You have to ask yourself a few things about what you’re willing to pay, because aluminum carports can be either simple or ornate, and anywhere in between. You also have to consider shipping, installation, and even delivery, all depending on who you go with.

It’s a great idea to get some quotes from a few different companies just so you know what you’re working with. Local companies will offer more competitive pricing on aluminum carports, but may not have the style options you’re looking for. We also have to consider the style of the carport because it’s a way of home improvement.

Larger national chains may have more of a reputation, but there will also ways be a shipping charge, plus the fact that their product may be priced higher. You also have to consider the fact that the carport will have to be assembled upon arrival, but a local company may offer that service for free or for a low fee.

If you want a carport that goes well with the style of your house or one that fits your ideals of design, it may be that you have to go through a company that has a variety of choices. Most of the time the larger companies are the ones with the capacity to carry aluminum carports like these. However, if your tastes are simpler, you should be able to find something nearby that will suit your needs.

Before you make your decision, be sure that you’ve explored every avenue. This way you can be confident that you got exactly what you wanted without having to settle.

Carport kits should not be confused with garage kits. Garage kits are different in that they enable you to construct a building that will resemble a garage more than a carport does. With a garage kit you can erect a building that has walls, garage doors and is a bit sturdier. There are many good carport kits available that will enable you to build a good solid carport that will withstand quite a lot.

ShelterLogic 12x28x11 Homestead Barn Canopy Carport:
This carport kit includes an all steel frame, fitted cover and 2 door panels that have double zippers. It also features roll up door kits, a vent kit, steel foot plates and 10 30” auger anchors. You can choose from a variety of colors. This carport is fairly easy to assemble although time consuming. It is big enough to house auto or boats and RV’s. With the cover, it is even safe to use for storage. It is a great value for your money and will withstand most of what Mother Nature has to offer.

Universal 20×10 Enclosed Canopy Carport:
This enclosed canopy carport kit combines a 20 gauge steel structure with a white drawstring cover and includes the wall kit needed to fully enclose it. The walls include 1 plain wall for the end, 1 zippered wall for the other end, and 2 sidewalls with clear plastic for the windows. This is another quality carport kit that you will get your money’s worth out of.

This is a brief overview of 2 of the top selling metal carport kits that are available, both of which will stand up to harsh winter weather and winds and protect your vehicle, boat or RV. They both feature full canopies and will even protect items that you might want to place in storage.

There a many reasons why you should keep your vehicles in a shaded area. Both heat and the sun’s UV rays can actually damage a car’s paint and it can also fade the interior of the vehicle. If you happen to live in an area where it snows during winter you will find that it is essential to keep your car under cover both to provide easy access to it and to avoid damage from heavy snowfall. Although, if snowfall gets very heavy, you may want to choose a gabled roof rather than a flat roof, for obvious reasons.

It is very quick to put up a flat roof carport and usually these kinds of carport kits are fairly inexpensive. Of course, if you have someone erect a structure for you, you will have to pay more but if you are able to do it yourself it will be quite a saving. You may need to enlist the help of another person at least help with the poles and the uprights. Although these carports are called flat roofed carports, there is usually a slight incline so that water can easily drain off the roof.

The reasons why so many choose flat carport designs over other types of carports are varied. Most of these carports kits are quite a bit cheaper than other types (particularly wood carport kits). They are also fairly easy and quick to put up. They can be placed just about anywhere on your property, wherever you need additional storage space for your vehicles. If you do buy one, look for one that has pretreated metals as these are designed to last a lot longer than untreated metals.

Let’s look at the basic types of carports that are available. When it comes right down to it, there are two basic styles. The first is the lean-to carport, and the second is the free-standing carport. Each of these also further sub-divide into pitched and flat roof carports.

The lean-to will have either a flat roof (which still in fact includes a very slight slope for run-off) or a single-sloped roof. If you build a free-standing carport, you have a much bigger range of options as far as roof style goes. You could still build a flat or single-slope roof, although a much stronger option would be the standard A-frame style, with options ranging from ribbed arched roof rafters common with free-standing metal buildings, to a gable-end truss style roof.

The line is also sometimes blurred with lean-to designs between what are called “outrigger” carport canopies and what most people would consider to be simply a large patio awning. That’s because they’re fundamentally both the exact same thing, but just used in a different way for a different purpose, thereby perfectly illustrating the range of options for a carport.

