it comes to the framework, steel and aluminium are two of the most popular options. The former can be expensive; however, if you live in an area where hurricanes occur quite regularly, it may be worth the investment, as it one of the few materials that is robust enough to survive this type of harsh weather. If you decide to use this for your carport, make sure to purchase galvanised or powder-coated steel, as these treatments can help to prevent corrosion and extend the material's lifespan.
If the climate in your area is quite mild, aluminium should suffice. This material weighs far less than steel; however, you can compensate for this lack of weight and make its strength comparable to steel by selecting thicker framework components.
Costs
The cost of building a carport can vary considerably, depending on the construction materials you use, its size, and a number of other factors. It's important to understand how these factors will impact the final cost before you begin this project. For example, building a freestanding carport instead of an attached one is likely to be more expensive. This is because an attached structure only requires one supporting wall, rather than two.
Additionally, if the area in which you intend to build needs to be prepared first, this could also be a significant expense; tasks such as demolishing an existing structure (like an an old shed or garage) to make room for the carport and preparing a concrete slab foundation can cost several hundred dollars (if not more, in some cases), depending on the complexity of the work involved.
When creating your budget for the carport, you should also factor in the costs of hiring labourers to build the structure as well as the price of paying an electrician to install electrical wiring (if you want to have lighting inside the carport).
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