There are some lucky homeowners in Calgary who have the space and money to install a garage onto their property. While these additions are great home improvement projects, they are not for everyone. Just from a financial viewpoint alone, the cost of digging foundations, laying heavy concrete flooring to withstand the weight of vehicles and running electricity out to run the lights and doors can be prohibitive to most Calgary residents. However, it doesn’t stop the need for protection for your vehicles, especially during the long winter months, when you can spend hours and days each season clearing off and de-icing your vehicles. This is where a Desert Sun Patio carport starts to make a lot of sense.
What is a carport?
Put simply, a carport acts like a tent for your vehicles. They come in a few different varieties. The most common is an attached carport which connects directly to your home and is supported on the other end by metal poles. This works best for smaller driveways where you typically park your car next to you home. The other main type of carport Calgary homeowners choose is a freestanding carport. This is a permanent metal structure that covers part of your driveway where you normally park your cars. It doesn’t have to be close to your home, but still carries the benefits of a carport.
Benefits Of A Carport
To justify any home improvement expenses, homeowners have to consider the benefits of the project they’re thinking about. 5 key benefits of a carport garage include:
- Protection from the elements – the main reason why people choose a carport is to protect their vehicles from the harsh Calgary elements. In the summer, it protects your vehicle from the winds and dust, while in the winter, you’ll never have to clear snow and ice again when you’re parking under a carport.
- More space for storage – while a carport is specifically designed to fit one or two vehicles inside, you’ll find that you can get extra storage out of it for smaller items like lawnmowers and snowblowers. Enclosed carports can also give you opportunities to store tools and seasonal items that you’ll use outside.
- Increased security – most vehicle crimes are crimes of opportunity. A carport will make most thieves and vandals think twice as they won’t want to come close to your house, and will figure that you’ve got some sort of surveillance in your carport.
- A shaded space – never underestimate the importance of shade during the hot Calgary summers. In terms of your vehicles, a carport will keep your car cool, stopping that awful burn that you get when you get into a really hot car. It also provides you with some covered outdoor entertaining space when you move your vehicles out of the way.
- Adds value – finally, a carport is an inexpensive way of adding value to your home as and when you plan to sell. Potential buyers will see your carport and dream of not having to clear off their car in winter and being protected from the weather when they unload their cars.
Carport Design Considerations
As with any outdoor home improvement projects, there are plenty of ways that you can add a carport to your home. The main decisions that you’ll be faced with will be around the size and materials that you use, but you’ll also need to think about your overall budget and design aesthetic preferences. To help you create the right carport for your property, here are some important talking points for your design meetings with your carport contractor:
- Footprint – the biggest factor that will affect your carport budget will be the overall size of your carport. An increasing number of families in Calgary now have two cars to be able to carry out their day to day lives in the city, but obviously not everyone has space for a two car carport on their property. One way around this is to plan for two cars, one in front of each other. Of course, in this scenario, you’d need to plan who needs to leave the house first in the morning, but this is a small issue when compared to having your cars protected from the snow and ice storms in winter. It’s also worth planning on an extra few centimetres to give yourself some moving room, as well as some possible outdoor storage.
- Materials – while the options for the materials to construct your carport are fairly limited to those that will survive the harsh Calgary winters, there’s still some choices to make to help find the right budget for your project. At the cheaper end of the spectrum is a simple aluminium frame where the pieces snap and screw together. A popular accompaniment here is a vinyl or metal roof to complete the aesthetic, and this is a great carport option if you’re just looking for some basic protection or if you’re in a hurry to get the work done before winter strikes. For a more comprehensive protection, you should be looking at a wooden post and beam carport design. These can carry a heavier roof, meaning you can choose a plywood and shingles combination for longer laster protection that can also be tailored to match the colours of your house.
- Attachment – the final choice that will affect your carport project budget and aesthetic is whether you choose to have your carport attach to your house, or whether you want it to be a freestanding structure. An attachment to your home costs a little less as while you’ll need to pay for the hardware to mount the carport to the wall, you’ll save money on one set of posts as a lot of the weight of the roof will be held by the exterior wall. However, a free standing structure means you can put your carport anywhere on your driveway, which can be a bonus if you’re short on space or if there’s no room next to
your exterior door for a carport.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
I’m John Llanasas, a freelance content writer specializing in topics related to home improvement. I am dedicated to providing valuable insights and information to homeowners seeking to enhance their living spaces. My expertise in home improvement topics allows me to address the unique challenges and opportunities that homeowners face, with a particular focus on practical solutions that offer tangible benefits. My goal is to assist individuals in making their homes more comfortable, secure, and valuable, while also considering factors like budget, design aesthetics, and local climate conditions.