The size of your carport will be determined by the size you have available to build on, the number of vehicles that you want to store and of course your budget. Most people have an ideal carport size in mind before they start doing their research, but these factors will often come into play when you are figuring out the actual details of your new building. In practice it is often the budget that sways the other considerations and this in turn is heavily influenced by the choice of materials for building your carport.

Whether you just need a single carport, or you are researching double carports, make sure you look ahead to the future and don’t skimp on size. It is much cheaper to build a larger structure now, than to have to either expand or build an entirely new building if you end up running out of space down the road.

The last option that I’m going to discuss is the decision you will need to make about whether to design and build yourself (or have a contractor build for you), or whether you will shop for a pre-made structure or kit that can just be bought and assembled in a few days. The pros and cons will become apparent as you start to look at both of those options. If you have some construction experience and a few handy friends, you can save a lot by buying materials and building your own carport.

If you build a wooden carport, the design options are limitless and you could end up with a very economical but perfectly styled carport to suit your properties existing style. On the other hand, buying a kit and assembling it yourself can also save you quite a bit of money by getting rid of the labor cost. If you just prefer to pick a model and have it built (or delivered) for you then you will pay a bit extra, but you will be sure of what you are getting once you make your final carport choice.

Polyethylene

This material is considered the most economical so you won’t have to worry about it costing you a lot. It’s designed to be lightweight so it’s very easy to move around making construction of your carport relatively easy to do. While it’s still capable of protecting your car from being exposed to all sorts of weather conditions, in terms of overall toughness, polyethylene still can’t be compared to the next two materials we’re about to mention. But it’s still good enough for those working on a tight budget.

Aluminum

A lot sturdier than its polyethylene counterpart, an aluminum carport is also just as economical so you won’t have to dig deep when it comes to expenditures. Since it provides a stronger foundation, you’ll be able to enjoy better protection against harsh weather conditions. Plus since it’s also lightweight, this material can be moved around easily as well.

Steel

Considered the strongest of the four, steel gives you the best protection money can buy. And since it’s pretty pricey, so it’s going to cost substantially more money. But even though you’ll have to shell out a lot, you’re getting your money’s worth since your vehicle will stay safe against the sun’s rays, snow, or rain, no matter how troublesome they get.

Wood

Although this is very much the top of the range (and correspondingly expensive) option there is no doubt that a wood carport not only offers nearly as much strength and protection as most metal carport kits, but looks way nicer too. With wood you can easily match details already present in your property and make it seamlessly blend in.

The rocket-high price of real estate also contributed to the rise in garage conversions to create more storage or living space in a home. Additionally, many garages are simply already too crowded so when you think of buying another car and there’s no place in your garage where you can squeeze it in, investing a little bit of money for a prefabricated metal carport is the most cost-effective solution.

A carport is a fairly economical venture because it not only provides protection for your car but can also be utilized as a covered outdoor living space when you take your car out. It’s an ideal place for parties, yard sales, cookouts, or even as an enclosed playground for children during bad weather conditions. These multiple functions of prefabricated metal carports add up to their value even more making the affordable shelter especially attractive to the average consumer.

Another benefit of choosing carports is the reality that they are reasonably easy to assemble. That is why they are called, “prefab” or “prefabricated” metal carport kits, since all the parts needed to assemble and install the structure are pre-assembled at the manufacturing plant. In most cases, all you have to do is connect the large pieces together and fasten them together using specially designed fasteners and bolts.

In most cases, no specialized skills or experience is needed in constructing carports and only basic tools are needed such as hammers, screwdrivers and wrenches. Some manufacturers or dealers offer free installation so you should definitely inquire about such perks before you make your final purchase. Free carport installation can save you a lot of time and effort, and if it’s FREE then why spend your own time?. In some cases, the price of a carport kit already includes the installation fee as well.

So although a wood carport is undoubtedly the best where looks and quality are concerned, there is certainly a case to be made for the much cheaper and easier to install prefab steel carport.

There are many different types of car ports available, and it is important to choose a high quality, long lasting model. Wood carport kits are currently very popular, but at the upper end of the price scale, whereas a metal car shelter can be a good option if you are looking for something that is easy to install, durable and above all an affordable solution.

Metal car shelters vary in shape, size, and style. You can purchase car ports from home supply stores, hardware retailers, or one of the many dealers that specialize in car shelters. There are literally thousands of options available when it comes to choosing a metal car shelter, so it is important that you explore the choices thoroughly before making a purchase. It may be helpful to speak with someone who has purchased a metal car port in the past, to get their opinion on the particular model they purchased, or to get a referral to a reputable retailer.

