Getting a Carport: Steps & Price Ranges

From November to April, it’s pretty much car shelter season. Seeing all these white plastic car shelters sprout on many driveways isn’t so appealing. They certainly do not provide any extra appeal to your home – and rather have the contrary effect. Carports are definitely an interesting alternative to consider when it comes to providing shelter to your car in the winter!

Of course, the cost is a bit higher than the car shelters we’re usually used, but they bring an interesting look and value to your home. Permanent car shelters might even end up costing you less in time and resources as you won’t need to take the time to put them up and take them down every year. Here are the steps you should follow to get one – as well as the costs associated:

1. Request permission from the city

This step has no direct cost unless you don’t actually ask for permission and find yourself in a little trouble! In fact, each municipality has its own regulations and city authorization can be more complex in certain areas. We advise that you don’t start planning anything until you know exactly what your city is asking for on your behalf and is accepting for this kind of project. Essentially, make sure you can get a building permit before starting your carport construction – it’ll be mandatory.

2. Create plans and apply for the permit ($500 to $2,000+)

That’s right! Even for this kind of reno project, you’re likely to need plans – all depending on your city’s regulations. For this step, the estimated budget varies quite a bit. Are you looking for custom-made plans? Pre-made plans? And attached carport? Or, a detached one? A pre-made carport plan can start at $500 and go up to $2,000 (if not more) for a custom plan. Note: you might need an architect or technologist to get custom plans made. Once you have your plans, you can have them approved by your municipality and request a building permit accordingly.

3. Building the carport ($12,000 to $25,000)

This step still includes many price variations. For instance, an attached carport will be significantly more expensive, especially if you opt for the same exterior siding as your home. Its price will be higher as it will have to be treated as a home extension. It can, however, be converted into a garage in future years, and thus bring more value to your home.

To ensure that your carport can withstand heavy snow and strong winds, it’s important that its foundations are solid – this applies to attached and detached carports alike. A specialized general contractor is likely to help you get the job done.  In fact, a concrete foundation slab would be important and it’s strongly advised to have the concrete poured by a specialized contractor. Screwed piles or concrete piles can be also be used to add more strength and durability to your structure – which also guarantees frost and snow resistance. As for your carport installation, the process may not be that long depending on whether it’s a custom-made or a pre-fabricated port.

You carport material choice

You can choose wood or metal for your carport and you can easily adapt it to your home. It’s true that metal is often more expensive than wood, but you can very well choose the material to use according to your budget. The price difference can also vary depending on the size of your carport. The type of roofing you choose can be interesting as well. You can opt for a pitched roof, a flat one, shingles, or membrane roof. You can essentially choose anything you’d like and which you believe will match your home’s look.

If you don’t mind having a plain white plastic or canvas car shelter in front of your home during winter months, that’s fine as well. However, if you want to look for a more sustainable and attractive solution, Call us or fill out our form to get in touch with one of our Renovation Advisors! They’ll assist you throughout the project at no cost, no obligation to you! They’ll even find up to three Verified Contractors to get you quotes for the job ahead!