Homeowners all over the globe, at some stage or another, consider investing in a carport for their home. Most free-standing homes will usually come with a garage or two, but this, during the course of the person living in the home, might no longer be enough. Carports are usually added to the home when the family invests in another car, motorbike or even boat that will need protection from the outdoor elements.
Carports and other similar structures like pergolas and gazebos provide protection for your home’s assets from elements like snow, rain, sleet, and hail. Due to the fact that most carports are constructed with two or fewer walls, however, protection from severe weather cannot be guaranteed. But, there are various more reasons why homeowners add a carport to their home.
If you are considering installing a carport, ensure that you call upon the professionals to build one for you. This way, you will avoid any structural flaws and make sure that your carport flows with your home and adds value to it. There are various experts, like Californian-based, Carports and More, who can assist you in adding the right carport to your home.
It Is More Cost-Effective
The first thing to consider is that building a carport is far more cost-effective than building a garage. A garage is a permanent fixture that will need to be built from foundations up and be an attachment to your home. Elements like bricks, roofing, flooring, and doors are all costs that you will need to seriously consider when budgeting for building a garage.
A carport, on the other hand, is a much simpler structure that is not only quicker to erect, but will be lighter on the pocket. In fact, carports can save you up to 75% on what you would be spending on a garage. Most carports are made out of simple aluminum or even wooden structures, cutting out the necessity of pricey building materials.
Carports Take Up Less Space
Carports can be erected in an area of the yard where a car can be stored. Due to their simple structures, you usually do not need permits or any kind of approval before erecting one like a garage. In some cases, when building a garage, you would need to take boundary walls into consideration before building an add-on to the home. However, in the case of carports, this is not a factor that you need to consider.
Carports can also be functional to secure a space for the parking of a vehicle on a more permanent basis without actually being a permanent alteration. Space can be carefully designated for the parking of additional vehicles without them being placed all over your carefully maintained lawn.
It Adds Value to Your Home
A carport might not add as much value to your property as a garage does, but it does heighten your overall value. Depending on the cost of the carport that you erect, it can increase your property value by anything from $700 to $3,000.
There are various things to take into consideration. The wear and tear of the carport will need to be controlled if you want it to have a longer lifespan and maintain its value. Keep in mind that it is metal exposed to the elements, so it will rust and disintegrate over time, so make sure you keep it cleaned and treated regularly.
They Can Be Used for a Variety of Purposes
As mentioned, carports are great for cars, motorbikes, and various other vehicles like pick-ups, busses, trucks, quads, boats, etc. They can come in handy for a number of other purposes. General short-term storage space can be created in a carport, however, due to the exposure to elements and lack of security, moveable valuables cannot be stored under a carport.
Carports can be incredibly useful to provide shade or protection for your children to play under, or if rain has interrupted your barbeque. Most carports only have two or less walls, so access is easy, there is a large amount of fresh air flowing in and out and you can easily keep an eye out on the kids.
Carports are More Eco-Friendly
Despite the fact that you are using metals and aluminum to erect a carport, they are more eco-friendly than actually building a full new garage. Carports can be made using sheet metals, wood, cement, steel frames or even plastic sheeting materials.
There are also a number of ways to ensure that your carport is greener if this is very important to you. You could make use of sustainable materials to build it, or you could add a living wall or roof. The greenery can be a simple, yet effective touch to add an aesthetic value to the home. You can also add solar panels to the roof due to its location in direct sunlight that you can either feed straight into the home or the rest of the outdoor space.
It Could be Used as a More Temporary Solution
A carport can sometimes be deconstructed even easier than it is to erect one. Depending on what materials you use and how adaptable the fixtures are, you can create a structure that you can build up and take down as you need. Similar to gazebos, a carport could be the solution if you need to park a vehicle over the weekend or set up for a family gathering.
Just make sure that you make this clear to your supplier and builder as you will need custom made materials and structures to be able to assemble and deconstruct it yourself. In many cases, carports are cemented into the ground, so you will need to convey to your builder not to do this if you do want it to be temporary.
Last Thoughts
A carport can be a great, effective and efficient addition to your home. Not all carports need to be unsightly, however. Research some designs before you get yours installed, and look at the various options, including natural elements. Add lights and plants to the structure to create a visually attractive area, and if you can, ensure that it flows with the rest of your home and design.