The internet contains a number of car shelter reviews that can be equally as helpful. Internet car shelter reviews should be taken with a grain of salt, however because you have no way of knowing if the comments were made by genuine customers. It is important that you also check out the details of a shelter carefully. If someone has written a review that speaks about a particular feature for example, it may be a good idea to look at this feature to see if the review is accurate or not. It is also a good idea to look at the shelter in person when possible because that is how you can better analyze the quality of the product.

Although a high quality shelter is likely to be more expensive, it will probably last longer, so you should definitely consider the extra investment. It is wise though to determine a budget amount before heading out to a store or dealer and keep within your predetermined limits. Also check out some of these tips about choosing between different types of carport.

When you are ready to shop, you should keep your needs in mind first and then consider durability and overall quality at a close second. Thoroughly understanding the necessary tools and equipment needed to set up the shelter is also important. In most cases, the shelter will come with all the necessary hardware, such as screws, for assembly. Reading the instructions before you buy is also a good idea so you can get a better feel for how much work is involved.

The task seemed really daunting. I am definitely not handy with the tools, but I knew I could follow the instruction manual by the letter. The other thing was finding enough time to actually put the carport together. I work some pretty crazy hours, so I would have either one day to put it all together, or devote about one hour per day for a week to put it together. But there was another option I was considering, and that was hiring a contractor to do it for me. That way it could be up in a short amount of time, and I wouldn’t have to worry about if I put it together correctly.

The contractor option sounded the best, but I wasn’t really sure where to start. I mean, most of the contractors I had dealt with in the past were either crooks that didn’t get the job done and charged me a lot of money or ones that quit in the middle of the project. I couldn’t let that happen this time around.

The first thing I did was ask my friends for referrals. I figured this would be the fastest way to get a great referral and cut down on the search process. I called each of my friends, explained my project, and asked if they knew anyone they thought would have the skills and know how to complete it. I got two great referrals from it.

The second thing I did was do a Google search to find local contractors in my area. I quickly found out that most contractors in my area don’t have websites. So I headed to Yelp (it’s a service review website) and did a search there. I found about three contractors who were in my area with five star ratings. So I called each one and set up initial consultations with each one.

In the end, I decided to go with one of my friends referrals. He was easy to get along with, straight-forward on the costs of the project, and was within my budget. The other contractors were also great, but they were outside of my budget. And I knew I didn’t want a DIY project and put the metal carport installation kit together myself. So in the end it cost me around $200 to have it put together in about 2 days. That’s a job well done if you ask me.

If you’re interested, these are two of the best selling carport kits available currently.

Wooden Garage Doors

Although no longer the outright best seller of former years, wooden garage doors have long been among the most popular types of garage door available. Even these days, with modern materials technology, many if not most people think wood garage doors are better for a number of reasons; style, quality and durability to name a few. But it has to be said, there are some areas where wood garage doors don’t stack up so well against the competition any more.

So let’s introduce a little history to set the scene. Prior to the early 1980′s the de-facto standard material for just about all domestic garage doors was wood. The design and manufacture was essentially derived from earlier coach or carriage house (and even barn) doors and given the simplicity and aesthetic appeal of the product there seemed little reason to change.

Even though more modern materials such as steel, aluminum and vinyl were being used to make garage door panels even back then, mostly they were regarded as niche products aimed at commercial rather than residential applications. A significant reason for the lack of interest from the domestic market was simply aesthetics – the new doors just didn’t look anywhere near as stylish and people quite understandably were concerned about the obvious correlation between garage doors and property value.

When a single item can easily account for over one fifth of the immediate visual aspect of a house it’s important to make sure it looks smart and wooden garage door panels certainly achieve that, especially if they are stained or painted to match the wood trim on the rest of the house (doors, window frames, soffits, fascias etc). In fact, it was interesting to note that as metal and vinyl door panels started to gain a foothold they were often made with a fake wood grain effect – imitation being the sincerest form of flattery.

Aside from having a visually appealing natural texture and the flexibility to take an almost limitless number of colors and finishes, wood door panels possess certain other key characteristics worthy of consideration.

