DIY Building a Carport
A carport can improve your home's property values while providing attractive, simple and easy-to-build protection from the elements for your car, boat or other vehicles. With some simple preparation, your carport will provide years of valuable service to your family.
-
Check the Regulations
-
Be sure to check with your local township or city clerk's office to determine whether you need a building permit to erect a carport, and whether there are any special regulations about having a carport physically attached to a primary residence. Some states have licensing laws that require a licensed builder to make structural changes to a residence.
If you live in a condo or are governed under a neighborhood association, make sure there are no bylaws that affect the size or placement of a carport, if one is permitted.
Site Selection
-
Choose a location that offers excellent drainage and has extra protection from the elements. For example, placing the carport on the downwind side of a hedge offers a bit more of a block against blowing rain or snow. Also, think carefully about whether placing the carport near a large tree makes sense--in a storm, is the tree a lightning risk?
Depending on the items the carport will protect, is it important to have easy access to a house door, or to have some ability to check the carport from within the house?
Building Materials
-
Choose materials that are appropriate for the site. A wet area would benefit from Wolmanized lumber, for example, and a sandy site might require supporting posts to be sunk into an extra-deep pool of concrete.
Sheets of corrugated aluminum make for an excellent building material; however, be careful when using it as a roofing material because insects--including wasps--can nest there, and the nests can be difficult to remove.
Structural Design
-
The pitch of the roof will affect the overall performance of the carport. A deeply pitched roof will reduce the headroom at the back end of the carport, but a shallower pitch might accumulate snow in the winter. A deep pitch also has implications for windy areas, so make sure that the angle of the roof is safe.
Always bury your supporting posts in concrete. This will add stability and safety, and protect the integrity of the carport if the ground is unexpectedly soaked in a flood.
-