The first and (for many people these days) most immediate characteristic where wooden doors are concerned is their cost. Comparing basic entry level wood and steel doors of equivalent size and quality, the price differential for the wooden version averages out at some twenty percent higher. When you start to move up the scale and account for thicker gauge steel and integral insulation then things can move around, but even so you tend to find that on a like for like basis, the equivalent wooden garage door will invariably cost more than its metal counterpart.

Second is the issue of longevity – how long the door will last – which again is not as straightforward as you might expect. Wood, being a natural material, is subject to a process of degeneration over time. It can both rot and warp out of shape, either of which will render the door panel unviable. The extent to which it will do so of course depends on three main factors: how well constructed it was in the first place, the environment it has to cope with, and how well it is maintained,

Steel doors don’t warp or rot as such, but they are easily dented or buckled and they can rust; and none of these conditions is easily treated or masked with a coat of paint (as is typically the case with wood). Vinyl door panels can shatter if hit hard and will eventually degrade and become brittle due to exposure to sunlight (specifically ultra violet).

Which type of garage door “lasts longer” is therefore not an easy question to answer. It depends on a variety of factors that include the material used, the build quality and environmental and operational conditions. It also depends on what is meant by “lasts”. A badly rusted and dented steel door may in fact operate perfectly well but still get replaced long before a wooden door might, simply because most folk cannot stand to look at an ugly garage door (even if it is still functionally ok). The useful lifespan of a wooden garage door is also to a large extent determined by how well its owner looks after it, rather than any fixed duration.

The third feature regarding wooden door panels is weight. There is no question that wood panels are significantly thicker and heavier than either metal of vinyl (it’s also the main reason why these alternative materials first started to appear in commercial applications that required very large garage doors). This is not necessarily either a good or bad thing, it’s simply a fact, but there’s no doubt that the chunkier appearance of wooden door panels looks nicer and exudes an air of quality.

Also, the concept of “secure garage doors” is something of an oxymoron when looking at most standard metal doors, but wooden doors are intrinsically more robust. Wood is also a naturally effective insulator and outperforms all man-made materials used for garage door panels, though once again it’s not quite so simple, since it is quite simple to fit garage door insulation to any metal door (either pre-installed or using a DIY kit) and immediately turn the tables. And the reason you can’t so easily do the same with a wooden panel? It’s already too thick and heavy to take another layer of insulating foam.

So that’s a short and hopefully informative introduction to the subject of wooden garage doors and their enduring popularity. If you’re actively looking to make a purchase then why not check out this guide to buying a garage door for more tips and ideas.

Of course, there’s also always the option of consigning your garage to a more useful purpose in life (how about using your garage as a gun safe or a games room, or a gym or anything really other than a place to park a car)? Then simply sort the car out with a carport (and in keeping with my own prejudices I’m specifically suggesting that you consider one of the many excellent wood carport kits currently available because, well frankly wood carports look great and other types look for the most part outright plain and utilitarian and that’s not what I want stood next to my house).

One of the most popular choices which will add value to the home is a garage. An enclosed garage has a number of benefits including not only somewhere to park your vehicles but as a laundry or workshop. It is even possible to install a television, seating and a refrigerator and use it as a place to entertain friends or hang out with the family.

This picture shows an “outrigger” style carport/patio awning that is simple, inexpensive and flexible. And as you can see it greatly enhances both the look and usability of this outdoor space.

With a smaller property or a tight budget you may find that you do not have enough room or spare money to erect a garage. If this is the case, then the next best option is to look at a carport. They can be used to store a car, boat, motorbike or whatever you like underneath. They also come in a number of sizes from a single up to a triple, and can be made of various materials so you can can have plastic or fabric at the budget end, different types of metal and of course wood carports.

Many people think of carports as open structures which is correct for most of them. However, it is possible to enclose them and fit a foll up door. This makes them a more affordable and portable alternative to an enclosed garage. What they’re obviously not able to compete with is the kind of secure garage storage offered by custom garage cabinets since they’re basically open to casual access.

Most metal carport kits are constructed from steel and are available in an abundance of sizes and colors. There are also a multitude of enclosure options and roofing options, including a pitched or flat roof. Commonly, they will allow access from both the front and rear. As with the enclosed garage they have a number of uses including storage for garden tools, children’s play area and even a place to keep livestock!

As you can see, a garage or carport will add a lot of extra storage to your home and if you invest in a wood carport which is frankly much more attractive that metal then it can also add extra value when it comes to selling.